Dorothy Payne, Quakeress Part 2

"James Crew is appointed to receive the estate of Elizabeth Elmore, deceased, from John Payne, executor, and give us account thereof at next meeting. Micajah Crew, James Jarvis and James Hunnicutt are appointed to a.s.sist him in devising the said Elizabeth Elmore's cloths and to give their advice and a.s.sistance in settling all other matters that may come before them, respecting the estate."

"And as John Payne is about to remove without the verge of this Meeting, James Hunnicutt is therefore appointed clerk thereof in his stead."

It will be seen that this little community looked carefully after the various interests of its members. Their "temporal" as well as "spiritual" affairs were within its province, to advise and admonish as seemed best to them.

The investigation having been entirely satisfactory otherwise, the following month a certificate of removal is granted from "Caeder Creek Monthly Meeting, held in Hanover county, Virginia, bearing date of 12th of 4th mo., 1783, for John and Mary Payn and their children: William Temple, Dolly, Isaac, Lucy, Anne, Mary and John," directed to the "Northern District Mo. Mtg. of Philadelphia."

The form of this certificate was probably like the following one drawn up by John Payne as clerk:

"To the Monthly Meeting held at Southriver. Dear Friends:

"Our writing to you at this time is on account of David Terrill, who now resides within the verge of your Meeting, and requests our Certificate for himself and children. These may certify, that after the needful enquiry, we have cause to believe his affairs are settled to satisfaction. His life and conversation being in a good degree orderly whilst among us, we therefore recommend him, together with his children [namely: ....] to your Christian care, and with desires for their growth in the truth, we remain your friends and brethren.

"Signed on behalf of our Monthly Meeting held at Cedar Creek, 8 mo.

24th, 1781.

"John Payne, Clerk."

And Elizabeth Drinker records again:

"1783, July 9.--John Payne's family came to reside in Philadelphia."

A year later when the young people had become friends she writes:

"1784, July 10.--Sally Drinker and Walter Payne, Billy Sansom and Polly Wells, Jacob Downing and Dolly Payne went to our place at Frankford," and

"1784, July 18.--Walter Payne went to Virginia."

"1785, Dec 26.--First day. This evening Walter Payne took leave of us, intending to set off early to-morrow morning for Virginia, and in a few weeks to embark there for Great Britain."

Of the family life at Scotch Town, Dolly has left us no record, but only the a.s.surance that "the days were full of happiness."

The Marquis de Chastellux, a major-general under Rochambeau, in the Revolutionary Army, who wrote an account of his travels in Virginia in 1780-2, has, however, given us a picture of a country family of this time, and of one not far distant from Scotch Town. He visited the family of General Nelson at Offley, an "unpretentious country place in Hanover county," and says:

"In the absence of the General, who had gone to Williamsburg, his mother and wife received us with all the politeness, ease and cordiality natural to his family. [It being bad weather] the company a.s.sembled either in the parlor or saloon, especially the men, from the hour of breakfast to that of bed-time, but the conversation was always agreeable and well supported. If you were desirous of diversifying the scene, there were some good French and English authors at hand.

"An excellent breakfast at nine o'clock, a sumptuous dinner at two, tea and punch in the afternoon, and an elegant little supper, divided the day most happily for those whose stomachs were never unprepared."

The Pleasants and Winstons were their neighbors also, but the large estates, in a measure, isolated each family, which thus became a little community in itself, raising all necessary food, manufacturing all clothing and materials for clothing, and even, on the tidewater estates, exporting from their own wharves the great staple, tobacco, for which in return their few luxuries were brought to their very door.

With all his broad acres the Virginia gentleman had no great wealth at his command. It has been estimated that Colonel Byrd, who was perhaps their largest land-owner, was worth but $150,000. Patrick Henry wrote to General Stevens (Stephens) that his father-in-law "owned one hundred and fifty slaves and four or five thousand acres of land, not counting some three thousand in Kentucky," but that from him his son, Captain Alexander Spotswood Dandridge, "could have no great expectations."

The families were large, and the land often had little real value, two dollars an acre being considered a good price. The best land in the near neighborhood of cities brought only from twenty to forty dollars per acre. There is a quaint record preserved in Goochland showing that William Randolph sold to Peter Jefferson (father of Thomas) two hundred acres for the consideration of "Henry Wetherburn's biggest bowl of arrack punch." Henry Wetherburn was the host of the famed Raleigh Tavern at Williamsburg.

[Ill.u.s.tration: The Dandridge Home.]

Of the Revolution the family at Scotch Town saw but little, but its effects they felt; it could not be otherwise with Cornwall's great army stationed so near them. When General Wayne's troops marched through Hanover in June, 1781, Captain John Davis notes in his diary that they "saw few houses, which were mostly situated far back from the roads, and very few people." On the 17th he wrote: "Marched at 3 o'clock through the best country I had seen in this state, twenty miles to Mr.

Dandridge's."

De Chastellux says that Mr. Tilghman, the landlord of the Hanover Inn, lamented having had to board and lodge Cornwallis and his retinue without any return. "We set out the next morning at nine," he continued, "after having breakfasted much better than our horses, which had nothing but oats; the country being so dest.i.tute of forage that it was impossible to find a truss of hay, or a few leaves of Indian corn, though we sought it for two miles around. Three miles from Hanover we crossed the South Anna on a wooden bridge. On the left side of the river, the ground rises, and you mount a pretty high hill; the country is barren, and we travelled almost always in the woods," arriving at Offley at 1 o'clock.

His description of the country between Williamsburg and Hanover is more pleasing. "The country through which we pa.s.s is one of the finest in lower Virginia. There are many well-cultivated estates and handsome houses." "We arrived before sunset and alighted at a tolerable handsome inn; a very large saloon and a covered portico are destined to receive the company who a.s.semble every three months at the Courthouse[14] either on private or public affairs. This asylum is all the more necessary, as there are no other houses in the neighborhood. Travellers make use of these establishments, which are indispensable in a country so thinly inhabited that houses are often at the distance of two of three miles from each other."

[Ill.u.s.tration: Hanover Court House.

Photographed by Samuel M. Brosius.]

Susan Nelson, a loved friend of Dolly's, lived on New Found River, seven miles off; and he who would know the later history of this neighborhood has but to turn to the writings of her grandson, Thomas Nelson Page, and at once, by the magic of his pen, he will be in "the old country,"

and its charm will tempt him to linger there and love its people.

Dolly's earliest school-days were spent in an "old field" log school-house near by, but she cared little for books, either then or later, but was a merry, loving little maiden, who was "pleasure-loving, saucy, bewitching." As she grew older, with her brothers Walter, Temple and Isaac, and perhaps the little Lucy, she attended the Quaker school at Cedar Creek meeting-house, near Brackett Post-office, but three miles distant. The meeting-house stood in a forest of pine and cedar that grew to its very doors, while close by ran the "clear, sweet water" of Cedar Creek. The house was an old colonial building, most of the materials for which were brought from England; and it stood on part of that tract of land granted by good King George. It consisted of eight hundred acres lying on both sides of Cedar Creek in St. Paul's parish, and was granted to Thomas Stanley, James Stanley and Thomas Stanley, Jr., for "divers good causes and considerations, but more especially for and in consideration of the importation of sixteen persons to dwell within this our Colony of Virginia." "Witness our trusty and well-beloved Alexander Spottswood, Governor, at Williamsburg, under his seal of our Colony, this 16th day of December, 1714."

A few years ago the old meeting-house was destroyed in a forest fire.

"The blue hills rise in stately strength, Streams ripple soft below, As on those long-gone Sabbath days, One hundred years ago,

"When in these crumbling, roofless walls, Where birds flit to and fro, The Quaker fathers wors.h.i.+pped G.o.d One hundred years ago.

"And word of truth, or praise, or prayer, In measured tone and slow, Was spoken as the Spirit moved One hundred years ago."

The earlier records of the school have disappeared, but later ones tell that in 1791 Benjamin Bates, Jr.,[15] was teaching reading, writing and English grammar for 30s per annum. But for mathematics a charge of 3 was made. Holidays were not thought so necessary for the welfare of teachers and pupils then, but they were allowed "two days of relaxation"

each month, one of which was a "Seventh day" of the week; the other the "monthly meeting day." The long year had but three holidays. Two weeks were given at "Yearly Meeting time," and a half week was allowed for each "Quarterly meeting."

The school, however, was deservedly famous; its teacher was an able man, and scholars came to it from a distance. At this time there were few schools in Virginia.[16] In the long list of patrons are the names of John and Mary Payne, although they had been many years in Philadelphia, (their share was marked as made over to "C. Moorman to pay"); Thomas Pleasants, of Beaver Dam; Robert Pleasants, of Curles; John Lynch, from Lynchburg; Judge Hugh Nelson, and others, all of whom were men of note in their own neighborhoods.

John Lynch and his brother Charles were the founders of Lynchburg. The name of Charles Lynch,[17] has become famous as the originator of "Lynch law," yet it little represents the character of Lynch, who was a "brave pioneer, a righteous judge, a soldier and a statesman." His memory is "by no means deserving of oblivion, still less obloquy." "He was but a simple Quaker gentleman, yet his name has come to stand for organized savagery."

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 1: Colonel John Payne was member of House of Burgesses for Goochland 1752-58, 1760-6, 65-66, 1768. Josias Payne was Burgess for Goochland 1761 and 1765. Josias Payne, Jr., was Burgess for Goochland 1769. John Payne was member of the House of Delegates for Goochland 1780.

Payne Arms--"Gu on a fesse betw two lions pa.s.s. ar."

Crest--"A lion's gamb couped ar., grasping a broken tilting lance, the spear end pendant gu."

Motto--"Malo mori quam foedari."]

[Footnote 2: 1688, average value of horses was 5 sterling.--Clayton.

Ten or twelve pounds was the value of a very good horse in 1782.--De Chastellux.]

[Footnote 3: It is also a matter of tradition that Anne Fleming was the wife of John Payne. Colonel John Payne's first wife died about the time the following trial took place. The punishment inflicted could scarcely be for a less crime than murder.

Bedford Co., Va., May 24th, 1756.--Court a.s.sembled "to hear and determine all Treasons, Pet.i.t Treasons, Murders, and other Offences, committed or done by Hampton and Sambo belonging to John Payne of Goochland Gent."

"The said Hampton and Sambo were set to the Bar under Custody of Charles Talbot [then sheriff], to whose Custody they were before committed on Suspicion of their being Guilty of the felonious Prepairing and Administering Poysonous Medicines to Ann Payne and being Arraigned of the Premises pleaded Not Guilty and for their Trial put themselves upon the Court. Whereupon divers Witnesses were charged and they heared in their Defence. On Consideration thereof it is the Opinion of the Court that the said Hampton is guilty in the Manner and Form as in the Indictment. Therefore it is considered that the said Hampton be hanged by the neck till he be dead, and that he be afterward cut in Quarters, and his Quarters hung up at the Cross Roads. And it is the Opinion of the Court that the said Sambo is guilty of a Misdemeanor, Therefore it is considered that the said Sambo be burnt in the Hand, and that he also receive thirty-one Lashes on his bare Back at the Whipping-Post.

"Memo: That the said Hampton is adjudged at forty-five Pounds, which is ordered to be Certified to the a.s.sembly [that his owner may be remunerated according to law]."