Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-12-24
By Edward 50. John.


The James! What varied thoughts
and emotions arise at the very men
iioninS OF that historical water
course! Nesting on the south shore
4 or this famous river stands the quaint
ana Interesting home OF the Harrison
family. "Brandon." There are three
Brhndons ia NirgiRia -"Braudon" on
the Eappshannock River. formerly
The HON. of tho Gryines family. and
tprer ana Lower brandon. on the
james The famous estate last men
l TONED, Lower Brandon, as rich In soil
as memories, waB patented bv Cap
tam John Martin in 1917. its history
=. starts but fcw years after the mrs,
Island
Captain John Martin. among the
first settlers To Land vas man of
l some Influence aud Importance IN
! thoas days. member of the Council.
| appointed by the king, he was one OF
| the fcw who wanted TO hold on a,
James Townc after the fever and
starvation depleted the colony to
huch an extent That those remaining
I TOOK To ships and abandoned tho set
'iemen, 10 the VIII oc the elements
and the navaycs ut tho forest
Granted Thousands Of Acres
Ia 1917 he was granted several
thousand acres OF land in tho neigh
bIrhood OF Chippoak Creek. til.
Terms OF this grant were OF such an
unuSua! nature that Captain John
came near being LORD John. Ia lSlgh
/ gent as burgcsscs To the GtstGcnrral
Assembly ON brandon Robert Stacy
ana Thomas DAVIS However thcs,
men wer. not allowed To sit with tn.
Assembly until Captain Martin gave
w some OF the hiSh privileges that
his land grant convey Heug the
only living member vi original Coun-
~ stu! living IN Virginia. Captain
John declined, saying Il hold nv
patent for scrvic. don. which noe
n.we or late corners can merritt or
challenge lie was TO "enioyc his
!aHd"S IN as large and nmpl. manner
l" all in;ertes and purposes AZ any
\ Lord OF any Manour III England doth
h"id his groUudc." After som. time
Ic was induced to surrender this
h,Sh authority, fortunately for the
colony.
Martin was son OF Sir Richard Mar
tn and Drotncr-in-iaw TO SIR julius
Caesar His daughter Dorcas married
'dptaih GvorE" BareraN-. son Of!
it"""rt 8arGraEc, OF Bridge. In Kent.
"'"rSe Harsarro. coming to James
toxin. became largely Interested. with
ms brother, JOAN Rnrgrave. in the
trade OF the colony In the land
grant OF 1857 Captain Robert Bar
gray" sold Martins Brandon. as II
was known. to Scymun Stursis. Rich
ara quincy ana John Sadler. mer-
chants OF London. In another grant,
dated III 1913, the General Assembly
tonhrmc! to Richard Quincy. William
B"Ker ana John Sadlcr i.iju acres
known as Martins Brandon between
Ch!ppOak's tr-cIl and wards Creek"
dI" 10 them by purchase from the
hei!s OF Captain Jonn Martin, de
ceased. 80 TINS Captain Robert Bar
rraN" mast have been a grandson Of
captain John Martin. Merchants
Hope or Powell Brook" and
brandon" became tho joint property
OF Richard Quincy and his brother
'n-lnw' John SadIer. Tho ouneys
We're from Stratford- Avon, ana
Thomas quincy married judith. the
daughter OF William Shak cspcare
Ellen Sadlcr. daughter OF John Sad
le', Richard Quiney's wife. was aunt
10 Anne Sadl"r, the wife Of John Har-
yard. founder OF Harvard College.
|. Descended to His sun.
Richard Qu!ncys interest in Bran
don. as well as Merchants Hope. de-
scended % his son. Thomas Quincy
who willcd IL to his .r-at- nephew
Robert Richardson, who in 1870 con-
Vcyed the same to Nathaniel Harri-
son. 10 whom the interests Of the
Sadl"rs passed at the samcst.me Ben
janIin Harrison, whose tomb NAV
stiiI he seen at jamestown Island.
was the founder of this prominent
colonial family. benjamin Harrison
III, acquired licrkclcy. Il large pIan-
tation further up the river. while his
brother, Nathaniel Harrison. com
pl"icd the acquisition OF the broad
acres If brandon. berkeley passed
INTO IN" hands OF strangers years ago.
hut brandon has come down through
unbr"ken succession from the IIar-
rlsonS Tor over 200 years ago 10 the
liarrisOnS Of today
Entering ut the Big Gate" nm.
wandcrs along driver, curving
through many ancient shade trees.
with here and there bits OF shrub
berry. then suddenly the great manor
house looms up through the opcn
park. one is struck with view Of
red bricks ana the white portals Of
brandon. The house is OF the long
rambling colonial type. consisting Of
large. square central building, two
thanking wings and connecting cor
ridors The buildings are OF brick
laid in Flemish bond. Each front has
vide porch and double door en-
france. We arrived from the land
""fu SIDE of the house. The pine
apple tue emblem Of hospitality, that
TOPS me roof OF the central building
- r"iy characteristic Of the spirit OF
those wiih!h its walls Colonial dig
hitarics, Presidents and their Cahi-
nets foreign men OF importance.
.sa'hrrlhg OF relatives from all over
ne state and the strangers within
the gates. all have known thu hear
~ welcome and open hospitality of
Brandon.
Covers Entire IrIrsf yrIoo-
entering. we found ourselves In n
large contra! hall. II liz divIded In
half by arches resting on ionic col
uhhS and contains wonderful cx.
a..ple or the colonial staircase. This
ha'l with the drawing room on tho
; h"r'h side, and the dinins-room on
me south side, covers tho entire
lrst Moor of the central building
These rooms are lofty, with nanelica