Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-04-09
R0XBURY MANSION HOUSE, !
RAVAGED BY FIRE, PASSES
Oldest Residence in Spotsyl-
vania County Is Prey
10 Flames.
OF COLONIAL ARCHITECTURE
For Centuries. Historic Home Shell
tered Some of Foremost of Vir-
gtnfnns When Love, Gnllantry and
HeroisIn Went Hand in Hand.
ny Kenneth Mccoy Tucker.

|
| Old homesteads. Colonial mansions
manor houses. with atmosphere o,
tho early days OF American life ant
! with sentimental connections, Xix.
the heroes OF thee wars and tn,
makers of the laws of freedom, are
passing. one by one. Every now
and then the history OF the da,
records tho disappearance of some ole
! Colonial estate. over which lowered
the spirit of the cavalier and u,
| lady fair.
! Throughout Virginia there are still
many Of these old mansions. Some
| of them worn and torn by the raw
| ages of time; soma bearing up grace
fully under the burden OF years In
Richmond. the old Colonial and tn.
ante belium homes arc rapidly dis
appearing to make place for TWEEN
| tieth- century progress and for bus
mess. There Is 10 more sentiment
! AS the few remaining scions OF
! proud families OF past generations
| go to their reward. thoughts of the
| Gays of the honeysucklc and the
| magnolia. 20, too. while the rising
| generations grow old with no ply.
steal reminders OF the gallant days
| of long ago. when thought of gold
was one Of the lew things upper
| most in the minds OF the people who
| bUilded this glorious nation.
| The latest NJ these old homes 20
| go was EoXbury Mansion House.
| beautifully situated on tho Spotsyl-
! vanis River. near Thoruburg. Spot
| sSlvania County. Tho sad news came
| into, Richmond Tuesday. The news
! was road ty thousands. hut few knew
the history OF this old homestead.
which. for centuries. had sheltered
generations ot some of the foremost
of Nirginians. and few cared. Few
paused TO express regret.
GnlInntry and Hcroism Ono.
None there were 10 sit before the
;ircplacc and dream Of the long ago.
when love. gallantry and real hero
ism ran hand III hand among fow-
crs- and to the notes OF the song
birds that held sway where now
stand SIX yscrap!ng edihaes filled with
eager chnsers for gold and the fleet
ing fame that comes with posses
sion of wealth
The glory that came with the old
days or achievement in bringing the
earliest settlements into the great
cities OF today. could not he reflected
in the brief little paragraph that told
of the disaster to RoXbury Mansion
House.
This old mansion was DESTROYED
ky fire last Tuesday. With the build
ing went all tho furniture. much
of it being OF the old Colonial type,
much OF the style in vogue in ante
bclium days. ana more of the pres,
| cnt type: musical instruments. car
pets, rugs and other equipment,
Tho mansion was huilt in3 1Ti5,
! much OF the material coming from
/ the mother country. The estate
! originally consisted of 1900 acres,
! tut In later years ii was divided.
and at the present time consists of
! about 1000 acres. 1t is believed the
! present owner. John Ashton, who
/ came 10 Virginia from Illinois. VIII
/ rebuild. But the echoes around the
| wood and the dell Will not ring Of
! the glories of tho past. That past.
/ when the dusky Redskin prowled
around. ana when the mrtterings Of
oppression were spreading among
| the settlers who came for freedom
! and peace.
Patented RoAbury ESTATE.
EoXbury estate, il is related in
Robert A. Lancaster. Jr.'s book on
! Nirginia's Colonial Homes. was pat
/ ented by Captain Harry Beverley.
son az Major Robert Beverley, clerk
, @: the House OF Burgesscs. and was
Inherited by his grandson beverley
S;auard. who was justice OF the peace
in MiddlcseX County. in l1i2, from
which county he went 10 Spntsyl :
Just destroyed ~ lire, in 1915, His
tombstone marks his last resting
place in tho little family graveyard
I n RoXbury.
William Stanard, Bevcricy's eldest
son, fell heir TO RoXbury and stan
ardsvillc. an estate of 500 acres in
Greene County. then known as
Orange lie was an officer Of the
Minute Men at tho beginning OF the
Revolutionary War, and was Shcr-
III Of Spotsylvania in iSo2-iS0i viii
liam Stanard married Elizabeth Car
ter, the beautiful and gifted daugh-
Ter OF Colonel Edward Garter. Of
Hlcnheim, Alb.marlc County, and had
many children.
After his death. in 1909. William
-tanard's heirs disposed of the prop
crty at Hux hury 10 his nephew. Rob
tri Stanard. Speaker OF the House
OF Delegates and judge of the Court
ot appeals. l,Ohcrt Stanard's father
was Larkin Sianard. OF Stanhcld. a
cadet in the Revolutionary War. and
a member Of the House of Delegates
l79S-lSu3. and one of his brothers
ICOntinuad on Tenth paDc)