The Muse: May 2000

DIRECTOR’S NOTES: MEET THE NEW DIRECTOR

This is my first newsletter as the new director of the museum, so let me introduce myself. I am Meghan Wallace and I have been with the museum since mid-February. I graduated from the University of South Carolina in December 1999 with a Master’s Degree in Applied History (I describe that as training for history lovers who do not want to teach). My primary focus while in South Carolina was Museum Studies with a secondary focus in Twentieth Century American History. While in South Carolina, I also earned a certificate degree in Museum Management.

I arrived at South Carolina by way of Washington DC, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts. It is really in Massachusetts that my love for history and museums began. As they say in Massachusetts - either you grow up loving history or hating it. Well, I loved it. I was the one child who never complained about going to Concord and Lexington or to Louisa May Alcott’s house and always asked "When can we go back?" These trips instilled in me a true passion for public history.

I ended up at the University of South Carolina because of its Applied History program. It allowed me to continue my study of history and exercise my passion for museums at the same time. It also provided me with some wonderful hands-on learning experiences. While in Columbia, I worked with over 300 volunteers at the South Carolina State Museum and later served as the Curatorial Assistant at the Historic Columbia Foundation (an organization that operates four historic homes). During my first summer in the program I returned to Washington DC to complete an internship at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. Not only did I get to ‘play’ with some great old stuff, but I met some amazing people over that summer.

As my time in South Carolina began to come to an end, I started to look for a ‘real’ job. I knew that I would be moving to Charlottesville and heard about the opening at the museum through a friend. I am truly excited about all the opportunities here in Amherst. The multitudes of tasks I perform on a daily basis allow me to practice with a little bit of everything. I am anxious to learn all that I can of Amherst County’s history. I hope that while I am here I can help the museum continue to grow and thrive within the community.

EXTENDED HOURS

Now that Mrs. Wallace is here the museum will again extend its hours. The hours will be:
9:00 - 4:30 Tuesday through Saturday.

YARD SALE: MAY 27TH 8:00 AM - 2:00 PM

The museum’s Annual Yard Sale is coming up. It will be organized by Ms. Evelyn Harvey again this year. The museum will accept donations in the week preceding the sale. Thanks to the Amherst Women’s Club we already have some items, but the museum relies upon you to make this event a success. We look forward to seeing you on the 27th!!!

TREASURES ID A SUCCESS

The Treasures ID and Assessment held on April 8th was a great success even though the weather did not cooperate. Many people still brought out their belongings and had a wonderful time. Thank you to those of you who carried your precious items for evaluation.

A special thank you goes out to each of our guest consultants: Mr. Brian Bowen and Mrs. Catherine Stovall of Bowen Jewelry, Mrs. Betty Davidson of Estate Specialists and Mr. Jim Harding of Harding's Clocks. Without their dedication this event would never have been possible. If you know them, let them know how much we appreciated their time.

Overall, the museum raised nearly $250 dollars in the day!

GRAVESTONE INSCRIPTIONS OF AMHERST COUNTY

If you missed the previous announcements, you haven’t missed your chance. There are still copies available. It is a revision of the original version compiled by members and associates of the Amherst Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution in 1985, and edited by Mary Boxley. Rights were given to the museum which undertook a project to locate additional cemeteries. This revised edition contains these recent discoveries and has been reformatted with a new index.

If you wish to order by mail, please send $25 for each book ordered.

Add shipping charge of $5 for first copy and $2 for each additional book.

Virginia Residents add 4.5% sales tax.

Make checks payable to Amherst County Museum, Thank you.

WHAT’S NEW AT THE MUSEUM?

There are three new exhibits at the museum.

The museum has received, on loan, a letter written by Gabriel Penn to his son-in-law William S. Crawford in 1792. The letter discusses the issue of a slave running to Mr. Penn after being abused by an overseer. Mr. Penn wrote to Mr. Crawford professing his concern about this mistreatment. The letter is placed on loan from the owner in honor of the Christian Heritage Academy in Rocky Mount, VA. CHA is a nonprofit and nondenominational Christian school. The letter will only be here six months, so make sure you come in to see it while it is here.

Two other exhibits will be here through the mid summer. Early Residents of Amherst County explores the heritage of the Monacan Indian Nation. Included in the exhibit are archaeological artifacts, potsherds, stone tools, projectile points and reproduction pots. The exhibit looks at what these objects can tell us about the Monacan society and how they were used within that society. The exhibit follows the Monacans from the 1700 to 1989 when they were officially recognized as a Virginia Indian Nation.

Replacing the Yesterday’s Child exhibit is A Century of Medicine: from 1830 to 1930. This exhibit follows the progress of the medical practices in Amherst County from the mid nineteenth century through the mid twentieth century. The exhibit includes information on Civil War hospitals, doctors in the county at the turn of the century and the strong belief in homeopathic medicine that pervaded in the last half of the nineteenth century.

Make sure you stop in to see these new exhibits before they are gone.

GIFTS

Thank you to the Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga and to Jay and Jennifer Mills for their gracious gift of $400 to the museum. It has gone into the museum publishing fund.

Thanks also to Greif Bros. Corporation and Mr. Michael Giles for their donation of $500 to the operating fund. Of course, the museum appreciates all gifts and donations and thanks all supporters.

FALL MEETING

It’s time to start thinking about the annual fall meeting. A date has not yet been set, but Mrs. Leona Wilkins has donated a doll to be raffled off. More information to come in the next issue.

PERMANENT EXHIBIT UPDATE

The electrical work has been finished in the permanent exhibit. Thanks to Steven Hughes who did the work and Mrs. Susan Mays and Kathryn Pixley who donated the funds. This puts us one step closer to completing the permanent exhibit space. The next step is to choose objects to be included in the exhibit.

SUMMERHILL

We continue our chronicle of SUMMERHILL, by Charles L. Hamble, with the next generation of Claibornes, William Sterling and Charles Buller, as they grew into adulthood at GEDDES.

CHAPTER THREE: SON OF STERLING

William Sterling Claiborne probably received his initial formal education at the New Glasgow Academy. He apprenticed under a medical doctor, either in the local area or in Lynchburg and became a doctor of medicine. There is a possibility that he attended the new medical college in Richmond for a short time.

William Sterling married Cornelia Roane who was an orphan of William Roane. Cornelia Roane was born in 1817 and orphaned sometime before 1832. Eventually, she became a ward of William R. and Mary B. Claiborne who considered Cornelia a daughter. In 1832, the Amherst County Court ordered Cornelia’s inherited bank stock surrendered to her guardian, William R. Claiborne. Based on the Amherst County abstracts concerning Cornelia Roane and her siblings and on marriage records, William Sterling and Cornelia were married on 26 February 1834. At this time, William Sterling was also appointed guardian of Sally, Virginia and James Roane.

This family group moved into SUMMERHILL in 1834. William Sterling and Cornelia also raised their four children at SUMMERHILL. There is no evidence to indicate whether William Sterling ran his medical practice from SUMMERHILL or from an office at another location.

William Sterling and Charles Buller resolved the contested ownership of SUMMERHILL and GEDDES. Charles Buller moved into GEDDES house in 1835, the year of his marriage to Sally Ann Coleman. All of Charles Buller’s children were born at GEDDES. His son George Mason (born 1853) also lived at GEDDES as an adult until he had financial problems and moved west to Colorado and Texas.

There is a period of uncertainty as to the residents of SUMMERHILL from 1822, when Sterling Claiborne bought it, to 1834 when William Sterling Claiborne and his family moved into SUMMERHILL. It is possible that William R. Claiborne and wife, Mary, may have resided at SUMMERHILL because of their connection to Cornelia Roane. Moreover, William Sterling named his first born child, William Roy Claiborne.

William Sterling and Charles Buller engaged in land transactions around the county, but not of the magnitude of their father.

17 June 1840. William R. and Charles B. Claiborne to Sarah Ann Rose, $1500, 150 acres, Rocky Creek. Lines: the Folly - includes mill lately burned (East Amherst County, near Buffalo Ridge).

23 August 1841. Robert Moss and Arthur Hopkins (agent) to Wm. S. Claiborne, $400, 100 acres - tract assigned RM from estate of father, Wm. Moss on Piney. 1 mile below Roses Mill and below one assigned Wm. Moss on division. (Thus William added another part of the original SUMMERHILL plantation)

Apparently, Charles Buller ran into some debt problems and needed assistance from his father. His father did not simply pay his way out of trouble, however:

18 June 1840. Chas. B. Claiborne to Sterling Claiborne to secure debts to GEDDES tract; his part, divided between him and Wm. S. Claiborne; 500 acres. Lines: George Jones, William Jordan where old GEDDES house stands, slaves; stock;for benefit of wife Sally and children and future ones. If no heirs, then to his mother, Jane M. Claiborne.

William Sterling and Cornelia Claiborne resided at SUMMERHILL for over twenty years before moving to BELLEVITTE.

8 November 1855. William S. Claiborne and Cornelia Roane, his wife, sold to Harley N. Dox in consideration of $5000, 361 acres. Lines: Geo. Jones, Saml Payne on or belonging to Wm. Morgan, the lands of Wm. Staples, and those held by Saml Pettit once belonging to Wm. Morgn, and by the western back of the Piney River, together with all buildings and improvements.

QUERIES

Seeking information on SAMUEL E. MARTIN and wife NANCY A. Listed in 1860 Amherst census with children, Mary, Lucy, Wm. E., Arvilla?, Belinda?, Malinda? Any clues about descendants?
Phyllis M. Teels
8119 Shane Ct.
Manassas, VA 20112
bpteels@erols.com

Seeking Genealogy origin of CHARLES BURKS. Born abt. 1757 in Albermarle, now Amherst, county. Died May 1819 Amherst County, married abt. 1781 Amherst County. 2 sons and 6 daughters.
William W. Leonard
126 Villa Way
Bloomingdale, IL 60108
(630) 671-1037

To submit your query, please use a 3x5 index card (one query per card). Please be clear and concise. Your query may be edited to shorten it. Include name and address so that readers may contact you directly. No electronic submission will be accepted for this service. One free query is permitted from Amherst County Museum and Historical Society members. Additional queries appearing in the same issue are $1 per member. Queries from non-members are $2 each.

PIEDMONT CONFERENCE

On May 13th several members of the board and the director will attend the 11th Annual Piedmont conference in Orange County. Report to follow in a future issue of The Muse.

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