Nelson County Historical Society News
May - 2012
www.nelsonhistorical.com
War of 1812
An important milestone occurs this year ---the 200th anniversary of
the War of 1812. Often called American’s “second war of
independence”, the causes of the war included American’s desire to
expand its territory, British attempts to restrict American trade, and
the Royal navy’s impressment of American seamen into British
service.
Flag flown over Ft. McHenry
During the war the young United States suffered many defeats at the hands of the British, including the
capture of Washington and the burning of the White House in August of 1814 (when Dolley Madison famously
saved the portrait of George Washington from the fire). In the end American troops were able to ward off
British invasions in New York, Baltimore and New Orleans, and were ultimately victorious. The war ended
with the ratification of the Treaty of Ghent on February 17, 1815.
Nelson County sent a considerable number of men who served at different times during the war. Nelson
County, established in 1808, had existed as a governmental entity for only three years before the War of 1812.
Exemptions from militia duty were granted for certain occupations that were considered essential to the
public safety, including a number of government positions, tobacco inspectors, ministers, hospital staff,
officers of state banks, millers, and ferrymen. The rank and file of an infantry unit normally included one
captain, one lieutenant, one ensign, four sergeants, and four corporals, a drummer and fifer, and between
sixty-five and seventy enlisted men. See Col. Thomas Fortune’s Company listed on page 3. Each militia unit
was responsible for supplying camp equipment, and blankets. Tents would often be supplied at the final
destination, but were in short supply. Food and other supplies could be authorized by the Adjutant General.
Nelson County soldier information is not complete, but what is listed came from the Nelson County Historical
Society 1812 War files and Jones Memorial Library in Lynchburg, VA. Because of the format of organizing
information in the three sources indicated in the listing of names, it is probable that all men from Nelson
County may not be included. The resources indicate birthplace and those serving from Nelson County had been
born in the counties from which Nelson was formed.
In the book, Virginia Militia Units in the War of 1812 by Stuart L. Butler (1988), material is organized by
county units. The 28th Regiment is identified with Nelson County. The county’s militia served around
Richmond and Norfolk. There were three brigades and two divisions.
Listed as regimental command are:
Lt. Col. Nelson H. Diggs – July 9, 1810
Maj. David R. Clarkson – June 16, 1812
1
Leading the four companies were:
Capt. Thomas Bibb – Feb. 26- May 1814 (5th V.M. – Mason and Preston)
Capt. Thomas E. Fortune Artillery (2nd Regiment, 2nd Division) - May 26 – September 29, 1813. He served at
Ft. Powhatan under Major Williams’ detachment.
Capt. David Jacob Troop of Calvary, Sept. 2-18, 1814
Capt. Lunsford Loving – Mar. – Aug. 12, 1813 (Colonel Cocke’s Detachment)
From Virginia Soldiers in the United States Army,
1800-1845 by Stuart L. Butler (1886) listed are:
Fitzgerald, Rich E.; 35th Inf. [20] born Fairfax; enl.
Nelson Courthouse on 8/17/14 or 9/19/14.
Fitzgerald, William; 20th Inf. [22] (farmer) born
Nelson: enl. 8/13/12; discharged Sackett’s Harbor,
N.Y. 6/15/14.
Glass, John; 39th Inf. [28], born Nelson enl.
Columbia, TN 9/28/13
Hawkins, Thomas; 5th Inf. [23] (carpenter), born
Nelson; enl. Lynchburg 2/25/12; disc. Mackinac, MI
2/24/17
Hays, Richard; 35th Inf. [19/22] (farmer), born
Nelson’ enl. Fort Nelson 2/28/14; died Norfolk
2/17/15.
Martin, David; 12th inf. [21] (farmer), born Nelson;
enl. Staunton 4/26/14 or 5/9/14; disc. Buffalo, N.Y.
5/13/15.
Martin, John; 5th Inf. [24} (shoemaker), born
Nelson; enl. 1/13/12; disc. Ft. George, Zipper,
Canada 8/-/16 or 9/10/13.
Martin, Sherod; 12th Inf. [25] (farmer), born
Nelson; enl. Staunton 4/18/14; died Buffalo, N.Y.
12/12/14. Name also spelled Sherrod.
Thomas, Allen; 20th Inf. [43] (stonemason), born
Nelson; enl. 4/14/13/deserted 3/20/14.
Thompson, James; 20th Inf. [43] (farmer), born
Nelson or Amherst enl. Nelson Courthouse 5 or
6/20/12; disc. Pass Christian, Ms. 6/20/17.
Tyre (or Tyree), Rowland; 35th Inf. P31 [
(Carpenter), born Nelson’ enl. Fort Nelson 3/6/14;
Disc. Norfolk 3/20/15.
From War of 1812: Virginia Bounty Land and
Pension Applicants by Patrick G. Wardell (1987).
Coding: BLW –Bounty Land Warrant; P – Pension;
LKR or (LNR) – Last Known Residence
Allen, John (BLW) died 4/13/70, Nelson Co; md.
May 1834 Phoebe Ann Kelly (P) Nelson Co., VA.
She died 1/2/89 (LKR) Lovingston, Nelson
County,VA (1878)
Anderson, Louis P. (BLW) died 2/11/76 Nelson Co.
(LKR) Rockfish Depot, Nelson Co., Md. 11.12.19
Sophia A. Pettitt (P) Albemarle Co, VA Her (LKR)
Orlando, Nelson Co. (1878)
Bradshaw, Benjamin (P, BLW) Died 7/5/72,
Lovingston, VA; Md 9/14/26 Rhoda Ann Griffin (P)
Nelson Co. VA.
She died 1/25/1903 (LKR)
Montreal, Nelson Co. (1871) Brown, Garland (P,
BLW) died 12/28/77 Nelson Co., VA md 12.24.17
Martha Bryant (P) Fluvanna Co., VA. She died ca
1889; LKR Arrington Depot, Nelson Co., VA (1878)
Burnett, John W. (BLW) Died 6/3/55, Nelson
County, VA; md. 2/25/42 Mary A. Wood (P) Nelson
Co., VA LKR Lovingston, VA (1878)
Carter, Thomas Jr. (BLW) died 6/16/63, Nelson Co.
VA; md. (1) Pollie Scruggs; (2) Eliza A. Moore (P)
Nelson Co., VA. She died 2/17/95 Norwood,
Nelson Co., VA LKR Tye River Station, Nelson Co.,
VA (1878)
Cash, Jesse (BLW died 3/7/59 Nelson Co., VA md.
11/28/16 Cynthia Mays (P) Amherst Co., VA . She
died ca. 1891, LKR Nelson Co. VA. (1878)
2
Cunningham, Robert (P, BLW) Died 2/17/38 Nelson
Co., VA md. 8/29/16/ Elizabeth Via (P) Nelson Co,
VA; LKR Buckingham Co., VA (1878)
DeMasters, John (BLK) died 5/22/70 Nelson Co., VA
md. 10/18/25 Mary Ann Coffey (P) Nelson Co., VA
Evan, Tarlton (BLW) died 3/14/64 Nelson Co., VA;
md. July/Aug. 1811 Susan Hudson (P) L
Fortune, Thomas (BLW) died 3/14/57; 9/16/10
Jane McAlexander (P). LKR Lovingston, Nelson Co.,
VA (1871)KR Amherst Courthouse, Amherst Co.
(1873)
After the letter F, he did not give any information
but a listing of names.
Pay Roll Of Captain Thomas E. Fortune’s Company,
of the Second Regiment, Second Division, Virginia
Militia, Nelson County in the Service of the State,
(Fort Powhatan) from 26th May to 26th July 1813.
Captain Thomas E. Fortune
From 1928 supplement-Nelson County Times
Thomas E. Fortune, widely known as Captain
Fortune, and grandfather of Thomas Fortune Ryan,
was High Constable of Nelson County in the year
1810. He resigned his office January 28, 1811,
having been commissioned by Governor Peyton
Randolph to raise a company of Virginia militia for
service in the War of 1812. His promotion to the
office of Captain soon followed, in which capacity
he served with marked distinction. He was also an
extensive land-owner, a man of considerable
wealth and influence. Capt. Fortune was first allied
with the Whig party, later becoming a Democrat.
He had one son, George W. Fortune, who was
highly educated by private tutors and he occupied
a position of esteem and favor in the social and
business life of the county. After his marriage to
Miss Nancy H. Stewart he bought a farm of 236
acres near Lovingston on which he settled and
spent the remainder of his life. The estate is now
owned [1928] by his daughter, Miss Connie
Fortune.
Thomas E. and George W. Fortune Papers – Jones
Memorial Library, Lynchburg, VA – contains ledger
book from War of 1812
3
Name
Rank
Thomas E. Fortune
Charles Perrow
Elisha Fortune
James Garland
Austin Seay
John McAlexander
Norborne B. Powell
Burwell Seay
Samuel Phillips
Ben. Fortune
James Bibb
Joseph McCaleb
Captain
1st Lieutenant
2nd Lieutenant
1st Sergeant
2nd Sergeant
3rd Sergeant
4th Sergeant
1st Corporal
2nd Corporal
3rd Corporal
4th Corporal
Drummer
Private
Private
John Allen
William Bibb
Nelson Burnett
John Butler
William Crisp
Robert Cawper
Samuel Denny
Zach Dummond
William Davis
Perrin Farrar
Meredith Fortune
Jesse Fortune
Doctor Griffin
Ira Garrett
Powell Hawkins
Richard Harvie
Ben. Johnson
Hez. Jones
Isaac White
William Kennedy
William Lavender
John D. Lane
M. Loving
George Martin
Lewis Mallory
Henry McCarty
Bennett Nally
Daniel Perrow
Thomas Penton
Fleming Penton
Arthur H. Pollard
Burwell Rives
Henry Roberts
Ben. Wilson
John Wright
Robert Woody
Nelson Wright
James Willis, Jun.
Outgoing President Honored
A Man Admired, Bernard Lewis McGinnis
By Emily Moxley (2012)
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We appreciate his dedication and so realize,
We admire you today as a responsible man,
To have led us so well through a long time span.
Bernard L. McGinnis at Reception in his Honor
The Nelson County Historical Society honored,
Bernard L. McGinnis, Program Director and
President of the Society whose term ended, with
a reception at the March meeting. Several
members and friends sent messages or offered
comments about Bernie’s dedication and work to
further the goals and mission of the organization.
Among them were Claudia Slaughter, Dorothy
Giles, Emily Moxley, Dick Whitehead, Mike Giles
and others. A Man Admired, a poem written by
Emily Moxley and read at the meeting by
Dorothy Giles describes his many attributes.
(Poem – at the end of article)
And through all the days ahead, may God continue to
bless,
You with peace and joy and the felling of success,
In knowing you’ve helped others, that you have served,
As a man so admired by us and with praises deserved.
Thank you,
From the Nelson County Historical Society
the many individuals who have helped me
through my tenure in various ways. I am passing
along the leadership role to capable individuals
who will carry on the projects of the Society,
such as the home tour, programs at meetings,
maintaining the research files and promoting the
history of Nelson County.“
Bernie thanks those individuals who sent letters,
calls and emails to thank him for his work. He
appreciated the refreshments and “Thank you
Bernie” cake that was shared by those in
attendance at the meeting.
In Mike Giles’ letter to Bernie – “I know how
passionate you are about your home, Nelson
County, and how diligent you have worked to
make it a great place to live….with plenty of
heart and love for what you believe in.”
Bernie said,”I have worked with many qualified
people in the Society who helped make this
organization one of the best in the area. I thank
4
The Society appreciates the many contributions
that Bernie has made to the organization. He has
scheduled many interesting and informative
programs at the Society monthly meetings and
has had a leadership role for over 20 years in the
organization.
no better way of thanking Bernie and honoring him
for his fruitful work than to work diligently and to
persevere as he did over so many years in our
Society’s mission to promote, preserve and
educate our community about the history of
Nelson County.
(Photos of March meeting-courtesy of Otis Brent)
Your Executive Board is busy with plans to build on
the arch of our Society’s 2011 successes by
presenting a series of interesting programs and
speakers over the next 12 months, which you will
find are detailed on page 7. In a concerted effort
to reach out to every part of Nelson County and
recruit new Society members, we are looking for
program venues outside of Lovingston, as
appropriate to the programs.
Large Crowd Attend the March Meeting
We will continue to work in close partnership with
the Board of Oakland, Nelson County’s Museum of
Rural History to strengthen the health, mission and
future of both organizations. Following one of our
Society’s best traditions, we will organize and
sponsor a historic house tour in May of 2013 and
are now looking for someone to step forward to
lead the project. Past house tour managers and
many volunteers stand ready to train and support a
new coordinator as soon as he or she steps forward
to lead the charge.
Robert Whitehead descendants (at front) along
with many other guests in attendance at the
March Society meeting – Program: Life of Robert
Whitehead by Bill Obrochta.
A Message from the President
Our annual meeting on March 10, 2012 at the
Nelson Memorial Library drew over 80 people to
hear a fascinating presentation by William
Obrochta of the Virginia Historical Society on the
political career of Robert Whitehead, one of
Nelson’s most outstanding public servants. We
also paid tribute to Bernard Lewis McGinnis, Jr. for
his long and distinguished service to the Nelson
County Historical Society and to Nelson County. In
a lovely poem, Emily Moxley expressed our deep
appreciation and gratitude to Bernie for his strong
leadership and advocacy on behalf of our Society,
which Dorothy Giles read beautifully at the
meeting and which you will find printed elsewhere
in this newsletter. As your new president, I know
As we go to press, I am happy to announce that
Nelson County has invited our Society to
participate actively in the development of a new
exhibit on the history and evolution of the Nelson
courthouse complex--to be designed and installed
in the new judicial center in 2013.
Bernard
McGinnis, Samantha Embrey and I, with research
assistance from Marjorie Eggleston and Becky
Howard, will serve on the working group.
Robert A. Carter
5
June 17th – Sunday - 2:00 PM
Virginia Blue Ridge Railroad
Sponsored by:
Nelson County Historical Society and The Massies
Mill Ruritan Club
Where:
The Massies Mill Ruritan Club Building on Rt. 151
Program:
Ed Fielding, a Lynchburg railroad enthusiast, will
show his slides of the Virginia Blue Ridge Railroad
taken while the railroad was in operation.
Employees of the railroad will be recognized at the
meeting and Blue Ridge Railroad memorabilia will
be on display.
Refreshments and come and bring a friend.
Virginia Blue Ridge hogger Billy Napier stares pensively
down the side of No. 7 before leaving Piney River Yard
in March 1961. Is he contemplating whether he can
take his 15 cars over Rose Hill, the railroad's highest
point, without doubling? William E. Warden photo
The Virginia Blue Ridge Railway dates back to
1915, beginning at the Tye River Depot and ending in
Massies Mill, branching out at times to Lowesville
and into the mountains. The railway was built to haul
chestnut timber out of the Piney River area to local
mills. Timber runs were halted during World War I,
since they were not essential to the war effort, and a
chestnut blight wiped out much of the crop.
Passenger service carried the line through 1936. The
line saw a true resurgence when a company began
extracting titanium dioxide from the Piney River and
needed transport. Also, three companies were built to
extract aplite from the area and used the rail for
transport and the line thrived until the late 1960s.
Hurricane Camille destroyed some of the tracks in
1969 and American Cyanamid, the company that
began the line's industrial boom in the 1930s, closed
in 1970.
Virginia Blue Ridge 0-6-0 No. 7 switches cars at Piney
River's Dominion Minerals plant in June 1962.William
E. Warden photo
Photos and captions from Trains Magazine (2010)
6
2012 Nelson County Historical Society Programs
New Members to the Society
Victor Dunning - ---------------- Shipman, VA
Ron Whitehead-------------- Front Royal, VA
William Obrachta------------ Richmond, VA
June 17th – Blue Ridge Railroad (see details page 6)
July 8th - Ice Cream Social at Oakland Museum
September 9th – Program: The Jeffersonian Jail on
Courthouse Square – Lovingston by Gardiner
Hallock – architectural historian
November 11th – TBA
December 9th - Holiday Open House at Oakland
Museum
Deceased Members
Irma Rube – formerly from Nellysford, VA
Coleman Curry – Lovingston, VA
Jean Micklem – Richmond, VA
Joan DeMasters – Roseland, VA
Oakland Museum Opens New School Exhibit
Donations to Society Files
Some Descendants of John Higginbotham (ca.
1695-1741) by Frank Mays and
Parish Family of Virginia
Given by Arlene Winter - Roseland, VA
DVD – WWII Experiences of Bill Stevens
Given by Betty & Bill Stevens – Strasburg, VA
Early Maps of Nelson County
Given by Ann Whitehead Thomas
Monroe Institute Article from New York Times
Given by Joe Sites
Recent purchases:
1815 Directory of Virginia Landowners – Nelson
County from Library of VA by Roger G. Ward
“The Best Hope,” a new exhibit on the history of
the Nelson County Public School System with
special attention to materials used in schools in the
1920s and 30s opened in April. Thanks to the
donation of school-related materials and funds for
the exhibit by the family of Elizabeth Wheeler, who
attended school in Schuyler, the exhibit also
features panels describing the highlights of the
educational system from the colonial times to the
late 20th century. School related programs
featuring different aspects of school life will be
held throughout the year.
Nelson County Virginia Marriages -1808-1850
By John Vogt
Visit Oakland Museum during visiting hours:
10-4 Saturdays and 1-4 Sunday.
1810 Virginia Census – Nelson County by John
Vogt
Newsletter Editor – Becky Howard
[email protected]
Photograph- Raising of Evergreen Christian
Church
Given by Vicky Campbell Allen Gardner
CD – Cabell Family Homes and Graveyards in
Nelson, Buckingham and Amherst Counties –
Given by Archer Minardi – Richmond, VA
7
Dates to Remember
th
June 17
Program: Blue Ridge Railroad
Sunday - 2:00 PM at
Massies Mill Ruritan Club
(Rt. 151)
Membership Information
Single Membership - $15.00
Family Membership - $20.00
Life Membership - $200.00
(Individual)
th
July 8 – Ice Cream Social
Sunday – 2:00 PM at
Oakland Museum
th
September 9
Program: Jeffersonian Jail on
Courthouse Square -
Nelson Co. Historical Society
P.O. Box 474
Lovingston, VA 22949
RETURN ADDRESS REQUESTED
Mail to:
Nelson County Historical Society
P.O. Box 474
Lovingston, VA 22949