The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-04-14

| YORK RIVER GRASTS.-Continucd
! Next to Roosevelt, on the York stands
tho very old plantation Shelley, prob
ably part OF the grant issued to John
Mann, of Timber Neck and inherlte,i
by the heirexs. Mary Mann, who mar
ried Mathew Page. 1t was certainly
In tn. family Which now owns IL from
l6S9-most probably Il part of thu
Roosevelt estate. It took its name
from the piles OF oyster shells lef,
By the Indians On It's shore.
Mann Page, the Oldest son of Gov
ernor John Page, FIRST lived here, anu
I hs married Elizabeth, the oldest
daughter OF Governor Thomas Nelson.
! This couple was blessed with fifteen
children, and the excellent mother was
/ wont to boast that not one OF then,
: had ever kept her awake at night.
I Shelly was inherited by Miss Sail,
| Page, The daughter of Mann Page. OF
| shelley, and her youngest sistar Cor
neiia, who had married Captain Grit
fifth, OF the United States Navy.
Shelly was not n pretcntious man
sion--lndeed, quite shabby when COM
pared with It's magnificent parent
Ross well-Sut 1t has a most interest
ing history The Shelley people were
quite the Inst word on Gloucester 80
/ respect.
During the lifetime OF Mann paga
and his wife Elizabeth, and through
the later generations, the various
members OF the family who had gone
off to Hanover. Clarke, etc. always
went back to Shelly for an annual
visit--the Shelly people were looked
upon as tho head of the family. They
gave parties which are stu happy
traditions OF Gloucester, and Miss
Sally Page and her sister Cornelln as
! suncd with elegance the role OF their
parents.
Shelly was full OF historic relics OF
the two Governors Nelson and Page.
Here was und is Governor Thomas
Nelson's desk and the sweet picture
OF his as Il boy, always busy In the
shelly drawing room until the death
OF these ladies.
The Shelly servants. descendants of
those who, noiseless and skilful. had
made this domestic rettnue at Rose
well. were ms well known almost as
their mistresses Many years after
the war BILLY Dixon. fat and yellow
and generally elegant OF deportmont.
drove these Indies in the very old
fashioned Shelly carriage. From each
door steps let down to make tha egress
easy. One Sunday q rather new man
In tho county became somewhat I'M
patient OF jogging behind tho rather
SLOW shelly horses. ana he passed
them. Gloucester etiquette forbade
such thing. No gentleman must take
the road from another, and certainly
never from lady. After church Tn.
rather new man made his apologies.
"I should never have taken such a
liberty except from an equal" he ex-
planned.
"Unfortunately," replIad Miss Sally
tall and severe. Some people don't
know their supcriors" Mr.. Mann,
tic rector or Abingdon Church,
was fond or telling this story,
and he used to declare that hfs amuse-
ment was so great that he came near
losing his crutch. AIR Mann was lame
and served tira churches In Glouces-
ter for forty years.
When Miss Sally was not riding In
the chariot with R'liy Dixon in front
she rode gray horse and wore dark
Klue riding habit, with large brass
! buttons At all times and In all
places she was a commanding figure. ,
One of The shdlly maids had only
one arm, and her skill. not only in
cleaning. hut also at Knitting. was
! provcrbial.
The customs OF Shelly were unique.
| When The preacher came he was al