The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-01-30

OF the last volumes OF "fTcning's stat.
utea,b which. crossing the Rappahan-
neck from Snowden to n point in Caro-
line county between Snow Creek and
Hayneld, was q very mitch pstrouzed
/ highway from Northern Neck To the
Southern Shore.
There is another snowdcn, owned by
Frank Guest, Esq, which we mention
cd in a former paper.
The Casson- Alexander Snowden COW
cred n broad meadow land upon the
river of great fertility and agricultural
value william co. Pearson Alexander
died when his youngest child. Mary,
was only few years old, and his
widow went 10 the busy little town
Of Falmouth, possibly for greater pro-
lection than slle would receive at
Snowden. although she had an older
son, or perhaps tho estate went to the
SON. and she Willingly gave 1t up.
Whether her son remained at Snowden
we cannot tell. When Mrs. Alexander
herself died her young daughter lived
with her elder sister. Seldom first, at
Falmouth, and then in fredericksburg,
and was married from the well-known
seldom home in the latter place. Mrs.
seddor's own children we're but few
years younger than their aunt and
| Anne Seldom, who married William
Roy. and Leah. who married Warner
Taliaferro pighted their vows In tho
same old house
In later years "Snowden' was owned
by Or. Hugh Morson, and from him it
passed by purchase to John Seldom.
Esd. the son Of Thomas Seldom. at
whose house Mary Alexander was mar
RED to DR.. Beverley Wexford. John
Seldom was Il great-grandson OF Cap
tain Thomas Casson, the first owner
OF Snowden. and the pretty old place
met its doom while he owned It, The
house was handsome, and stood on q
i high HILL which fell to a lush meadow.
The land was unusually fertile, and
IN thirteen years eleven crops OF corn,
better and better every year filled tho
great cribs and cheered the heart Of
the master. When Mr. Seldom was In
the army a Yankee gunboat steamed
one day up to snowde,i. Mrs. Seldom.
4 nee Mary Little. and her mother. and
/ children were there. The great house
ana its luxurious furnishings filled tho
/ heart or the enemy with resentment
and vengeance which the gentle re-
| monstrnnce of two lovely ladies could
not assuage. Tho order went forth
"Burn the house!' and tho fire was
lighted upon tho shining oval or the
mahogany dinner table The greedy
blazes smacked their hot lips upon
this sweet morsc1 and leaped from tho
table to otner rare OBJECTS which they
speedily devoured and soon Snodwen.
with all Its traditions and beauty. was
turned to ashes. 1t has never been
rebuilt.
Tho orphan, Mary Alexander. during
her maidenhood spent much OF her
time with another older sister. Mrs.
Morson, on tho Hollywood estate ad.
Joining the Alexander hone-Snow.
den
Tho Hollywood estate was owned by
Alexander Morson. who married Anne
Cason Alexander. and there were
born his children-the late Arthur A.
Morson, Dr.. Hugh Morson. and James
NJ Morson. Alexander Morson was
the son of Scotch emigrnnt. Arthur
Morson, who conducted very probably
store at Hardwood, about ten miles
above Stafford. at the point of d.
vergence of the road along the Rap.
pahannock from the Warrenton Road
through Fau1uier county and the
Piedmont country. When he came out
rs all emigrant he was engaged to a
Scotch lassie, Miss Andrew. who fol-
lowed him as soon as he could see the
way clear. and they were married as
soon as she arrived In Norfolk. His
son was sutton of Anne Casson in
her girlhood, and remained bachelor
until her Oldest daughter. bearing the
mothers name, was blooming into wo-
manhood. His love was then return
ed. and he married her, and their home
thereafter not only during her life
but her widowfood was at Hollywood.
The residence was some two miles
from the river. but the estate included
many acres Of the bottom lands. be-
tween the Snowden estate and Muddy
Creek. In years gone by. all of the
river shore from tho Strother line to
the King George boundary OF Muddy
Creek was included In the Snowden
and Hollywood farms. But before that
a. portion OF this was the homestead
of the Thorntons. and there Dr.. Robert
Wexford and his after wife. then a
Mrs. Thorton, just mot. When DR..
frellford first came to Virginia with
Colonel Spotswood, the father OF the
latter, then living at Newport. invited
a number of his neighbors on both
sides OF the river to welcome the re-
turn of his son. Alexander, and his
attendant surgeon. Mr.. Thornton was
one OF the guests, and became very.
sick as soon as he reached his own
home. Fate certainly seemed to take
q hand in the situation He called O
servant and bade him so at once to
Newport and request DR.. Wexford to
visit him. The name being very un-
familiar TO his handsome young wife,
she Imagined that Mr.. Thornton's
mind was wandering, and straishway
FASTENED the messenger for the near
est of her known practitioners OF med
icine. MI. Thorton suspected somc-
thing. and told her that he had met
at Newport Colonel Spotswood's army
surgeon. who had come at his own
urgent request, and General Washing
TOMS advice. with a high repute for
professional work and skill.
Apropos OF the Wellfords we notice
with pain an unpardonable omission
in one account OF that family, five or
six weeks ago.
We did not say that DR., John Spots
wood Wexford married Miss Emme-
line Tabb. OF Gloucester. Folk some
times omit just what they wish most
to say-and who ever could forgetI
such Virginia gentleman? Reared
at stately Waverly, in Gloucester-a
Jewel among tho many Jewels in brick
which adorn the North River--and the
daughter OF Edward Tabb. Esq. she
MI ,;.,I.S