The Farmville herald and farmer-leader. (Farmville, Va.) 1934-1957, 1954-08-24
BicentenniaI Stirs Interest In FOrl0rm
Remains of Famed Pct~:c' And Family
Cemetery Plot,
House At Fork
Lie In Ruin
by Jackie Wall

WIN II IldA ldpl)tiltu tlldl tuIlHE
Prince Edward County'S Been
tcnnial celebration a number Of
hitherto dormant matters Of his
torical interest have been un-
covered and publcized
For instance, project has
been started to restore at Wor-
sham what may be the oldest
Colonial jail in existence here
aboutS furniture from the old
Randolph House. believed to have
been used by both Generals Lee
and Grant before the surrender
at hppomattOx has been given as
a memorial gift to the college
and the remains OF Jonathan p
Gushing early president Of
Hampden-Sydney College, have
been brought back to their right
FIJI resting place on the Hill
There are many other examples
that could be cited
During these activities in Prince
Edward County several persons
have questioned why the branch
Of an old. distinguished Virginia
family who lived in Cumberland
should be ignored Members Of
this family who died more than
a century ago. after giving SO
much TO the material and spirit
nal development Of the area. now
he uncherished, ignored and for
gotten. Why should this be say
some. when other forbcars some
greater. some equal. some lesser
IN fame are being saluted in
nearby Prince Edward?
Major Page
Major Garter Page was born at
North End Va. in 1853 a son Of
the Hon. John Page Of MISSIONER
descendant Of Colonel John PaRc
who was the first of his family TO
settle in Virginia in the l7th cen
fury and Jane Byrd
In 1876. nc left bis studies att
William and Mary to Join the
American Army when he was inst
a lad of IS. He rose to the rank
Of Major, and served as aidc-de-
camp to General Lafayette dur
ing the campaign in Virginia
against CORVALLIS The French
officer regarded Major Page in
high and affcctionate esteem
After the war Major Page
came to Cumberland to live at
willis Fork. an estate so named
because Of its proximity to the
fork in Willis River Here he
married Mary Cary daughter of
Col Archibald Cary Of Ampthill
i'll 1883. and the union resulted
in eight children After her death
in 1897. Major Page took Lucy
Nelson, daughter of Governor
Nelson Of Yorktown as his second
wife in 1899 The second mar
riagc resulted in seven children
Major Page died aged 81 in
1925, and was buried at the Fork
Lucy Nelson followed HIM in
1863 aged So. and was placed
alongside her husband in the
family cemetery.
OF their children Nelson Page
inherited the estate lived there
until his death IN 1850, and his
wife. Mary Randolph Page. sold
the Fork in 1870
Major Pages third son. William
Nelson Page, moved TO CaIra in
Cumberland where the Garter
Pages had been instrumental in
founding Grace Episcop /
Church.
A daughter Lucy Jane Page
married Johnathon P Cushing,
president Of Hampton Sydney
College.
John Cary Page married Mary
Anna Trent of Barley Hill. Cum
berland. and many of the present
local family connections arise
from this union.
Edward Trent Page. Youngest
son. moved to what is now known
as CarysWood in Buckingham
Mrs John Gannaway Trent
descendant. still resides there
Many families, including the
1rvnes. Pages. Trents Danes
Cushmes. and Harrisons trace
Their descent to Major Garter
Page. The family cemetery con-
tains The remains of many ncm
relations of the first Pages in this
area
Osergrown With Weeds
The cemetery located perhaps
800 yards behind the homestead.
is ovcfgrown With weeds and
honcysucklc 1t is we'll nigh
impenetrablc
The house itself standing "a
mllefrom Browns Store IN the
middle of the now l200-acre es-
tate. is beyond repair Built in
1873 when nails were handmade
vnden PEGS its roof is Sunken in
places. doors hans open over the
Sarene porcheS. honevsucklo
steadily engulfs more and more
Of the timber. and all removable
decorations within The residence
have been usurpcd BY passcrs-by
Since the descendants Of the
Pages left the Fork conditions
have not always been so 1t was a
thriving home for the family Of
c w Thomas from 1912 to 1912