Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1915-02-26
A Visit to the Peery Home.

The trail" led me last Sunday
afternoon to the historic home of
Mrs. Kate Cecil Peery, widow of the
late Capt. w. l.. Peery, and tradi-
tional site of the birth of "Sweet
Alice" Mrs. Peery is now eighty-one
years young. l shall not soon forget
The pleasant two hours spent in this
old home, whose every surrounding
is redolent (if that's the word, and elo-
quent, Il know that's the right word),
with echoes, memories and traditions
OF long and cherished past. The
old home and grounds--lawn, stately
trees, rustic bridges spanning the lit
tie stream-all are just about as they
were fifty years and more ago. Slug
gish indeed must be the imagination
which could not repeople these rooms
and grounds with the scenes and lives
OF other, days! The Peery home and
history has been written more than
once, and I'll not repeat, or attempt TO
repeat, what has been so we'll writ
ten many times before. 1 found the
boys, Will, Sam and Cecil, all there.
Mrs. Martin, the only daughter, kind
ly agreed to act the part of ''inter-
prefer" as her mother is quite deaf,
and my hearing quite heavy. Con-
versatlon was rendered easy and
pleasant between two deaf people, by
Mrs. Matrin's assistance. was agree
ably surprised to find Mrs. Peery so
young" and cheerful. Her health
seems good, and her mind as clear as
1T ever was. Yes, she knew and re-
membered distinctly DR.. English. He
was frequent visitor to her home at
intervals Tor several years, after her
marriage in 1852. At this time, DIR.
English was perhaps, living and prac-
ticing his profession at Beckley, Va,
now West Virginia, with DR.. Robert
w. Witten as colleague and perhaps
partner. DR.. English graduated in
medicine in 1912, the year "Sweet AL
ice" was written, and during the years
from 1912 to 1853 made frequent Wis
its to Tazewell. History says that
the poem was written early in the life
of the author, the concluding verse or
verses added later. Mrs. Peery re-
members these visits to her home, and
the hunting and fishing trips taken
by Mr.. Peery and his guest, DIR. En-
giish. She says that she always un-
derstood that the poem was written
in her home, in an upstairs front
room, and not "under the walnut tree
as so often stated.
One account says that English
graduated in medicine in 1889
was licensed to practice law in 184f
by the Pennsylvania University, anC
removed thence to Virginia soor
thereafter, first remaining for time
in Tazewell county, but established
himself as a physician and surgeon a
Beckley in Raleigh county" This put,
DR.. English in Tazewell county il
1912, his year of graduation, and tn,
birth of "Sweet Alice" Mrs. Peery
then young girls, about ten or twelv
years of age, was living at her hom
on Clinch, west of town, would, o
course, know nothing of these visit
of DR.. English, prior to her marriag
at 18 years of age in 1852. She re
members distinctly, however, his FIRE
quent visits to her home after tn
year 1852.
She remembered an incident whic
occurred upon the return of her hus
band from hunting expedition, no,
that DR.. English ate four ducks at on
meal. She explained that they wer
small, blue-wing ducks, and all fou
made only reasonable meal for
I. hungry man.
We have only one more article abo,
DR.. English, in which it is believed al
solute proof can a furnished that