Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-10-10
TELLS STORY Of
HISTORIC COUNTRY
SEATSOF VIRGINIA
Scenes on the App0mattOx
River Are Interestingly
Described.
PLANTATION IN ONE, FAMILY
FOR 275.YEAR PERIOD
Descendants of Francis Eppes
Long Enjoy Grant From
Crown.
ny EDITH TuN1s SALE.

At point where the Appomat,ox
River joins. and flows into the James.
the extreme end OF which a quaint
old house stands erect and preserved
lake "A monument TO the sturdy Eng
i,shman who built II more than 200
dwelling. all made UP Of gable ends
and. like Washington lrvings house.
AZ full of angles and corners as an
ten known az AppomattoN. which
won its name from the stream upon
which ]. lies.
IN the possession of the Eppes family.
for for Il was Angus, g; 1885; tina,
In Virginia, obtained from the Grown
city County. In addition 20 th.s. ne
was given fitty acres for his per
sonal adventure" and ESQ more for
bringing with him three sons and
thirty servants.
Member OF nur.esx-s.
Colonel Francis Eppes was one OF
the most influential men In the coun-
Try IN the Colonial period. being Il
one OF the Kings Council and Com
missioner OF Justice. Upon his death
his estate was divided hetween his
sons sons John. Francis and Thomas. To
Francis Enpcs. in 1917. added 1850
acres. leaving 1t all TO his sons. Rich
ard aud William. by land grant or
this estate brought the property UP
TO 10000 acres lying in the counties
OF Charles City. Prince George. and
records OF Prince George County
were nearly all destroyed in the civil
War. but in one Of the vo!umns tina,
wac e.: saved a.. deed from Mary Eppss
ami showing the plantation OF Az
pomattoN 10 have consisted ut that
time of 4S4 acres.
Among rare old papers in this 1T
lie house standing SO peacefully upon
the south bank of the James. may DC
seen deeds with the Eppes. coat OF
America has been spelled both Epes
and Eppes. the arms OF the family
are the same AZ those belonging TO
the Epes OF Canterbury, England.
Upon one Of hc Slopes Ut Apo
mattox, where vi 4 roses ani pert
Wrinkle Tive together as kinarci. IN
spot az peaceful aow as 'he imagi-
members OF this famous. Virginia
family. though that OF the cmigrant,
Francis Eppes, is in an oak grove
opposite the church in Cedar Lane,
Honse DulIt In 1851.
The quaint little house all covered
with vines and adSrird with gables
end dormers, was buIlt in 1851. The
exterior is, dignihed, although only
y,
the white clapboard walls with high
pitched roof are In DSrfect harmony
with the tall, outside chimneys. On
both land and river fronts the
rose vines, so venerable from their
size that it is easy to believe them
10 have fiourished here 100 years ago.
For it's winter mantle. the house Is
clothed with English ivy. with roots
SO strong and foliage SO dense that
II seems even TO antedate the roses.
Both entrances lead from the
porches into a waiLscoated hall, from
which communication Is had with the
dining and drawing rooms. a ma
hogany-railed stairway leads TO the
places and old-time furniture are in
keeping with that upon. the lower
loor. Comfort was considered more
than pretense upon this interior. The
high. but there has always been a
resting place for stranger and friend,
and the doors with their hand
wrought hinges and locks still swing
did for the bellies and beauX of CEN
British Tramp Over Land.
When the British landed at City
their march 10 Petersburg. Again,
in 1872. the Red Coats were seen
upon It's shores. but il was not until
hercely applied to the country that
soldiers were once more in evidence
and at that time the plantation re-
ceiyed many a hlow that would have
stunned irretrievaDly the majority
OF country seats. Trees then scorched
by fire and shattered by. shells are
now swathe1 in Ivy. and honeysuckle
riots In rich luxuriance over Dough
aftermath of the war. Situated as it
was upon the James River. the Fed
crai army found the place most salts
,,SSIory as camping ground; In
1900 General Grant made his head
quarters at AppomattON. and It was
here that President Lincoln came for
iant part in that memorable war.
IN the very rooms and halls then
n!;ed with sternfaced men of an
h hnar, END on the eve Of battle. light
hearted girls III empire gowns once
danced the newly Imported waltz.
Every corner still speaks of the pres
snSe OF the Colonial cavalier. The
small easements light up on OF the
most interesting interiors in America.
outside the house. upon the lawn. tim
orous women In short skirts and tar
girls as they. walked for their pleas
urc or. sighed in content beneath the
oVer-shadowing trees:
Their Memory Stl1l Lives.
They have passed out Of sight. this
gallant procession OF those whom Vir-
g!nia delighted to honor and who lived
IN this house. but their memory still
lives In all parts of tho place. Lawn
and grass plot, tree and shrub are
beaded and hallowed by assertion as
the grasses down by the river side are
strung with dew pearls in the morn
ing. In that sad year after the War
Between the States was over, upon
the lawn and in the rooms where
many q noble entertainment had been
given, during the regime of the
Colonial Eppes. were no moro stately
minuets: no more courtly gamos of
Tears. The scare left upon the estate
by the two conflicts seemed TO grow
and gradually. old AppomattoS fell
Into n state OF lethargy from which
It appeared Il. could never emerge.
The little dwelling was falling under
tho hand of time: the fertile fields
were growing barren. and the family
which had played such n conspicu-
GUS part In early Republican days,
suffered keenly tho tragedy of war.
Site OF Magic City.
4 'Then. one fair June. day, In the
year 1915, n fairy wand waq wa ffAd