Women's Day

On this International Women's Day (though it is a Marxist holiday, but enough about that. . .) it seems like a good idea to touch on some of the firsts in women's history that that took place in New Kent.

There is Mrs. Belle B. Turner of Lanexa, the first women in Virginia elected trustee on a county school board in 1920. 

There is Katherine Joyce Spivey, a Providence Forge attorney, who in 1961 was elected New Kent's Commonwealth's Attorney, the first woman in Virginia to hold that post. Hers is a story I haven't got around to telling here yet.


And then there is the odd case of the New Kent woman who was declared head of her household by a Federal Court.

"Will meet in conclave at Soldiers' Rest Landing"

location of Soldiers Rest Landing, New Kent.

A NOVEL REUNION

Chickahominy Indians and Their Descendants to Meet In Conclave.

Charles City County, May 29, 1900.

To the Editor of the Dispatch: The "Pamunkey Tribe" of Indians and their relations scattered through New Kent and Charles City will meet in conclave at Soldiers' Rest Landing, on the Chickahominy River, on Tuesday, the 5th of.June, in grand conclave, and give a barbacue of good things, from the water and land for which that historic section is famed.

The location is about the spot where Captain John Smith was captured by the indians so long ago. According to tradition, there are a great many places along the Chicahominy where the redoubtable Captain was caught. But this seems to be the locality for two reasons. First because it is near the head of navigation, and second, the sunken grounds just above are as good for Captain Smith to have been caught in as any other sunken grounds anywhere.

Of course, we have seen other places where he was captured. Mark Twain standing and peeping at the grave of Noah, his distinguished kinsman, said he knew it was the old man's grave because, he had seen it in so many other places in the East. 

The Pamunkeys, they say will  make this an interesting occasion. The public are invited, and invitations have been extended to Hons. Manly H. Barnes and L. M. Nance, and Judge Isaac Christian to address the conclave. The chief of the Pamunkeys, with his retinue from the Indian reservation of the Pamunkey river, will be there.

Confederate veterans  of the Charles City Cavalry and Infantry are invited to be present at Charles City Courthouse on June court-day to complete the organization of the Harrison Howard Camp of Confederate Veterans, and it is earnestly hoped that the old veterans will all come who can.

All soldiers, from the county who are in any command are included in this invitation. It is suggested that the cornerstone of the monument to the Confederate dead, erected by the Daughters or the Confederacy, will be laid in the  court-yard here sometime in July. They  have not yet decided, however.

-Richmond Dispatch, 31 May, 1900

M. H. Barnes, New Kent Commonwealth Attorney

Who's the Boss? Pt. I

The United States Circuit Court of Appeals decides that under laws of Virginia a woman may be "the head of a family" in the sense demanded by homestead exemption law of this state.  

The case arose in New Kent county and has attracted much attention. It is entitled Marian H. Richardson vs. W. f. Woodward, trustee, et al. It went up from the United District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. The lower court decided that a married woman living with her husband could not claim the benefit of the exemption law.

                                                 STATEMENT OF FACTS.

Mrs Marian H. Richardson, a married woman living with her husband, conducted a mercantile business at Plum Point, New Kent county, under the style of  "J. L. Richardson, Agent." J. L. Richardson, the agent, was her husband. Besides the wife and husband, there was a daughter 13 years old, all of whom resided in the home, owned by the wife. Mrs. Richardson was postmaster at Plum Point, the post-office being kept in the store and managed by the husband, who conducted the business. Previous to entering into this business J. L. Richardson was a clerk for R. E. Richardson, and he and the other clerks boarded with his wife. Just when J. L,. Richardson ceased to clerk for R. E. Richardson does not appear, but about May 10, 1898, Mrs.Richardson made an assignment for the benefit of her creditors, and closed the business. 

About September, 1898, J. L. Richardson again commenced business in the same house as agent for T. J. Richardson, his brother. During all the time Richardson was. conducting business for his wife and for his brother he carried passengers back and forth between Plum Point and the station. Money made in this was used to aid his wife to support the family. 

The goods conveyed in the assignment did not pay off the creditors of J. L. Richardson, agent, and in January, law, Mrs. Marian 11. Richardson filed a petition in bankruptcy, the order of adjudication being entered the next day.

                                         BOTH CLAIMED EXEMPTIONS.

Afterwards J. L. Richardson filed a petition and claimed all his property under the Virginia "Poor Debtors' Law" (section 3650 et. seq., Code of Virginia), which exempts certain chattels to "a householder or head of a family. Marian H. Richardson filed an amended petition and claimed her real property under the "Homestead Exemption Law." The title to the real estate is in the Wife, who, according to her husband's testimony and that of the wife on examination, was, and always had been, regarded 'as' the head of the family. The husband was her assistant and agent. The only question argued was whether, being a married woman, living with her "husband, petitioner is entitled to the homestead exemption as "a householder or head of a family," as provided by the Constitution and laws of Virginia.

                                            SHE IS HEAD OF A FAMILY

The District Court decided to the contrary, and the case was taken up to the United States Circuit Court of Appeals, and heard before Judges Goff and Simonton. of that court, and Purnell, of the District Court. Judge Purnell handed down a decision at Raleigh yesterday, which reverses the decree of the District Court, and remands the cause in "order that the bankrupt's claim for homestead exemption may be allowed."

-Richmond Dispatch., August 26, 1900

Populists in New Kent 1900

* The "Mr. Montague" referenced is Andrew Jackson Montague

Married

Married at Walker's

A very pretty wedding was solemnized at "Palmer Cray" the historical old home of Mr. Robert Fox, near Walker's station, New Kent county, Wednesday February 14th. when Miss Nannie C. Fox became the bride of Mr. Richard Eggleston.

The ceremony was performed by Rev. Mr. Barnes promptly at 5 o'clock to the strains of Lohengrin's march, rendered by Miss Louise Mosmiller, of Richmond. The bride, leaning upon the arm of the groom, entered the parlor. The ushers were Messrs. Robert I Eggleston, Henry Eggleston, sons of the groom J. C. Fox, brother of the bride, and Edward Boswell.

The bride looked beautiful in a tailor made costume of pearl gray ladies' cloth with hat and gloves to correspond, and carried a large bouquet of white carnations.

The groom is a prosperous farmer of New Kent county. The bride is the daughter of the late Robert Fox ofKing William county, who by her cheerful disposition and loving kindness, has won a host of friends, both in her native and adopted county.

Immediately after the ceremony Mr. and Mrs. Eggleston left for their future residence, near Walker's, where they will. be at home to their friends.

-Richmond Times, February 18, 1900