Middlesex County Museum and Historical Society, Inc. 2019 Strong Men and Women Essay Contest The Middlesex County Museum and Historical Society, Inc., will host the 2019 Strong Men and Women in Virginia History traveling exhibition from October 2, 2019, through November 6, 2019.  Strong Men and Women in Virginia History recognizes Virginia African Americans, past and present, who have made noteworthy and admirable contributions to the commonwealth. This exhibition from the Library of Virginia is made possible with support from Dominion Energy. The seven 2019 Strong Men and Women honorees include mathematics and technology pioneer, Dr. Gladys B. West. Dr. West is credited for leading the team that developed the Global Positioning System (GPS) while she was employed as a mathematician at the Naval Service Warfare Center Dahlgren Division in King George, Virginia. Contest Overview Students are invited to submit an essay on the theme:  The Global Positioning System: 20th Century Invention, 21st Century Game Changer. The Global Positioning System (GPS) has profoundly affected many aspects of contemporary society. GPS technology has seemingly endless uses and GPS products are broadly used by government entities, businesses, and individuals. Essays may focus upon any aspect of the GPS system, including elements of contemporary society that would not exist but for GPS. Contest Rules Entrants must be Middlesex County students (enrolled in Middlesex schools and/or residents of Middlesex County) in grades 9, 10, 11, or 12. Entries must include the following information: entrant’s full name, parent or guardian’s name, address, telephone number, email address, grade, and name of school. Essays must be submitted in Microsoft Word, be double spaced, and may not exceed 400 words. Essays must be submitted by email to middlesexmuseum@va.metrocast.net by Friday, October 11, 2019, at 3 pm.. Three winners will be selected. All entries must be original works that have not been published or submitted for publication elsewhere. Entries become the property of the Middlesex County Museum and Historical Society, Inc. and will not be returned. The Middlesex Museum and Historical Society, Inc. reserves the right to use the winners’ names and entries for promotional purposes in all forms of media without notice, review, approval or compensation, except where prohibited by law. Timeline Deadline for essay entries is Friday, October 11, 2019, at 3:00 pm. Essay winners will be notified by Monday, October 28, 2019. Essay winners will be introduced and will read their essays at the Strong Men and Women closing program on Sunday, November 3, 2019, at 3:00 pm. at St. Clare Walker Middlesex School. This program will feature a conversation with GPS developer, Dr. Gladys B. West. Winners Three essay winners will be selected. Winning students will read their essays at the Strong Men and Women closing program on Sunday, November 3, at 3:00 pm at St. Clare Walker Middle School. Winning students will have the opportunity to take a picture with Dr. Gladys B. West. Winning students will receive a certificate, a $100.00 gift card, and an autographed copy of their picture with Dr. West. Winning essays will be posted to the Middlesex Museum and Historical Society, Inc. website: middlesexmuseum.org . Judging Criteria Essays will be judged by Middlesex County Museum and Historical Society, Inc. on originality of thought, grammar, spelling, logic, quality and depth of research, clarity, writing style, and content

Middlesex County and our local community have been blessed with the musical genius of Sherman Holmes, Jr., a founding member and survivor of the Holmes Brothers. On September 21, 2019, Sherman will lend his vocal and bassist virtuosity as the headliner of the Middlesex Museum and Historical Society’s Autumn Jazz Fest . Along with Holmes and other performers, many well known in our area, the Jazz Fest will feature two up- and- coming young artists. Leah Drummond is performing for the first time in the River Realm. Born and raised in Richmond, Virginia, Leah has been singing and playing the piano since the age of six. She began singing in church and continued her vocal journey in advanced ensembles in middle and high school. Leah participated in All Girls Show Choir, Mixed Show Choir, and a Chamber Ensemble at Manchester High School. It was with these choirs where she received the opportunity to perform at Disney World’s Epcot Center and Universal Studios Hardrock Café. She also traveled to New York City and performed at Lincoln Center. Leah went on to study music at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia where she graduated Cum Laude and received her Bachelor of Arts in Music Education with a concentration on vocal performance. She is currently studying to earn a master’s degree at Johns Hopkin’s Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore while working as a music teacher in the Baltimore County School system. Another young performer also comes to the Jazz Fest stage from Chesterfield County, but has local family roots. Kevin Epps is the grandson of the late Monroe Jarvis and Rosetta Jarvis of Saluda, Virginia, and the late Webster Epps, Sr. and Muriel Epps of West Point, Virginia. He began his musical career in middle school having to choose an elective in the sixth grade and decided on band. Kevin was assigned the clarinet even though he really wanted to play the drums. When the teacher offered students the opportunity to audition for the saxophone Kevin decided to give it a try. Upon entering high school, he joined the marching band and the show band which played for Broadway musical style productions. In addition, he plays regularly at his church, Tabernacle Baptist, in Chesterfield, with the National Deacons Convention band at their yearly conferences around the US, and any other time he can. Kevin currently is a third-year undergraduate student at Bridgewater College where he is majoring in physics with a minor in music performance. While at college he has been a member of the pep band, the symphony, the jazz band, and the saxophone ensemble. Joining Sherman, Leah and Kevin onstage at the Jazz Festival will be area musicians Chris Gresham, Walker Andrew, Cynthia Honablue, and Rick Jessie. Interspersed with the cool jazz music will be the sultry poetry performance of Miss Pinkie Holmes. Another seasoned performer, Robert Gillison (also known as DJ Ghost), is shedding his usual role as disc jockey and joining the other artists by offering his smooth jazz instrumental skills. The Autumn Jazz Fest will be held on Saturday, September 21, 2019, at the Christ Church Parish Hall, 56 Christchurch Lane, off General Puller Highway in Saluda. Doors open at 6 p.m. and performances are from 7 to 10 p.m. There will be a cash bar with an array of wine and beer available. The complimentary hors d’oeuvres that will be served will be made by Jeffrey Scott, a local caterer. For more information call (804) 539-2791. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased online HERE or in person at the Middlesex Museum on Saturdays. A limited number of tickets will be available the night of the Jazz Fest, but it is highly recommended that you call and reserve your tickets before September 21. Proceeds of the Autumn Jazz Fest will be used for on-going support of the Middlesex Museum and Historical Society.

The Middlesex County Museum & Historical Society invites you to a living history presentation by Nancy Lowden, Manager of Historical Programs at Maymont, Richmond’s Gilded Age estate, as she brings the story of woman’s suffrage to life. Sunday, November 10, 2019 from 3 to 5 p.m. As we grow weary from another season of political ads, it’s easy to take for granted one of the most important aspects of our democracy – the right to vote. But until 1920, American women were denied this right, prompting decades of tireless work on their part and a determination to change the political landscape for future generations. Time-travel with a Richmond suffragist who relates the victories, the set-backs and the fascinating saga as we celebrate the approaching centennial of the 19th Amendment that gave women the vote. The program begins with a living history portrayal of Adele Clark, one of the founding members of the Equal Suffrage League of Virginia. An illustrated talk then takes the audience on a journey that spanned decades and forever changed our country. The controversial debate touched almost everyone at the turn-of-the-20th-century. At Maymont, Mrs. Dooley and her sisters-in-law found themselves on opposite sides of the issue, and African-American women in Virginia and the south felt resistance due to their gender and their race. Discover the arguments, the justifications, and why even some women opposed the vote in this dynamic and informative presentation. The presentation will be held at Dozier’s Regatta Point Marina located at 137 Neptune Lane, Deltaville. The tickets are $25 and include appetizers with a cash bar. Purchase tickets online HERE . You may also send a check made out to Middlesex Museum to P.O. Box 121 Saluda, VA 23181 or visit the museum Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 777 General Puller Highway, Saluda. Photo by Aaron Salvidar.

Join us for the Autumn Jazz Fest! September 21, 2019 from 7 to 10 p.m. Doors open at 6 p.m. Christ Church Parish Hall, 56 Christchurch Lane, Saluda, Virginia 23149 -Cash Bar -Live Music -Jam Sessions -Hors d’oeuvres -Poetry Readings Featured performers include Sherman Holmes, Miss Pinkie Holmes, Chris Gresham, Walker Andrew, Kevin Epps, Rick Jessie, and new to the Middlesex County music scene, Leah Drummond. Proceeds benefit the Middlesex County Museum & Historical Society. Purchase tickets online HERE , in person at the museum, or mail checks payable to the Middlesex Museum to P.O. Box 121, Saluda, VA 23149. For more information call 804-539-2791. #Fundraiser #Jazz

Among the noted Middlesex County residents featured in our Homegrown Heroes documentary (you can watch it here ) was Raymond W. Burrell . Below find his full biography which his family so graciously provided to the Middlesex Museum, as well as photos of Mr. Burrell through the years. Republished here with permission from his family. Raymond W. Burrell was born on May 9, 1919 in Mathews County, Virginia to the late Molegold and Annabel Burrell. He is last remaining sibling of 7. Mr. Burrell graduated high school in Middlesex County and is a member of First Baptist Church Amburg He was married to the late Clarice Burrell and the father of 3 children, daughter Leanna, son Robert and his late son Raymond Jr. Mr. Burrell retired from the Newport News Shipyard and Drydock Company in Newport News, VA. On December 16, 1942, Mr. Burrell was inducted into World War II from Baltimore, Maryland, to become one of many black men to enlist in the 761st Tank Battalion. In December 23, 1942, he entered into active service at Fort Knox, Kentucky for basic training at Armored Force Training School when finished there he went to Camp Claiborne, Louisiana. Being a black detachment and segregated down in the south, everything was done in the back door. Mr. Burrell finished training at Camp Hood, Texas and was on my way to Camp shank, New York. Mr. Burrell left New York to go to Merly Park, England and from there to Omaha Beach, in France. The 761st Tank Battalion was assigned to General George S. Patton, as part of the 26th Infantry Division of the 12 Corps in the Third Army. The morning of November 8, 1944 was D-Day or Judgment in the Saar Basin, the area which had been assigned to the 26th Division embraced a number of key towns and cities along an escape and supply routes for the citadel of Metz untaken in 1000 years. The Allies were driving at Metz from 3 sides with incirclement as the object. Facing them was part of the German 11th SS Panzer Division, which had been rebuilt with some 12,000 reserve troops, 30 big guns, and many tanks. Either they take the hill, be prisoners of war, or be shanghaied for swimming the English Channel back to England. The other forces establish that beach head there were suffering from battle fatigue, but they made it to the front with flying colors and we stopped at Saint Nicholas de-Port, for a breather. They were trained to do all 5 positions in the tank crew, but never been on a battle field before. Everyone got real quiet and serious. Everyone was sad and down hearted and saw a lot of dead along the way. On November 1, 1944, Division Commander Major General Paul gave them a welcome speech, saying “I am glad to have you with us. We have been expecting you for a long time, and I am sure that you are going to give a good account of yourselves. I’ve got a big hill up there that I want you to take, and I believe that you are going to do a great job of it.” On November 2, General George S. Patton, stood on the same half track. He gave them a rousing welcome saying “Men, you’re the first Negro tankers to ever fight in the American Army. I would never have asked for you if you weren’t good. I have nothing but the best in my Army. I don’t care what color you are, so long as you go up there and kill those Germans. Everyone has their eyes on you and are expecting great things from you.  Most of all, your race is looking forward to you doing well. Don’t let them down, and don’t let me down!” In 183 days of front line fighting, Mr. Burrell came home without a scratch. His fellow comrades of the 761st Tank Battalion didn’t do all this because they were segrated and had to prove a point that they were just as good as any white man in the armed forces, they did it because we wanted peace, liberty, and justice for all Americans. Mr. Burrell was honored on June 8, 2014 at First Baptist Church Amburg I Deltaville, VA during the Men’s Day Program. Colonel Stephanie A. Lewis, Reserve Chief of Northern Command Exercise Support Team for the Joint Staff, presented Mr. Burrell with a shadow box that contained his medals, a patch of his unit, his picture in uniform, and flag flown at the U.S. Capitol from Senator Mark Warner and a poster of the 761st book cover.

Eleven years ago the Southside Sentinel published an article on experiences of Raymond Burrell Sr., who was a member of the “Black Panthers,” the first tank battalion comprised of African-Americans. He was 89 years old when he told his story and recalled vivid details of the role of the 761st Tank Battalion at the Battle of the Bulge in Europe during World War II. The following is that story, a compelling account of one young man’s experiences and memories that, for better or worse, have stayed with him for his lifetime. It’s a reminder of the consequences of war, and it bears repeating. It’s a story that every American should know. Burrell turned 100 years old on May 9, 2019. He lives with his daughter in Deltaville and was among the Middlesex County veterans featured in our document series, Homegrown Heroes, which you can view  here . By Tom Chillemi and Republished With Permission from the Southside Sentinel  In the winter of 1944-45, Raymond W. Burrell Sr. of Deltaville was a member of the now famous 761st Tank Battalion—the Black Panthers— that saw extensive action at the Battle of the Bulge, Hitler’s last desperate effort to stop the Allies at the border between France and Germany. The U.S. Armed Forces were segregated until after World War II, and the “Black Panthers” of the 761st were the first African-American tank battalion. Jackie Robinson, who would later be the first African-American to play Major League Baseball, was a member of the 761st Battalion. Burrell, who turned 100 on May 9, 2019, said Robinson’s b unk was three away from his, and they talked often. Burrell recalled details of some of the harrowing events during his 183day deployment. In addition, books have been written about the 761st, which was assigned to General George S. Patton’s Third Army. General Patton On November 2, 1944, Gen. Patton stood on a half-track and addressed the 761st Tank Battalion, said Burrell, who was 25 years old at the time. “Men, you’re the first Negro tankers to ever fight in the American Army,” said Gen. Patton. “I would never have asked for you if you weren’t good. I have nothing but the best in my Army. I don’t care what color you are, so long as you go up there and kill those Krauts or Germans.” Gen. Patton continued, “Everyone has their eyes on you and are expecting great things from you. Most of all, your race is looking forward to you doing well. Don’t let them down, and don’t let me down.” Burrell said Gen. Patton told the men they had to fight to stay alive. He kept referring to the ground with his hands, showing “what was going to happen to you,” said Burrell. Patton had sent men up the hill for 90 days “and no one came back,” said Burrell, who wondered if his fate would be the same. Patton knew a soldier would not take reckless chances on his own, but would still find a way to take the objective, said Burrell. “Once you leave here don’t listen to anybody; you are on your own,” Patton told his soldiers. “If you get an order from an officer and you see a better way you can do it, pay him no mind. When you leave this point of departure, every man is responsible for his own death. I’ve been sending them up there, and officers have been giving them orders, and they wind up in the ground.” When he’d finished his speech, Gen. Patton said to Burrell, “You look like you don’t think much about what I said.” Burrell agreed. “I told him I didn’t think much about what he said.” Burrell then asked Gen. Patton, “If Raymond gets killed, how are you going to get another Raymond?” Gen. Patton responded with a rhyme, “Raymond’s name is Lou, let him go too. Just save the tanks . . . got any more questions?” To which Burrell responded, “No, you said it all.” Burrell tried to transfer out of the 761st Tank Battalion after he saw how a German armor-piercing shell could attach to a tank’s armor and burn through it in 30 seconds. First battle The 761st Tank Battalion landed in France at Omaha Beach in October 1944, four months after D-Day. “The stench of death hung over the beach like a cloud,” said Burrell. A 400-mile trek led Burrell and his battalion to “Hill 253.” Burrell, who was 25 years old, had narrowly escaped death when he and some men were warming themselves by a fire. A German shell exploded nearby and killed all of his buddies. Burrell ran along the road and got into a ditch. Another she ll exploded and covered him with mud. Later the same day, A, B, C and D companies of the 761st Tank Battalion moved toward a town to run out the Germans. Burrell and his Headquarters Company set up their tank to shoot its 105-mm cannon over the hill at the Germans. One of the 761st tanks had a track knocked off, recalled Burrell. The men escaped through a hatch in the floor and set up machine guns under their tank. The Germans broadcast over loud speakers, “We got you now, so give up,” remembers Burrell. Instead, the Black Panthers shredded wave after wave of German soldiers that tried for hours to knock out the American position. The Germans gave up the fight and when they started to abandon the town, the 761st was waiting at a narrow pass. “We laid down fire on them,” said Bu rrell. Their job was to lob shells in front of the Germans as they left town. Burrell, assigned to the Headquarters Company, said he told his captain to set the fuse so the shells would have “air bursts” and discharge 15 yards above ground and kill by concussion. All five tank companies fired simultaneously, creating a circle around the German convoy. When it was over, the stalled convoy was about 2 miles long and the truck engines idled until they ran out of fuel. “They (dead Germans) were sitting up there in the trucks without a scratch on them,” said Burrell, who added he still has nightmares about that sight. Take cover About 7 p.m. that day a flare lit up the area where Burrell and his company were located. They knew they had to move. German planes “bombed that area all night and didn’t miss a spot,” he said. Later, Burrell was on guard when a 28-man German patrol came through and saw the damaged equipment. Burrell said he wanted to use his 50-mm machine gun to cut them down, but he held his fire, knowing the noise would give away his position. Instead, Burrell called ahead and told the infantry to be looking for the Germans. “They captured every last one of them,” he said. “That was only the beginning,” continued Burrell. The 761st was the spearhead as Allied Forces advanced on Berlin, trying to get there before the Russians, who were moving toward the German capital from the east. Eventually, the 761st met up with the Russians, who took Berlin. Then, the 761st headed west toward home. Burrell said the Germans would rather surrender to Americans than Russians. Sometimes, however, the Germans would walk up to American soldiers acting like they wanted to surrender, but would then produce live hand grenades from under their coats. While the final surrender was being negotiated in May 1945, a German railroad gun fired a shell that left a huge crater in the earth near the 761st. Burrell and his men wanted to retaliate by knocking down a smoke stack near the railroad gun, but were told to hold fire. “They fired that one for fun, that’s the truth,” he said. “Greed” The horror of war stays with Burrell, who always felt sorry for the German mothers who lost their sons, just as the American mothers did. “I had sympathy for them all,” he said. “Look at all the mess we could have done without. It was all started by a few men. I wonder why it happened? “Greed is one thing that caused it. Everybody wants to be boss. Nobody wants to do the work,” continued Burrell. “We still haven’t learned anything. World leaders still got that mess in their mind.” It wasn’t until January 24, 1978, that President Jimmy Carter awarded the 761st Tank Battalion the Presidential Unit Citation in recognition of its service and sacrifice.

Want to add excitement and a little color to your garden ornaments, wrought iron patio furniture, flower pots, planters, statuary, figures and plaques? It will bring your outside spaces will be alive with color and…possibilities! Inside your home you’ll find that  Authentique Weathered Bronze Finish  adds a unique weathered bronze look to picture frames, chair rail, crown mouldings, tables and chairs and even kitchen cabinets. You can learn how here at the Middlesex Museum. Join us for a Tichacek Finishes Presentation on Saturday, August 10, 2019 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. here at the Middlesex County Museum & Historical Society Visitors Center (located at 777 General Puller Highway Saluda, VA). Authentique was the original do-it-yourself antique finish. It became available to the public in the mid-1960’s and quickly became the finish of choice. During this exciting demonstration of different finishes, you will learn how you can refinish your treasurers so they look fresh and new. This event is free and we look forward to seeing you all! Learn more at tichacekfinishes.com .

Did you know the Middlesex Museum staff and volunteer researchers are delighted to help you discover family history or uncover the answers to your burning Middlesex County history questions? Our research assistance is billed at $25 per hour. If you are interested in this service, please contact us using the contact form here .

By Nancy Fisk, Republished With Permission This year Friends of Urbanna Museum and Parks will celebrate Urbanna Founder’s Day on Saturday, August 10, 2019 starting at 10 a.m. at the Middlesex Woman’s Club building on Virginia Street in Urbanna. As those who attended our living history play last year may remember, the focus centered on Ralph Wormeley of Rosegill and his stubborn refusal to allow any of his land to be used to establish a town, thus delaying the birth of the town of Urbanna for nearly 20 years, to a time after his death. This year’s presentation will be a narrative during which we will bring to life the contribution of three of the historically important “Founding Fathers” and their families as they sought to establish the town of Urbanna as a port community that would serve the needs of the plantation owners, as well as those of the other surrounding inhabitants. Those men are Capt. Harry Beverley (1669-1730) of Brandon, the Honorable John Robinson (1683-1749), and Colonel Christopher Robinson II (16811727) of Hewick. We will look at the driving forces behind the actions of these men and their families that caused them to take up the banner of township that was so long held down by their defiant neighbor, Ralph Wormeley. In addition, descendants of these men and their families are especially invited to attend and be recognized. The descendants are encouraged to bring any memorabilia, stories or information about their families that they would like to share. It is hoped the event will be like an extended family reunion joining people together in celebrating the birth of our wonderful town. Descendants who plan to attend are encouraged to contact Nancy Fisk as early as possible so that we might better organize the event. In an effort to encourage descendant participation, we have included additional biographical information about our three main characters. Captain Harry Beverley (16691730), son of Major Robert Beverley of Jamestown and Mary Beverley, was husband of Elizabeth Smith Beverley and father of Elizabeth Stanard, Mary Chew, Robert Beverley, Margaret Chew, Susanna Winslow, Catherine Stubblefield, Judith Roy, Peter Beverley, Agatha Robinson, Ann Beverley and Lucy Beverley. He was Justice of Middlesex County in 1700. He was surveyor of King and Queen and King William counties from 1702 to 1714. He was Burgess from 1705-1706. He surveyed and laid out the town of Tappahannock in 1706. His title of captain derives from the fact that in 1716 Governor Spotswood sent him on the sloop “Virgin” to capture pirates and Spanish gold. Unfortunately his ship and crew were captured by a Spanish manof- war. He escaped and came back to Virginia in 1717. The honorable John Robinson (1683-1749), son of Christopher Robinson and Agatha Obert Robinson of Hewick Plantation, was husband of Catherine Beverley Robinson and father of John Robinson, William Robinson, Catherine Wagener, Henry Robinson, Colonel Beverley Robinson, Margaret Robinson, Elizabeth Robinson and Jean Robinson. Colonel Christopher Robinson II (1681-1727), son of Christopher Robinson and Agatha Obert Robinson, of Hewick Plantation, was husband of Judith Wormeley of Rosegill. Robinson was father of Christopher Robinson III and Peter Robinson. He was Burgess of Middlesex County in 1710 and 1714. If you are a descendant of these men and would like to attend, or can help with our committee’s historical research, please contact Nancy Fisk at nancybfisk@aol.com.

The Middlesex County Museum and Historical Society, Inc. is pleased to announce that it will host the 2019 Strong Men and Women in Virginia History traveling exhibition from October 2, 2019 through November 6, 2019.  Strong Men and Women in Virginia History recognizes Virginia African Americans, past and present, who have made noteworthy and admirable contributions to the commonwealth. This exhibition from the Library of Virginia is made possible with support from Dominion Energy. The 2019 Strong Men and Women honorees are Lawrence A. Davies, Minister and Civic Leader, Fredericksburg; Fannie W. Fitzgerald, Educator and Elementary School Supervisor, Prince William County; Gladys B. West, Mathematician and Technology Pioneer, King George County; William T. Stone, Judge and Civic Leader, Williamsburg; Andrew J. White, Sr., Minister and Community Activist, Petersburg; Kwame Alexander, Writer and Youth Advocate, Fairfax County;  and Deanna Reed, Mayor and Mentor, Harrisonburg. Two programs will be held in support of the Strong Men and Women exhibition. Both will be co-sponsored by Middle Peninsula African-American Genealogical and Historical Society (MPAAGHS). Lecture and Exhibition Opening Talk by Strong Men and Women honoree, The Reverend Andrew Jackson White, Minister and Community Activist Strong Men and Women in Virginia History: 400 Years in the Making Sunday, October 6, 2019 3 p.m. Antioch Baptist Church 159 Oakes Landing Road, Saluda, Virginia 23149 Talk followed by viewing of exhibition and refreshments at the Middlesex Museum Visitors’ Center. Exhibition Closing Program A Conversation with Dr. Gladys B. West, Mathematician and Technology Pioneer The Global Positioning System: 20th Century Invention, 21st Century Game Changer Sunday, November 3, 2019 3 p.m. St. Clare Walker Middle School 6814 General Puller Highway, Locust Hill, Virginia 23092

Learn more about the mystery of fossils this summer! Grady Frame will provide attendees to the Middlesex County Museum Visitor Center a free opportunity to see and learn more about fossils on Saturday, July 27 from 1 to 2 p.m. The Visitor Center is located beside the Museum at 795 General Puller Highway in Saluda. There will be a variety of fossils on hand to see and learn about, including finds from the local area, as well as from other parts of the U.S. and around the world. Among the items on display will include different species of fossilized shark’s teeth; Megalodon, Great White, Mako and Tiger. Those attending will also get to view whale bones, dinosaur teeth, dermal scutes and much more.

History is best when shared, and we could use your help! Do you recognize any of these photos below? If so, please contact us through the form located here and let us know what you remember! Share with us your information so we can share it with the world!

The Middlesex County Museum & Historical Society is pleased to announce it will sponsor speaker Addison Baker Thompson, Resident Manager of Tuckahoe Plantation (1740), a home and working farm for nearly 300 years, as a guest speaker on Sunday, August 4 from 3 to 5 p.m. at Dozier’s Regatta Point Marina, located at 137 Neptune Lane in Deltaville. Boyhood home of Thomas Jefferson, the plantation is considered by architectural historians to have the most complete eighteenth century plantation layout in North America. The original schoolhouse where Thomas Jefferson began his education and the office still stands. During this guest lecture event, learn about the features that make Tuckahoe Plantation an outstanding example of construction that has stood the test of time; the lives of those who lived there including John Marshall’s grandmother (who was born and got into trouble there); the influences of the house on Thomas Jefferson; and more about how Tuckahoe has made a large contribution to the legal landscape of preservation law. Mr. Thompson graduated from Princeton University, cum laude in history AB in 1970, and earned his law degree from the University of Virginia in 1973. While serving as the resident manager of Tuckahoe Plantation from 1979 to present, Mr. Thompson has practiced law, served in the U.S. Naval Reserve, been a member of numerous boards, including Preservation Virginia, and is an emeritus member of the Capital Region Land Conservancy. Tickets are $35 and include appetizers, wine and beer. Purchase tickets online HERE , at the museum Thursday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., or send a check (made out to Middlesex Museum) to Middlesex Museum P.O. Box 121, Saluda 23149. Learn more about the history of Tuckahoe Plantation here . Photos courtesy of Tuckahoe Plantation.

Calling all local artists! Arts in the Middle and the Middlesex County Museum and Historical Society invites you to participate in a special exhibit of art and history – “The Retrospective Art Show: The Art of Lost, Fading, Restored, or Preserved Architecture of Middlesex.” The show will take place Friday, August 30 through Sunday, September 1, 2019 in the Visitors Center Gallery in Saluda, Virginia, located next to the Middlesex Museum. The show aims to celebrate the rich architectural history of Middlesex County through an array of arts and crafts media. Photography, painting, sculpture, ceramics, poetry, music, culinary art, textiles and more are all welcome. The media can be as wide as your imagination as an artist, event organizers said. Scour the county for that perfect image of something gone, soon to be gone or still around and worthy of remembering. This is not a juried show, but works will be judged and a cash award presented for best in show. Works are due at the Gallery by August 24, 2019 for final curating. Drop off anytime during museum hours. The public is invited to view the curated works during an Open House August 30 through September 1, 2019. A reception and award presentation will take place at 4 p.m. on Saturday, August 31. Poetry, music, refreshments and more will be available throughout the weekend event. For more information or questions, please email retroshow19@gmail.com or call Michael Kunzinger at 757-202-0692. #ArtShow #ArtsintheMiddle #MiddlesexCounty

Join the Middlesex County Museum and Historical Society on Sunday, June 30, from 1 to 5 p.m. for a tour of Church View’s most prominent structure. Built in 1913, for more than a hundred years this stately house with the wraparound porch located on the curve at Church View has greeted persons traveling through Middlesex County on Route 17. Owned by Mary Lynn Landgraf and Bill Budd, it is now Southern Sighs Inn . The home and nearby Dragon Run Country Store were built by George Northam using beautiful cypress lumber harvested from the flats of the Dragon Run located at the headwaters of the Piankatank River. The Northam family was heavily engaged in the lumber industry and shipped wood, including cypress, to Baltimore for sale around the country and for export. The Budd-Landgraf team purchased the home in 2016 and they have undertaken substantial renovations while remaining true to the original architectural style. The home features beautiful hardwood floors, handcrafted French and Afghan Orientals, and fireplaces with gas logs. The guest rooms and common spaces feature a combination of period-specific art and furnishings. Ms. Landfraf has decorated the house with a blend of European style and Southern sensibility. Of special interest are the several themed rooms: one, The Greenbrier Room, pays homage to designer Dorothy Draper’s interiors at The Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, while another, the Russian Romance Room, offers a hint of the glory days of Imperial Russia. Visitors will have the opportunity to tour the house and grounds and to enjoy light refreshments. Tickets for the tour are $15 and may be purchased by mailing a check made payable to Middlesex Museum to P.O. Box 121 Saluda, VA 23149. Tickets may also be purchased at Southern Sighs on the day of the tour. Southern Sighs is located at 35 Wares Bridge Road, Church View, Virginia, 23032. The Museum is pleased to highlight the preservation of one of Middlesex County’s fine old buildings.  Proceeds from the tour will benefit the Museum. Photo provided by Southern Sighs by Roger Koppenrath. A special and heartfelt thanks goes out to sponsors of this event, including Velma Gray, the Middlesex County Woman’s Club and Suzi Hutchens.

“Just 35 years after Jamestown was settled, Virginia colonists planted tobacco in nearby Middlesex County , an area strategically located between two major rivers and the Chesapeake Bay. Middlesex life has been closely tied to both land and water. From the commerce of the early steamboats to the modern oyster-farming industry, the waterways have provided an avenue for business and a bountiful harvest of crabs, fish, and oysters. The county’s modern boating industry grew from a 19th-century wooden boatbuilding tradition. The center of that industry, Deltaville, is known today as the “Boating Capital of the Chesapeake Bay.” From the county’s oyster heritage came Virginia’s most famous celebration, the Urbanna Oyster Festival, which annually draws 60,000 people to the small waterfront town. Stately homes and churches that predate the Revolutionary War include Colonial Christ Church, which annually attracts hundreds of marines to the gravesite of Lt. Gen. Lewis Burwell “Chesty” Puller, the most decorated marine in the history of the United States Marine Corps, who retired to the county in 1955.” This, from Arcadia Publishing, so perfectly describes the Images of America: Middlesex County book by Larry S. Chowning. If you’d like to order a copy of this book, click HERE . Chowning, author of 10 books, is a native of Middlesex County. He has lived here his entire life with the exception of the four years he spent at the University of Richmond. Chowning is a staff reporter for the Southside Sentinel, the county’s weekly newspaper, and an avid supporter of the Middlesex County Museum. #Books #History #LarryChowning #MiddlesexCounty

By Larry Chowning Sherman Holmes Jr. and his younger brother Wendell grew up at Christchurch in Middlesex County, attended the all-black St. Clare Walker High School (Wolverines) and both were stars in the late 1950s and early 60s Wolverine band. They went on to become stars. Born just 74 years after slavery, Sherman and Wendell went on to become a national and international musical group known as the “Holmes Brothers.” Their Americana style of music combined a mixture of blues, soul, gospel, country and rhythm and blues. After decades of singing and playing across the country, Sherman, Wendell and Popsy Di xon formed the Holmes Brothers in 1979. They signed record contracts in 1989 with Rounder Records and in 2001 with Alligator Records. The Alligator album “Speaking in Tongues” was critically acclaimed. The Chicago Tribune called it a “joyous, footstomping carnival . . . a gift to the world of music.” They performed in 58 countries, sang for President Bill Clinton, appeared on the Late Show with David Letterman, CBS Saturday Early Show, and numerous other shows. They won the Blues W.C. Handy Music award for being the Memphisbased band of the year in 2005, and the Soul Blues Album of the Year award in 2008. In 2014, The Holmes Brothers received the National Heritage Award, an award that honors those who preserve America’s historical character. And it all started right here in Middlesex County. Music history During slavery there were moments, even for the most down trodden, when no master or overseer could restrain the emotions of love and happiness, and music often provided an outlet for these emotions. Whether digging potatoes, picking corn or pulling fodder in the fields; tonging oysters on the river; shucking oysters in an oyster house; or pulling menhaden nets—African-American songs often filled the air. Dr. Tommy L. Bogger, author of “A History of African-Americans in Middlesex County 1646-1992,” wrote, “Even before they (African-Americans) had access to expensive instruments, they drew melodious sounds from common household implements such as the wash tub, the wash board, and the saw. They sang as they worked, they sang when they were happy, they sang when they were sad, and in their weekly religious services, they sang with fervor and open hearts in praise of their Savior.” When slavery ended and mandated public education came for Middlesex African-Americans, musical notes were taught in all-black public schools along with the ABC’s. Between 1890 and 1900, a brass band composed of two Middlesex native musicians, John Mingo Banks and Hamilton Lightfoot, both of Locust Hill traveled extensively to play music in the North. They eventually traveled to England and performed for Queen Victoria. After the turn of the 20th century, Sears Roebuck and Co. provided an easy avenue for the purchase of musical instruments and with this came local African-American bands accompanied with brass instruments, violins, harmonicas and guitars. Local churches encouraged music. John Baylor Holmes, a former slave, played the violin at Calvary Baptist on a regular basis along with Washington (Wash) Thornton on the mandolin and Lynn Davis of Stormont on the French horn. Local bands played at baseball games, at events on Memorial Day, Emancipation Day and Independence Day. Each community had their own singing quartets and bands that sang and played regularly at church and other events. During the 1950s, the St. Clare Walker High School Band was created under the direction of Lewis  DeOliver. The band participated in band festivals in its district and a statewide festival at Virginia State University. This led to the creation of several independent rhythm and blues bands—one being the “Melotones” with a clarinet player named Sherman Holmes Jr. Sherman and Wendell The Holmes brothers were the sons of school teachers Easter and Sherman Holmes Sr. of Christchurch. The boys grew up singing in the Calvary Baptist Church Choir. At an early age, Sherman and Wendell started their musical life by taking piano and organ l essons. At 11 years old Wendell got his first paying job. He earned $6 a Sunday playing organ for Grafton Baptist Church in Hartfield. Both Sherman and Wendell had natural talent when it came to playing instruments. When the brothers were 13 and 10 years old they formed a neighborhood band and started playing at Herman Wake’s “juke joint” (dance hall) at Cooks Corner. Wake was Easter Holmes’ first cousin. “We didn’t sound like much but we could make some noise and whenever a band did not show up Herman would call us,” said Sherman. “We used to say we’d rock ‘em on Saturday night at Herman’s and save ’em on Sunday morning at church. “Daddy liked it when we played at Herman’s but mother didn’t. Throughout our careers she referred to our lifestyle as the “sporting life” and did not accept it until we performed in front of President Bill Clinton. Then she thou ght it was alright,” said Sherman. When the boys became part of the St. Clare Walker band Sherman took up the clarinet and excelled. He graduated from St. Clare Walker in 1957 and entered Virginia State University. Wendell continued in high school playing the trumpet and guitar and played with a band that regularly played at The Tides Inn in Irvington. “They played for tips and many a night Wendell came home with $50 in his pocket, and that was good money then,” said Sherman. While at Virginia State Sherman studied composition and music theory and played the clarinet in the college band. While there Lloyd Price, who had the million-selling hit “Personality,” came to the school and talked Sherman into a summer musical stint in New Orleans. “He was driving a brand new Lincoln Continental and it seemed like a good opportunity,” said Sherman. That summer, Sherman said he got to experience the New Orleans music scene but had to call home for financial help to get through the summer. When he got back to school, Holmes decided to take off a semester. In 1959 he and another student went to New York to play in a band with singer Jimmy Jones who, in 1955, had the hit song “Handy Man.” While at Virginia State Sherman had taken up the bass guitar which proved to be a real asset. “I never saw a clarinet in any of the bands in New York,” he said. “After that, I was a bass guitar player for life. “With Jimmy Jones I was making $50 a day and that was when minimum wage was $1.10 an hour. I could work 40 hours at a regular job and not make $50,” he said. With Jones, Sherman went all over the country and at Wendell’s graduation from St. Clare Walker High School in 1961 the two of th em left together that summer for New York and a lifetime of music. “We both loved the business but Wendell really loved it because, in part, he never liked working for anyone else,” said Sherman of his late brother. “Wendell’s first job was helping a lady in Stormont around her yard. He went one time and never went back and, as far as I know, he never worked a steady job in his life. Music was his life!” said Sherman. At the start of their careers, the brothers joined several bands but in 1963 they formed their own band named “The Sevilles.” The group lasted for three years but the Holmes brothers gained experience by backing up such performers as the “Impressions,” John Lee Hooker and Jerry Butler. After that, the brothers performed regularly at blues clubs and formed working relationships with some of the top blues/folk artist in the country. The brothers regularly played in bars and night clubs in Greenwich Village. Through the 1960s and 70s, they traveled around the country playing their music. “We tried it all. I even bought myself a white cowboy hat and was singing country music,” said Sherman. “At that time I was the only black country western singer around.” From time to time, they went their separate ways with Wendell making his living exclusively with his music. During the 1970s, the disco sound took singing gigs away from blues and soul singers. “We didn’t play disco,” said Sherman. When times were tight, Sherman found full-time work. “I eventually got a day job in West Chester, New York, making light fixtures by day and working clubs with my music at night. Wendell moved to New Jersey and was working the bars and nightclubs in that area.” In 1967 Wendell started playing with Willie “Popsy” Dixon, a drummer and singer. Along with Sherman, they started performing with a succession of Top 40 bar bands. They worked bars into the late 1970s when the brothers and Dixon were about to give it all up. Instead they decided to leave the bands and try it as a trio. “We decided we would go trio and when we were considering a name for our group our agent said why don’t you use your own name . . . “Holmes Brothers.” In 1979, the Holmes Brothers hit the stage and never looked back. “We played all over the world,” said Sherman. “We spent six weeks in West Africa on a Goodwill Ambassador Program sponsored by President George H.W. Bush. We made music in 58 countries. “When we played for President Bill Clinton and later Vice President Al Gore we were assigned secret service people, and they even went to the bathroom with us,” said Sherman with a laugh. “It was not always an easy life bumping around from gig to gig,” said Sherman. “But we always approached it as professional performers who felt our music was a gift. “Wendell and I saw it as what we were supposed to be doing in life. I always had an imagination, maybe because I’m left-handed and stuttered when I was young. I found some aspects of day-to-day life to be difficult, but when I started playing my music— and that is to this day—everything seemed normal. I never saw any reason to stop.” Wendell Holmes and Willie “Popsy” Dixon both died in 2015. Sherman resides at Christchurch across the street from Calvary Baptist Church where it all started. He continues the group’ s legacy as the Sherman Holmes Project and plays around the country. He often plays and sings “Amazing Grace” as a tribute to the Holmes Brothers and to his own spiritual and musical heritage. This article originally appeared in the Southside Sentinel and is republished here with their permission.

By Mary Wakefield Buxton Urbanna, Va.— The study of history is difficult enough, but acknowledging our own personal history can really cause discomfort. Yet we can’t run from history. Halfway through the January program I attended on integration of public schools in Middlesex County, it hit me there were few white natives present. “Why aren’t white natives here?” I asked myself throughout the program? Of course, NFL football games were on TV and it was a beautiful sunny day after weeks of rain. There were plenty of reasons why whites couldn’t attend. Yet the courthouse was packed with African-Americans who came to the program on the struggle for public school integration that occurred right here in Middlesex County, including a number of black ministers. But only a sm attering of whites. Why? Whites who remembered integration of the public schools some 50-60 years ago also have uncomfortable memories. After the program I asked a native what integration was like at Gloucester High School. She remembered some African-Americans were “aggressive and mean, wore Afro hairstyles with picks in their hair, and were fighting all the time in the hallways. “One day a black girl passed me in the hall and punched me hard just out of the blue,” she recalled. A teacher saw the incident and the girl was suspended for three days. But it was still a painful memory and she didn’t want to talk about it. How do we recover from the trauma of this chapter in history if whites and blacks who experienced traumatic events as children don’t acknowledge the pain they caused each other? How sad children were caught up in social upheaval that earlier generations had caused. Can we acknowledge mistakes we made, forgive each other and move on? Can we offer everyone alive today a blanket of forgiveness for all grief from the past? I agree with those who told the audience that love and forgiveness can solve problems. Even if our neighbor refuses to love and forgive us, we are called by higher command to love and forgive him. Other painful chapters in Middlesex history come to mind. The evil of slavery that so poisoned our society, the tragedy of the Civil War suffered by all with almost a million casualties to atone for the sin of slavery in America, and Yankees who came to this area and burned, pillaged, killed and took livestock from starving, innocent citizens. Many native families, both white and black, have ancestors who still live here and hold vivid, dark memories passed down from grandparents of those bitter times. After which the horror of almost 100 years of “Jim Crow laws” that further suppressed blacks. No one alive today is responsible for the past. Yet if we continue to harbor angry and bitter thoughts from past history we are surely responsible for continuing that misery. The truth is we will not recover from the scars of yesterday until we learn how to let go of the past. Abraham Lincoln saved our Republic and freed the slaves. But he did not live long enough to implement his reconciliation plan for the nation. If his beautiful recovery program . . . “with malice toward none and charity for all. . . .” had shaped our future there would have been rapid recovery in the nation from wounds of slavery and war. But, unfortunately radical Republicans insisted on taking revenge on the “white south,” and Democrats eventually regained power and enacted cruel Ji m Crow laws. Then, the next tragedy, Republicans deserted blacks and left them to fend for themselves. As the program ended in Saluda at the old historical courthouse, I looked on the walls and saw many portraits of judges and clerks of the court that served our county throughout these years. I knew many had helped implement segregation. Yet every one of them had felt he was doing his duty to his fellow man in following the laws. It’s difficult for us who live today to understand concepts of right and wrong change with passing times. What was accepted years ago is not accepted now. (And what we accept today as right and wrong will not be accepted in future generations.) My eyes finally rested on the portrait of Middlesex Sheriff Josh Holmes. I smiled. So much progress has been made. We can each do our part to ensure that it continues. But I hurt. Two hours on a hard courtroom bench left my back aching and my le gs stiff. I stood up and, the gracious Pinky Holmes, who was sitting behind me throughout the program, asked me for a hug. “I liked you before, Mary, but now I love you,” she said. We held on to each other as if our very lives depended on it. Then the miracle. My pain just disappeared. If love and forgiveness can help crusty old me, it can help everyone. So can we recover from our past, dear readers? This One Woman’s Opinion writes . . . yes we can!

The Museums of Middlesex, which the Middlesex Museum is a member of, are pleased to welcome the Colonial Seaport Foundation to its group of non-profit organizations working together to promote Middlesex County history. For more than a decade, the Colonial Seaport Foundation has served as an educational and charitable organization focused on preserving facets of colonial maritime history by providing historically accurate living history presentations and education to the public. Find them at www.colonialseaport.org . Museums of Middlesex is an “umbrella” organization of the diverse museums and foundations in the County and formed to specifically to assist each museum or foundation in increasing visitors to area museums, promoting regional history and contributing to the economic development of the region by enhancing tourism. The Museums of Middlesex applies for multi-applicant grants and monies not available to its individual members for funding. Although the group is currently focused on promoting the historical aspects of Middlesex County, the ultimate goal is to also work to increase awareness of Middlesex as a destination for outdoor recreation, lodging, dining and relaxation on the water. The three founding museums include the Middlesex County Museum and Historical Society, the Urbanna Museum and the Deltaville Maritime Museum. Working off Providence Road in Deltaville, the Colonial Seaport Foundation is currently engaged in the “Luna Project,” which involves creating a replica of an 18thcentury coastal trading sloop, the “Luna.” The “Luna” should be substantially completed this summer.  The “Luna” started as a bare hull and is planned to become a pier side location for education and lectures. “Luna’s” sparse below deck accommodations would have been luxurious to sailors used to the cramped quarters in the 18th century. This design allows “Luna” to be fitted out for various roles to include, classroom, cargo vessel, or movie set. In 2018, 23 Colonial Seaport Foundation volunteers provided 5,200 volunteer education hours through historical interpretation and maritime programs in four states and two countries. Volunteers are always welcome for vessel construction as well as education programs. The Museums of Middlesex and the Colonial Seaport Foundation are working to set up their work area in Deltaville as a Middlesex Visitors Center and for the “Luna,” along with the Deltaville Maritime Museum’s Buyboat “F.D. Crockett” and the “Explorer,” acting as traveling ambassadors for Middlesex.

Honorary historic district status comes with no strings attached By Tom Chillemi Portions of the village of Saluda could be getting “honorary” historic designation from the Virginia Department of Historic Resources (DHR). On March 5 the Middlesex Board of Supervisors (BOS) allocated $6,000 to match funds from the DHR to conduct a survey of Saluda’s historic structures. After the survey, Saluda could be eligible to be considered by DHR for “honorary designation.” According to the DHR, listing a historic district in the Virginia Landmarks Register and or the National Register of Historic Places “does not restrict owners use of his or her property in any way as long as private non-governmental funds are used. It does not prohibit any owner from altering or demolishing any building nor d oes it restrict subdivision or sale. Register listing does not require a property to be open to the public.” The DHR website’s summary states that historic district designation: • Increases public awareness of a community’s historic resources and encourages preservation. • Does not restrict in any way the private property owner using private funds. • Mitigates the negative impact of federal government funded projects. • Provides financial benefits mainly in the form of tax incentives and easements. Marilyn South, executi ve director of the Middlesex County Museum and Historical Society, told the BOS at its December 2018 meeting that in 2016 the DHR completed an architectural survey in Middlesex that recommended Saluda be further studied as a possible historic district. The 2016 survey identified Middlesex as one of seven counties in Virginia that is under represented with regard to architectural resources. Elizabeth Hoge Lipford of DHR said that listing the Saluda historic district would be a priority due to the earlier architectural survey of Middlesex that cost DHR $67,000. Lipford noted there are no restrictions placed on structures in historic districts and they can be altered or demolished. Dave Kretz, Middlesex Planning Director, said a “honorary” historic designation will not be accompanied by new zoning rules or county ordinances governing historic distri cts. During the public hearing at the March 5 meeting, Saluda resident Tom Foley spoke against the proposal indicating it could restrict the use of his property and that economic benefits are not substantial and have red tape. Zani Autry, who owns property on Gloucester Road in Saluda, spoke against the proposal. Local historical author Larry Chowning spoke in favor of the proposal saying “Saluda has an amazing history” and the $6,000 for the survey is a small price to pay for many benefits. Marilyn South said the honorary historic designation “opens up tremendous grant opportunities.” Middlesex Museum president Robert Montague of Urbanna said he has lived in two historic districts and has not found them to be a hardship. Monta gue noted that U.S. Marine Lt. General “Chesty” Puller’s house is in Saluda. “He alone justifies Saluda becoming a historic district.” Hallie Holmes spoke in favor of the proposal and noted that Antioch Baptist Church, which is in the proposed historic district, was founded in 1866. “There is a lot of history here.” The proposed historic district generally includes structures along Route 33 from the curve entering Saluda to Middlesex High School; and Business Route 17 from about 100 yards east of the Hardee’s to the stoplight. Antioch Baptist Church and an old wooden school behind it would be included. This article originally appeared in the Southside Sentinel and is republished here with their permission.