NEWS - NOTES
The Newsletter of the Rockbridge Historical Society
Volume XXXV Issue 3
The past educating the present.
May 2008
Headquarters and Exhibition Space at Campbell House, Washington & Randolph Streets, Lexington, Virginia
Editor, George Wm. Warren, IV
Peggy W. Hays
President
Col.Thomas W. Davis
Vice President
Lt. Col. David Buckner
Vice President for Property
Margaret Skovira
Secretary
Brad Claeys, CPA
Treasurer
Board
Dorothy Blackwell
Acquisitions/Collections
Denise Gorsky
Social
Thomas E. (Ted) Jenks
Gardens {Ex-Officio}
Mary Skutt
Docents
Vaughan Stanley
Archives {Ex-Officio}
Andy Wolfe
Publicity/Development
Trustees
Dr. Pamela H. Simpson
Chair
David Coffey
Richard K. Rathmell
Executive Director
George Wm. Warren, IV
Graphic Design by B.R. Floyd
May Historical Society Program
to Feature Noted VMI Sculptor
He was among the
On
Monday,
cadets who made
May 19th, at 7:30 pm,
the famous charge
the Rockbridge Hisat the Battle of New
torical Society will
Market upon Union
present the third in
artillery on 15 May
its scheduled series
1864. Upon graduof six public history
programs for 2008.
ation from VMI in
The venue will be
1866 he returned to
VMI’s Nichols EngiRichmond to work
in his father’s dry
neering Hall Auditogoods store, where
rium. As always, the
he also attended
program is free and
anatomy classes at
open to the public.
the Medical College
Refreshments will
of Virginia.
be served.
Committed
to
The
featured
Sir Moses Jacob Ezekiel
a career as a sculpspeaker will be COL
Keith E. Gibson, Extor, Moses sailed for
ecutive Director of Museum Programs, Berlin, Germany three years later. There
and Architectural Historian for the Vir- he met Rudolf Siemering, a well-known
ginia Military Institute. COL Gibson has sculptor, who offered him a place in his
recently published a biography of one of studio. After gaining admission to the
the Institute’s most illustrious graduates, prestigious Royal Art Academy, Ezekiel
met Albert Wolff, a
Sir Moses Jacob
former professor
Ezekiel.
at the academy
Ezekiel, who
and
sculptor of
became an interDate: Monday, May 19th – 7:30 p.m.
the German royal
nationally famous
family. In 1873,
sculptor,
was
Program Title: Sir Moses Ezekiel
at age 29, the
born 28 October
precocious sculp1844, to Jacob
Speaker: COL Keith Gibson
and Catherine de
tor entered his
Executive Director of Museum Programs and
Castro Ezekiel in Architectural Historian at Virginia Military Institute bas-relief Israel
Richmond, Virin the prestigious
ginia, the seventh Where: Nichols Engineering Hall Auditorium, VMI Michel Beer Prix
de Rome compeof 14 children.
He matriculated at VMI on 17 September tition at the Academy. Arriving in Rome
1862, the first cadet of Jewish descent. in 1879, he established his studio in the
Credit:VMI Museum
Officers
l
Meeting at a Glance
Continued on page Page NEWS - NOTES
The Newsletter of the Rockbridge Historical Society
Volume xxxv Issue III
Confederate Monument
at Arlington National Cemetery
Credit:Burton Floyd
Credit: VMI Museum
May Program
Virginia Mourning Her Dead
at Virginia Military Institute
Continued from page ancient Baths of Diocletian. European visitors included
Giuseppe Garibaldi, the Italian patriot; composer Franz
Liszt; and Kaiser Wilhelm II, Emperor of Germany.
Ezekiel’s sculptures follow the classical lines of his
early German training-- a romantic, elaborate, and ornate style dependent on heavy lines and bold mass. His
works number over 200 pieces, which may be classified
into three major categories: religious subjects; works devoted to the Confederate cause; and heroic portraits. Confederate subjects include: Virginia Mourning Her Dead
(which memorializes the VMI cadets’ New Market sacrifice), Stonewall Jackson, Southern, and the Confederate
Monument at Arlington National Cemetery.
Noted individuals depicted in stone include: Franz
Listz, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, Homer,
Robert E. Lee, Abraham Lincoln, Napoleon and Edgar
Allen Poe.
In 1887 Ezekiel was granted the Cross of Merit for Art
and Science by George II, Grand Duke of Saxe–Meiningen. Suffering from exposure and exhaustion, the artist developed pneumonia and died on 27 March 1917 at age 73. Major public collections include the VMI Museum,
the Cincinnati Museum of Art, and Skirball Cultural Center at Hebrew Union College, Los Angeles.
About the Speaker
Colonel Keith E. Gibson is Executive Director of Museum Programs, and Architectural Historian for the Virginia Military Institute. As Director of Museum Programs,
he is responsible for the operation and development of the
VMI Museum and the New Market Battlefield State Historical Park.
Col. Gibson received his bachelor’s degree in Civil
Engineering from VMI in 1977. He later returned to VMI
as Curator of Exhibits for the VMI Museum. He prepared
for a museum career with graduate work in Early American History at James Madison University and Museum
Studies with George Washington University and an internship at the Museum at Strawbery Banke, Portsmouth, New
Hampshire, in 1983. He was the founding director of the
McBride Museum at the New Mexico Military Institute in
1984. In 1986, Col. Gibson was selected as one of eighteen
museum professionals in the United States to participate in
the Seminar for Historical Administrators, an intense summer program for museum professionals held at Colonial
Williamsburg.
Col. Gibson has worked as a consultant on several
documentary films, made for television films, and feature
films. He appears frequently as a spokesperson for historic
preservation on radio and television. In addition, he has
written numerous book reviews and articles on the Civil
War era and VMI.
Col. Gibson is active in numerous professional organizations, including the American Association of Museums
and the Virginia Association of Museums. He served two
terms as president of the Rockbridge Historical Society.
Volume xxxv Issue III
NEWS - NOTES
The Newsletter of the Rockbridge Historical Society
Page RHS Proceedings
By Col. Thomas W. Davis, Vice President
In this installment of Proceedings, we come this month
to Volume 4, 1949-1954 (era of “post-war adjustment”),
edited by Professor Charles W. Turner, long a mainstay of
RHS. This 54-page volume is full of Rockbridge County
history.
The Society’s presidents during those years were
Mrs. H. Russell Robey, Mrs. Louise H. Alexander, and Mrs. J.P. Alexander. Membership totaled about
two hundred people; individual dues
were $2, and lifetime memberships
could be purchased for $50; RHS had
$1,803.21 in the bank in 1954. The
constitution and by-laws were reproduced, along with a policy statement
that RHS would not charge admission for any of its programs. RHS
announced plans to publish a booklet containing the names of sixty-two
Rockbridge County soldiers killed in
World War II. Meetings were held in
Goshen, Fairfield High School, and in
the Society’s new home, The Castle.
There is also a list of artifacts
accessioned by the Society, including paintings, Miley photographs, a
leather corset, an Indian tomahawk,
genealogical tables, an antique coffee
cup and saucer, and a handmade sausage grinder.
W & L professor, Marshall Fishwick, wrote this appraisal of Dr. Edmund Pendleton Tomkins, a local physician and leading figure in the early history of our organization, “His labors resulted in the acquisition of historical
gifts and loans which make a truly valuable reference library, and a collection of articles and venerable mementos
which are priceless.”
The articles on historic figures are particularly informative. Ephraim McDowell, a pioneer surgeon, is described as performing “the first operation in history which
involved opening up the abdomen.” [Actually, it was the
first documented instance of successful abdominal surgery
in North America.] Readers can also learn about John Jordan, the famous architect, who was one of the early leaders
in the “Classical Revival” style. I also gained insights into the life of Michael Miley,
the famous photographer, who enlisted in the Confederate
infantry at age twenty, served two years in the Stonewall
Brigade, was captured at the Battle of Chancellorsville,
and walked back to Virginia at the war’s end when he
was released from a northern prisoner-of-war camp. Marshall Fishwick, author of the Miley article, remarked that: “Miley’s camera was no mere machine; it was a delicate
instrument, sensitive to things he could photograph but not
verbalize.”
Colonel George Brooke’s article on
his ancestor, John Mercer Brooke,
a VMI professor for 33 years, was
enlightening. His accomplishments
were many: designer of the iron-clad,
Merrimac (re-christened by the CSA
as the Virginia), and inventor of the
Brooke rifled gun. In addition, Colonel William Couper, VMI business
executive and historian, wrote an illuminating article on the famous artist, William D. Washington, and his
renowned painting, The Burial of
Latane.
Other fascinating topics in Volume
4 include Mrs. Charles McCulloch’s
“The Blue Hotel,” where in 1829
you could sleep overnight on a bed
for 12.5 cents, have breakfast for
25 cents, drink “strong beer” for 50
cents a gallon, and have “common
whiskey” at the price of $1.50/gallon;
Dr. George W. Diehl’s article on the
“great awakening” in Rockbridge County with the arrival
of evangelical religion; and Miss Ellen Anderson’s informative contribution on how four French guns used at the
Revolutionary Battle of Yorktown came to rest at VMI,
including two that were lifted out of the York River.
Also noteworthy is John Capron’s fine article on the
historical significance of iron ore in our home county. Here
are two noteworthy quotations: (1) “In the century from
1830 to 1930, the blast furnaces of Virginia produced ‘Pig
Iron’ valued at $317,183,374.79.” (2) “Virginia Furnaces:
in 1776 they made this Country a possibility, in 1847 they
defeated Mexico, in 1863, they prolonged the life of the
Confederacy, and in 1918 they aided the Allies.”
My former VMI professor, Chester Goolrick, also
authored “Some Rockbridge County Springs” describing these famous attractions, and attributing their decline
to the increased use of automobiles and growing doubts
about the medicinal value of spring water.
All in all, Volume 4 remains a useful and fascinating
reference to our shared local history.
NEWS - NOTES
The Newsletter of the Rockbridge Historical Society
Page Volume xxxv Issue III
Credit: RHS Archives
Childhood in Rockbridge:
The Golden Age, 18901950 is the title of the
latest exhibit at Campbell
House. It officially opened
on Friday, May 2nd and
will continue through the
end of the year.
Please see the article on
page 6 of this newsletter
for more information.
Dr. Bud Robertson Lecture
On Tuesday, May 13th at 7:00 p.m., Dr. James (Bud)
Robertson will present a public lecture. The talk will
be held in the Nichols Engineering Hall Auditorium at
VMI.
Dr. Robertson’s program, entitled “The Presidency
– What You Want and What You Get” is billed as a humorous look at our nation’s highest office from Washington to Lincoln.
Dr. Robertson is the Executive Director, Virginia
Center for Civil War Studies, and Distinguished Professor in History at Virginia Tech. He is the author of
numerous award-winning books and publications. Dr.
Robertson also served as chief historical consultant for
the 2003 Ted Turner movie, Gods and Generals.
For additional information please contact Ed Bauer
at 540/463-1018.
On Monday, April 28th
the Society held its annual
Appreciation Luncheon for
Docents and volunteers.
About 30 people attended
the gathering at Campbell
House.
Docent Chair, Mary Skutt,
was honored with a gift and
recognized for her outstanding
work during the past year.
President
and
Board
Chair, Peggy Hays, made the
presentation.
Credit: George Warren
2008
Docent
Luncheon
L-R: Alice Williams, Margaret Skovira, Mary Skutt, Peggy Hays, and Tibor Edmond.
Volume xxxv Issue III
NEWS - NOTES
The Newsletter of the Rockbridge Historical Society
Membership
Dues have always been a critical and significant source
of financial support for the Society’s mission and responsibilities. Annual membership is on a calendar year basis.
Accordingly, please take a moment right now to renew
your membership for 2008. Your mailing label indicates
your membership status. The Society thanks you for your
continued support.
Please also actively recruit new members, as they are
the life’s blood of any organization. Membership forms
can be obtained by calling Campbell House at 540/4641058, by e-mailing RHS at [email protected] or by
downloading the form from the RHS website, at www.
rockhist.org.
• Family Memberships – $30.00
• Individual Memberships – $20.00
• Student Memberships – $10.00
• Benefactor – $500.00
• Patron – $250.00
• Sponsor – $100.00
• Corporate/Business – $50.00
Development
This wonderful enterprise, of which we are all a part,
needs and deserves our financial support. Such support is
critical to making your Society’s efforts in history education and historic preservation a success. Substantial tax
savings can be realized by a donation to RHS, or by an
endowment gift to an organization such as the Rockbridge
Area Community Foundation, for the benefit of the Society, or by including RHS as a beneficiary in your estate
planning. For additional information, please contact the
director at 540/464-1058, or [email protected]
If you enjoy your Society’s activities, and believe
in its mission, please join other community leaders by
making a separate donation, or by selecting a category
of membership that provides a greater opportunity to support the Society’s work.
The Society is a 501 (c) (3) charitable corporation.
Contributions in cash or kind are deductible to the extent
provided by state and/or federal law, and the tax regulations of each jurisdiction. For particulars, consult your tax
advisor.
Page RHS 2008
Event Calendar
∑
Monday • May 19th • 7:30
Program: Sir Moses Ezekiel
Speaker: Keith Gibson
Location: Nichols Engineering Hall, VMI
∑
Monday • July 28th • 7:30
Program: Looking Back: Childhood in Rockbridge
Speaker: Panel Discussion
Location: Lexington Presbyterian Church,
Dunbar Auditorium
∑
Saturday • August 23rd • 10:00 - 4:00
Rockbridge Community Festival - RHS Booth
∑
Monday • September 22nd • 7:30
Social Hour: 6:00 • Dinner: 6:30 • Program:7:30
Program: Murder at Lexington Presbyterian Church
Speaker: Daniel Morrow
Location: Dunlap Auditorium,
Lexington Presbyterian Church
{Summer Dinner Meeting}
∑
Monday • November 24th • 7:30
Program: The Desegregation Struggle at R.E. Lee Church
and the Diocese of Southwestern Virginia
Speaker: David Coffey, Professor of History, VMI
Location: Parish Hall, R.E. Lee Memorial Episcopal Church
Scheduled events are subject to change.
NEWS - NOTES
The Newsletter of the Rockbridge Historical Society
Page The Rockbridge Historical Society
EST. 1939
Campbell House
Washington & Randolph Streets
P.O. Drawer 1409
Lexington,Virginia 24450-1409
Open Wednesday – Sunday
Hours: Summer 10-4/Winter 10-1
Sunday: 12-4
Phone: 540-464-1058
E-Mail: [email protected]
http://www.rockhist.org
Volume xxxv Issue III
NON-PROFIT
ORGANIZATION
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
PERMIT #25
LEXINGTON,VA
24450
Is your membership up to date? Please check your label.
2008 Historical Society Exhibit Now Open
Childhood in Rockbridge: The Golden Age, 18901950 is the title of the latest exhibit at Campbell House.
It officially opened on Friday, May 2nd and will continue through the end of the year. Curated by Pam Simpson
with the help of Tom Davis, Dorothy Blackwell, Lauren
Ottaway and Larry Stene, the show builds on the popular calendar that Davis and Blackwell produced for the
Society in 2007.
There were so many wonderful photographs of children in Rockbridge, Simpson and her cohorts thought
an exhibit could be developed. Lauren Ottaway, a senior at Washington and Lee worked on a project in the
fall to identify potential photographs and objects in the
Society’s collection. They put out a call to the Society’s
members for loan items and many people responded
with offers of interesting artifacts. Pam Simpson developed the text, and worked out the hanging arrangement.
Larry Stene once again lent his expertise to prepare and
mount the photographs and text panels. Many members
generously lent such precious objects as their first teddy
bear, toy cars, a china tea set, a child’s rocking chair, and
a “Howdy Doody” puppet. The result is an array of photographs, documents,
toys, doll furniture, and other items that illustrates the
themes of childhood experience in school, play, entertainment, sports, and literature. Even the theme of photography is taken up with consideration of the formal portrait versus the Brownie snapshot. How children were
dressed for these portraits is another theme. The African
American childhood experience is still another.
The 1890 to 1950 period was what sociologists
call “the golden age” when rising incomes, shrinking
family size, and major changes in society (such as mandatory school attendance) produced a new experience
for children. That experience, as it appeared in Rockbridge, is celebrated by our 2008 exhibit, Childhood in
Rockbridge: The Golden Age, 1890-1950. Do come to
see it.