VOLUME 40, NUMBER 4 Amherst County History — “Telling the Story” Fall 2015

The Muse

Amherst County Museum & Historical Society 154 South Main Street

staff@amherstcountymuseum.org www.amherstcountymuseum.org

434-946-9068

Page 1

Martha von Briesen, Sweet Briar Class of 1931, 1977 Recipient of the Outstanding Alumna Award, and former Director of Public Relations at Sweet Briar College, wrote an article for The Iron Worker entitled “Elijah Fletcher – Vermont Schoolmaster To Virginia Planter”, appearing in the Winter 1957-1958 issue. Sweet Briar College had been gifted a packet of letters written by Elijah Fletcher to his father Jesse Fletcher. In 1964 she would have the privilege of editing these letters and others for the book The Letters of Elijah Fletcher published by the University of Virginia Press. Copies of the article and book are in Libraries at both the College and the Amherst County Museum & Historical Society.

We share with you several excerpts from Martha von Briesen’s article:

“‘Dear Sir, This is the 4th of July, two years since I mounted that little bay mare and left the house of my father. I cannot reflect on that time but with mingled emotions—I never shall. The anniver-sary of that day will always bring to mind the disagreeable sensations of parting friends.’

“Thus, in 1812, did Elijah Fletcher write from New Glasgow, Virginia, to his father in Vermont. The young Yankee schoolmaster, who a year earlier had been given the dignified title of President of the New Glas-gow Academy, was already becoming rooted to his adopted state. Although he never lost his love for the ‘Green Hills of the North,’ and for the farm near Ludlow where he was born and grew up, it was in Virginia that he spent most of his life and acquired his considerable fortune, some of which became the nucleus for the original endow-ment of Sweet Briar College…

“Life in Virginia was indeed a pleasant change for Elijah Fletcher. He had only four dollars in his purse when he reached Alexandria. He had worked hard all his young life, and was still indebted to members of his family who helped finance his education. He was the sixth of fif-teen children born to Jesse and Lucy Keyes Fletcher, and he was the only one, as it turned out, who obtained a college degree…

“It was at Sweet Briar that Elijah died in 1858 and there he was buried on the spot which he him-self had selected as his final resting place, ‘on the round top of Woodroof’s mound.’

(continued on page 8)

In Tribute to Sweet Briar College

Virginia’s Gothic Son

Sunday, September 13 at 2:30 p.m. and

Sunday, November 1 at 2:30 p.m.

September’s program will focus on Poe’s connections to Amherst County

through his foster family, John and Frances Allan. Oral tradition has him staying in the area for several summers during his childhood between 1811-1815 and 1820-1825. Sandi Esposito, local researcher, Museum and AGAR volunteer and Board Member for Second Street, will talk about the early 19th century based on her research using the Allan and Ellis papers at the Smithsonian Institute. Joining Mrs. Esposito will be Christopher Semtner, Curator at the Poe Museum in Richmond. Mr. Semtner will focus on Poe’s early life, his mother’s death, his upbringing with the Allan family in Richmond, and his education at the University of Virginia.

November’s program will continue the Poe connection with an opening recep-

tion and talks on two visual arts exhibits at the Museum, beginning at 2:30 p.m. The exhibits will include prints scanned from the original pen-and-ink illustra-

tions by James Carling based on Poe’s poem “The Raven” and the original art works created by members of the Amherst Art Society based on their visit to the Poe Museum, the Poe Garden, and other Poe related sites in Richmond. Both the September 13 and November 1 events are free. The exhibitions will be at the Museum from November 1 through 25, 2015. Programs sponsored by AGAR, Amherst County Museum & Historical Society, Virginia Foundation for the Humanities, Elkwood, Market at Main, Rebec Vineyards and the Laurel Stone Animal Hospital.

(Events continue on page 3)

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Upcoming ACMHS Events (continued from page 2)

The Silent City: Amherst Cemetery

(Children’s Program)

Saturday, September 26

2:00—4:30 p.m. at

The Amherst Cemetery

Recommended for 4th and 5th graders

$10.00 per student (includes snack, drink, note binder and ACMHS back pack)

Spend an afternoon with ACMHS staff at the Amherst County Public Cemetery. The word cemetery comes from the Latin word cemeterium, a sleeping place. Cemeteries are an informational resource and students will examine inscriptions, iconography (symbols), shapes, and gravestone materials to learn about some of the individuals buried in Amherst Cemetery.

Amherst County Public Cemetery is located at the intersection of Grandview Drive and North Main Street

Enrollment limited to 15 students

Pre-Registration Required by September 19

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Sweet Briar College Monument Hill Cemetery Tour with Dr. Lynn Rainville

Sunday, October 4

2:00 p.m.

Learn about the graves in the Monument Hill Cemetery Meet Indiana Fletcher Williams

Visit the 1840 slave cabin Tour will begin on campus

Call 434-946-9068 for details (Events continue on page 4)

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Let’s Play Croquet, Again

Yes, You Wanted More

Sunday, October 11 2:00 p.m.

Saint Francis of Assisi Parish (back yard) 332 South Main Street, Amherst Cookies and Apple Cider Free Admission

The Road to Yorktown: Jefferson, Lafayette and

The British Invasion of Virginia

Sunday, October 25 2:00 p.m.

Hamble Center

Meet Author Dr. John R. Maass at a Talk and Book Signing

exploring the 1781 British invasion of Central Virginia in the campaign leading up to the Siege of Yorktown in October 1781. In this campaign, Virginia Governor Thomas Jefferson and Major General the Marquis de Lafayette desperately tried to counter the active operations of the invading redcoats led by Lieutenant General Charles, Lord Cornwallis, whose march across the Piedmont and Tidewater regions devastated much of the Old Dominion. This dramatic story also includes many key figures of the Revolutionary War, including Patrick Henry, Nathanael Greene, “Mad” Anthony Wayne, Jack Jouett (the Paul Revere of Virginia), Baron von Steuben, and even Daniel Boone.

(Events continue on page 5)

Upcoming ACMHS Events (continued from page 3)

Evening on the Hill

Music and Dinner

November 14, 2015 5 p.m.

$25/person

Call for tickets today 434-946-9068

Help Support your local Museum and

Historical Society

We Need You To Keep Us Moving Forward

Amherst County Chamber of Commerce presents

Third Thursday, November 19

5:30 — 7:00 p.m.

at the Amherst County Museum & History Society

154 South Main Street

Event hosted by

The Museum Amherst Art Society

AGAR Browse through the two Edgar Allen Poe exhibits

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Upcoming ACMHS Events (continued from page 4)

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The Mission of the Amherst County Museum & Historical Society is to discover, collect and preserve objects related to the history and genealogy of Amherst County. The Museum & Historical Society shall exhibit, interpret, and offer those collections to provide educational experiences for people of all ages.

Memberships are annual from September to September; for details, see www.amherstcountymuseum.org/membership.html

Special Contributions _____ Friend $25 to $49

_____ Donor $50 to $99

_____ Patron $100 to $499

_____ Sponsor $500 to $999

_____ Benefactor $1000 and up

If you would like your donation to be used for a certain purpose, please check one of the funds below.

Categories for Donations _____ Operating Fund _____ Programming Fund

_____ Building Fund _____ Collections Fund

_____ Endowment _____ Where Needed Most

_____Library-Technology Fund

PLEASE CONSIDER A DONATION TO THE MUSEUM

The Museum can accept donations online Just click on the Donate button on our homepage

www.amherstcountymuseum.org

ACMHS COLLECTIONS AND ARCHIVES

The Miniature Weaving Equipment, gift from the Estate of Marilyn S. Crump, is now on display as is the Miniature Handcrafted Wooden Furniture of Royal C. McIvor, gift of his son Edward McIvor. The Transportation Diorama made by Model Maker Calvin Ashwell is on permanent exhibit, having had it’s official debut on Colonial Day, August 22. We extend a gracious thank you to The Greater Lynchburg Community Trust for their generous support which made possible the creation of the diorama and the April through August 2015 programs and events.

We would also like to extend a special thank you to Bedford County Museum and

Genealogical Library for their generous donation of the manuscripts by Ann Chilton

of Roanoke. These manuscripts are a typewriter transcribed version of Bailey Fulton

Davis’ Amherst County Will, Deed, and Court Order abstract publications and include

handwritten notations. Of particular interest are the Will abstracts which span the

years of 1761 to 1919 where we previously only had abstracts up to 1865. These

manuscripts are being considered a special collection and are available for research-

ers on a restricted basis and only with assistance from the Museum staff. Please call

for more information on this collection, 434-946-9068.

Benefactor The Greater Lynchburg Community Trust

Sponsor Morris Orchard Lynchburg Ready Mix & Bedford Ready Mix, Inc.

Patron Bank of the James McBride Sign Company, Inc. Octavia and Greg Starbuck Dominion Foundation (Hugo and Joyce Miller) Virginia Select Auto

CONTRIBUTIONS (June — August 2015)

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Need a place for your family reunion

or other event? The Museum’s Hamble Center

...is now available for your event! Conveniently situated in downtown Amherst, this building can be rented for special events. The Hamble Center has a kitchen, two restrooms, plenty of tables and chairs, heating and air conditioning, and convenient parking. If your family reunion is scheduled during the Museum’s public hours, the family historians can do some of their research in the same trip!

Call the Museum at (434) 946-9068 for more details.

WE’VE MADE IT! Amherst County ABC History Coloring Book

Bank of the James

Lynchburg Ready Mix & Bedford Ready Mix. Inc. McBride Sign Company, Inc.

Morris Orchard Octavia and Greg Starbuck

Virginia Select Auto

Welcome to all our New Members!

Carolyn and Jerry Crockett Robert Lam Doris Moses

Susan and Robert Speers Kyle Williams

Sweet Briar College (continued from page 1)

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MUSEUM HOURS: Tuesday — Friday: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday — 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

For your convenience, please call ahead: 434-946-9068

MUSEUM CLOSED: September 18 & 19 November 26 — December 7

December 21 — January 4

“The college which was founded by Elijah’s daughter, Indiana Fletcher Williams…. Elijah would have approved of the conversion of his beloved property into a liberal arts college for women, for in Octo-ber, 1810, only a few short months after he received his bachelor of liberal arts degree from the University of Vermont, he wrote to his father:

“‘A girl will be more respected with an education than with wealth. I think female education is too much neglected. They are the ones who have the first education of children and ought to be quali-fied to instruct them correctly.’

“Thirty years later he had not changed his views, for in 1842 in wrote…’a good Education is the best fortune we can give our children.’”

Amherst County Museum & Historical Society and the Amherst County Community are elated that Sweet Briar College has risen from the nightmare of closing to celebrate her 110th Opening Convocation. We stand with you and applaud your efforts as you move forward for another 110 years.

Note: Through the generosity of Libby Whitaker Fulton, we now have copies of the booklet Elijah Fletcher – Vermont Schoolmaster To Virginia Planter in our museum shop. Call 434-946-9068 for information. ACMHS’s Cemetery Tour will be at Monument Hill on the Sweet Briar Campus on Sunday, October 4.

All are welcome. No fee. (See page 3 for details.)

AMCHS THANKS ALL THOSE WHO PARTICIPATED IN COLONIAL DAY

Amherst Boy Scout Troop #43, Ellen Craig, Emily Craig, Midge Elliott, Jerry Elliott, Tom Wallace, Trish Duncan, Becky Gibbs, Rick Sheets, The Cardinal Lace Guild, Jeff Bibb, Sandi Esposito, Ashton Esposito, Michael Esposito, Calvin Ashwell, Carolyn Ashwell, Richard Sperrazza, Dawn Doss, Bill Mauser, our 200 visitors, The Greater Lynchburg Community Trust, and all those who made in-kind contributions to feed volunteers and interpreters.

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Colonial Day August 22, 2015

Amherst County Museum & Historical Society P. O. Box 741 Amherst, VA 24521 Address Service Requested Executive Board: Mrs. Bonnie Limbrick, President Mrs. Cynthia Hicks, Vice President Mrs. Ellen Craig, Assistant Secretary Mr. Grady Davis Mrs. Mary (Midge) Elliott Mrs. Judy Faris Mr. William M. McClenny III Mrs. Mary Frances Olinger, Emeritus Mrs. Kathryn Pixley, Emeritus Mrs. Leona (Lee) Wilkins, Emeritus Mrs. Octavia N. Starbuck, Director

President’s Message — “Telling the Story”

NON-PROFIT ORG. BULK RATE

U.S. POSTAGE

PAID AMHERST, VA PERMIT NO. 24

Will Mays, Sr.

During the summer we turned our focus to Agriculture and Education within the County during the Colonial Era as we prepared for Colonial Day on August 22. The Director changed out exhibits to reflect the theme and Amherst Boy Scout Troop 43 cleaned and prepared The Tyler Log School for Colonial Day visitors. There were close to 200 children and adults at Colonial Day participating in activities which included writing with a quill pen, breaking flax, playing colonial games, and talking with living history interpreters portraying a Revolutionary War Soldier, Mountain Men, Lace Bobbin Makers, Blacksmith, Flax Dresser, Horn & Pouch Maker, Horn Journeyman, Spinner, Model Maker, and Quilter. On behalf of the Museum’s Board of Directors I want to thank each of the interpreters and the volunteers who made the event so successful. We are also indebted to The Greater Lynchburg Community Trust who awarded ACMHS a grant supporting our Civil War Event in April and Colonial Day as well as the creation of the scale models of Rev. Robert Rose’s double-canoe, Anthony and Benjamin Rucker’s batteau, and the packet boats for passengers and cargo placed in a realistic James River setting. If you have not seen this diorama depicting early transportation on the James River, please stop by if you live in the area or if you don’t check it out on our website www.amherstcountymuseum.org. We’d like to invite our local members who have some time to donate and are excited about what we do, to serve on a committee, such as fundraising, member-ship, education, newsletter or building & grounds. We know your talents are just what we need. Contact the Museum at 434-946-9068 if you are interested. One final note: BE SURE TO RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP – IT’S SEPTEMBER!

Bonnie B. Limbrick, President