Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-08-27
VISIT TO CLEARMONT
RECALLS HIS CHILDHOOD
George n. Wood Had Not Seen Old
Home Since the Year
1861.
HOUSE NOW TuNlBI.lNG DOWN
Owner OF Farm Had 1000 Slaves,
and. Failing to Recognize Them,
Often Had TO Ask Them to Whom
Thcy belonged.

An opportunity long sought pre-
scnted itself to me last week to visit
tiearmont, the scenes OF my childhood,
that I had not seen since 1861, when
we fed from the YANKEES at Hamp-
ton
THIS place was divided int" -four
farms. Clcarmout, puriass. Wakefield
and Mt. Nenison Major William Allen.
the owner of this farm. owned also
jamestown and Curlc's Neck. Owning
QUO slaves. he did not know them all
ny sight and would often ask them
who they belonged ia. The slaves had
III easy time. and about 1880 Mr.. Allen
was advised I" get q go-Ihead Yankee
10 stir them on. The Yankee got on
the job with his rcd shirt. pants in his
boots and whip in his hand. and issued
his proclamation. Niger. am come
for de ruler q dis nation" lie fright
cu"d The slaves SO that one fell from
tho hay loft and was killed.
Il;c Yankee oNerseer was returned
from whence he came at once.
climbed the same old hilly road that
wc drove up in 1898. near the Small
wood Seminary. The next familiar
SPOT was the old raviuc just outside
% thc town. where We cut through to
60 home
nLn HOWE ND kirCHEN
NOW TtMELING DOWN
Tho old home and ki,chen. now in
u tUmhle-duwI state. VAS a large, nice
residence with cellar and large old
fashioned fireplace. Many a time did
&c use a string from the window TO
our dead fall outside to catch the birds
and swing thcm on string before
thc fireplace. iill they were cooked
The old well is still there. about
seVcnty-fivc feet deep and the water
q. lust as icy.
ola Moses ana his wife. Lefty. lived
lack "i the place. and were toe old
% do manual tabor. so Moses minded
ne hogs. Many time | ate part Of
lis meal Of hroilcd bacon and ash
'skcs, and sometimes drank his per.
.mmon beer
Thr stump OF the old cherry tree
~ the foot of the lane is standing
! hc old barn or stable that used to
Keep ms large gray mule in was torn
down about five years ago. This gray
muic. called champion. | rode 10 wa
tor every day. My brother. who was
" large. fat boy. was "uviOus Of my
i'IIS' iu"n*htp. So he got behind the
"1crry tr"o ANA throw a clod OF dirt
W the car OF tho mule which caused
i,m :" ran away. nearly causing my
a,h.
IN the hill north Of the town we
gathered the bluchot,lc flowers. and
~ the valley and under III" hill. after
= rain and north wind. We gathered
i"iclcs. sometimes as late as May.
FIRST TRIr DOWN RIVER
IN THE OLD AUGUSTA
My first trim down the rivcr-''Jcems
l;vcr." We then called twas in the
old steamer Augusta, Captain Smith.
! WAS amused by the old porter. who
would ring his bell and CRY out. All
dom who has not settled dcrc far viii
walk To the captains Office and settle
II thar"
This old steamer sank in Hampton
Roads about rhre" wears later She
ry'l Il large part Of her freight in jugs.
ro"do by man named Parr, in Rich
in"nd The old man said that the
GOOD. good sound Of the water going
d tho jugs WAS equal 10 Boomhcld's
pll Point Bond"
When was sixteen years old. in
$50. Major Allen sold the iron works
u the railroad AT Clcarmont. and wa,
"rdercd TO remove IT, and was guard
90 hv the cTnboat Bcauford. Captain
y -kcr We first stopped n Curlc's
= tx. where larg" sturgeon was
sau-ht and the German steward on
~ nunboat asked for tho roc. which
u those days waS thrown awa?, but
Do" made an excellent dish o! II. which
HAS since become famous under The
name Of caviar" We removed all the
iron ard got hack safe 10 Richmond.
GEORGE r. WOOD.
Hampton, Va.