Archibald Stuart Part One

J. E. B. Stuart's Father: Archibald Stuart (1795-1855) Part One

“His memory is cherished with an affection rarely equalled in the history of any public man."

-- H. B. McClellan

In the summer of 1855, he was fifty-nine years old. He looked back on a long life of public service as a soldier, attorney, delegate to two constitutional conventions, representative of Patrick County in both houses of the Virginia Legislature, and one term in the United States House of Representatives. He fathered eleven children with Elizabeth Letcher Pannill Stuart. He was the fifth richest man in Patrick County five years earlier, but most of it came from his wife’s inheritance because, like many people, Archibald Stuart had his shortcomings. He drank, gambled, loving the party, and the company of women. Archibald Stuart was alone and dying at Laurel Hill. He wrote his granddaughter, Mary Belle Peirce, that her grandmother, Elizabeth, was away from Laurel Hill caring for their daughter, Victoria. Alone at his home with his thoughts and his own mortality Archibald Stuart asked his granddaughter to please write to him. 

George Washington was President of the United States when Archibald Stuart was born December 2, 1795, in Lynchburg, Virginia. As the son of Judge Alexander Stuart, the law came naturally to Archibald and, with that, politics as well. One biographer describes him this way. “His portrait shows a handsome face, high-bred, genial and ruddy with a bright eye and certain weakness about the mouth. He was a notable orator, famous on the hustings, admired in the legislative halls and exceedingly convivial. Old men relate that no gathering of gentlefolk in his section was complete without Arch Stuart, to tell the liveliest tales and trill songs in his golden voice, when the cloth was drawn and the bottle passed.”

After joining the legal bar in Campbell County, serving in an artillery unit during the War of 1812 from March 22 until August 22, 1813, Stuart served in Captain James D. Dunnington’s Artillery. Later, Stuart served as a sergeant from August 12, 1814, until January 26, 1815, in the 53rd Regiment of Virginia Militia, Campbell County’s Captain Adam Clements Troop of Cavalry. For this service, Stuart received eleven dollars a month along with forty cents a day for his horse for a total of $127.52 (1,116.80 in 2005 dollars per www.westegg.com/inflation).

In a Bounty Land Claim in the National Archives dated January 26, 1856, by Patrick County Justice of Peace J. C. Taylor and witnessed by Stuart’s neighbors Lewis and D. Floyd Pedigo, Stuart’s widow Elizabeth received 80 acres near Christiansburg, Kentucky in 1857 for his service in the War of 1812.

The land records show Archibald Stuart living in Campbell County, Virginia, on January 13, 1818. That same year, he returned to the ranks of the 23rd Troop of Cavalry after the resignation of Gabriel Scott.

Described in different sources as a “hell of a fellow,” Archibald Stuart married Elizabeth Letcher Pannill, a strict religious woman with “no special patience for nonsense,” in 1817. Eleven children followed born to the union over the next twenty years. The children were Ann born in 1818, Bethenia in 1819, Mary in 1821, David in 1823, William in 1826, John in 1828, Columbia in 1830, J. E. B. in 1833, an unnamed son who died in 1834, Virginia in 1836, and Victoria in 1838.   

Stuart on May 10, 1818, defended a slave named Henry charged with leaving and setting fire to his master’s home. The following year a daughter, Bethenia, named for her maternal grandmother, was born at Seneca Hill in Campbell County. Archibald Stuart’s father Alexander owned 200 acres of land as early as 1796 on Seneca Creek in Campbell County that increased to 600 acres later. Archibald Stuart represented Campbell County in the Virginia House of Delegates (1819-1820). On December 1, 1828, Archibald Stuart cut his ties to Campbell County and sold his land there to his brother-in-law William L. Pannill. The transaction involved 1,070 acres for $1532.50.

Archibald and Elizabeth Letcher Pannill Stuart and her brother William Letcher Pannill worked out a land swap recorded in December 1828 where the sister received all the land in Patrick County for the land deeded her by her mother Bethenia in Pittsylvania County including 146 acres where the “Chalk Level store is situated.” Archibald and Elizabeth Stuart went to live in Patrick County.

The journey to Patrick County was not as seamless as it appears. There is evidence that Archibald Stuart “lost the family farm” in Campbell County. Many biographers of J. E. B. Stuart make passing mention of the financial problems Archibald Stuart dealt with most of his adult life.

Pere Louis-Hippolyte Gache, a Jesuit priest, and the former Chaplain 10th Louisiana Infantry, detailed to Danville Hospitals, where he met Mrs. Elizabeth Stuart during the Civil War in Danville in 1862, seven years after Archibald’s death. Gache wrote that Stuart lost his home, Seneca Hill, due to “compulsive” gambling. Gache continued that Archibald Stuart threw himself upon the mercy of his father, Judge Alexander Stuart, in Florissant, St. Louis County, Missouri. Elizabeth gave birth to her daughter Mary while in Missouri. After a short sojourn living in Missouri near his father, young Stuart returned to the “Old Dominion.” 

Order Book #3 states that Archibald Stuart was in Patrick County by October 1823 and began to practice law. He paid taxes on three slaves, a horse and a “chariot” valued at $300 that year. The courthouse records show him present for the next thirty-two years. One can imagine Archibald Stuart in his one-person buggy and horse riding to court at Patrick County Court House as he began to make a life for his wife and children. He signed an account of G. Moore, the guardian of John Moore, in May 1825, along with signing as a commissioner on William Moore, deceased, with William Carter as administrator. 

Over the years, the amount of property owned by the Stuarts in Patrick County fluctuated from a high of 2169 acres in 1836 to the 1508.50 acres when sold in 1859. Archibald Stuart owned an additional 600 acres nearer the Blue Ridge Mountains on nearby Lovill’s Creek, but not contiguous to the property inherited through his wife. There were an additional 70 acres on Wolf Creek that remained in the family until 1876 seventeen years after Laurel Hill was sold.

The Stuarts built the house at Laurel Hill in 1831 as the property tax record show that the county appraised $300 more in value for a “new house.” The little known about the house comes from biographies of J. E. B. Stuart with descriptions of the house as being a large comfortable house in a grove of oak trees with a beautiful flower garden and an excellent view of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Descriptions of cherry and pear trees near the home exist, and today a Royal Ming tree, not native to the area, still flourishes near the house site. No known photos or drawings of the home exist, which makes rebuilding it impossible. No plans ever existed to rebuild the home from the beginning of the fundraising project at Laurel Hill. It was going to be a park, not a reconstruction.

Next door, the home of Lewis and Sarah Pedigo and their many children brought many oral traditions about Laurel Hill to the present day. Carolyn Susan “Carrie Sue” Culler, whose grandmother knew the Stuart children, tells many interesting, but unverified stories. One of these states that Archibald Stuart taught law to several of the local boys in a log cabin, including the Pedigo sons and others such as Jack Reeves and George Duncan. Another tells of Victoria Stuart Boyden giving a picture and a hat to Mary Pedigo.

Stuart's political career progressed, as did life at Laurel Hill. Described as having an excellent speaking and singing voice, a good wit, Stuart had a gregarious personality that led him to be comfortable in public situations.

At noon on October 5, 1829, an older man rose to call the meeting to order in Richmond, Virginia. He stood in the Capital of Virginia, designed by his old friend Thomas Jefferson. The assembled ninety-eight men were to revise the 1776 Virginia Constitution, and as the elder statesman spoke, thirty-four-year-old Archibald Stuart no doubt marveled at the men around him.

Stuart found himself in the presence of several giants of Virginia and American History at the convention. The old man had once written, “If men were angels, no government would be necessary.” Standing before Archibald Stuart this day, he was one of the last “Founding Fathers,” and he spoke on constitutional matters as few could. Today we consider him the “Father” of the United States Constitution. James Madison, the former fourth President of the United States, still had seven years to live, and this day he nominated the former fifth President, James Monroe as President of the Convention. The Chief Justice of the United States, Virginian John Marshall, seconded the nomination. Madison, Marshall, and Monroe, who crossed the Delaware River with George Washington in 1776 were joined in the assembly by the infamous John Randolph of Roanoke and the future tenth President of the United States John Tyler, who lived long enough to be part of the government of the Confederate States of America. Stuart served as a Delegate to the Virginia Constitutional Convention from October 5, 1829, until January 15, 1830. Among other serving from the 21st Senatorial District were Joseph Martin of Henry County, Benjamin W. S. Cabell, and George Townes of Pittsylvania County.

The Convention of 1829-30 revised the 1776 Constitution of Virginia. Stuart served on a committee charged with the “Bill of Rights and matters not referred to foregoing Committees.” Described as a “reformer,” Stuart voted 80% of the time for a change in the constitution. He was one of only four delegates east of the Blue Ridge along with Henry A. Wise calling for a “white basis” in representation that challenged the authority of Piedmont plantation owners and increased the power of the western part of Virginia. While that measure failed along with a resolution on dueling, but an amendment passed to make removal of corrupt or incompetent judges “more efficient.” Stuart supported opening the right to vote to “leaseholders” not just property owners.

Although, as early as 1807, Patrick County called for a change in the Virginia Constitution, the county voted against having the convention in 1829 (400 to 95). There were 1,146 white males over sixteen, and 578 were qualified to vote. Only landowners held the suffrage. The county voted for the final constitution 274 to 246.

Described as a charmer, orator, advocate, a man of wit, humor, and a man of song, Stuart began representing Patrick County on December 6, 1830, until April 19, 1831, in the Virginia House of Delegates. Isaac Adams contested the election, and Stuart lost his seat.

Many counties in Southwest Virginia have evidence of Archibald Stuart’s legal career and his vices. In the Grayson County Law Order Book, officials indicted Stuart for gambling in a poker game. He pled guilty and paid a $2.00 fine. The Grayson County Order Books mention Stuart as early as August 1826 and in legal proceedings in 1833, 1835 and 1842. In 1842, he was a commissioner to choose a location and draw up a contract for the construction of the courthouse and jail in Carroll County, along with William Lindsey, Madison D. Carter, and Mahlon Scott. Henry County shows Archibald as early as 1827, receiving $10 for prosecuting a John Montgomery.

On March 1, 1831, Archibald Stuart took the oath as Commonwealth Attorney in Floyd County. A few days later, officials appointed Stuart to a commission to locate the county seat. Floyd County Attorney and Historian Gino Williams researched Archibald Stuart in Floyd County and supplied information, where Stuart was Commonwealth Attorney from September 20, 1831, until September 26, 1837, appointed by his brother in law Judge James Brown. Later Stuart replaced Jubal Early temporarily in the same position in March 1847. As late as December 1854, Stuart served on a committee “examining” the Clerk’s Office.

In December 1832, Judge Alexander Stuart returned to Virginia from Missouri and died in his native Augusta County. His will recorded in the General Court of Virginia is not available as it burned during the evacuation of Richmond in 1865. Either through mismanagement or the burden of his father’s estate, Archibald Stuart began to experience financial problems. As no copy of the will of Alexander, Stuart could be found, the precise reason is not known. Still, it is evident through the following recordings in the Patrick County Deed Books that Archibald Stuart carried his father’s estate for many years to come as collateral.

On June 8, 1835, Archibald sold 2000 acres of his father’s estate to Walker Merriweather in Lincoln County, Missouri. Four years later, on March 14, 1839, Archibald Stuart owed Chiswell Dabney $2000 “due in land” plus interest with four weeks’ notice at Patrick Court House over the estate of Alexander Stuart. Twenty-three slaves would go to J. E. Brown and John B. Dabney if Stuart did not pay. The slaves listed are Peter, Jack, Charles, Bob, Moses, Jefferson, Suckey, and children (Catharine, Lucy, John, Louisa, Charles, and infant) Celia and four children Henry, Suckey, David, Winney, and her children (Amy, Lavinia, Scott, and Jackson) On August 14, 1839, a Deed of Trust recorded on page 276 of Patrick County Deed Book #10 between Archibald Stuart, Madison Carter, and J. E. Brown states that Stuart is indebted to Brown for $1250.80 plus interest from September 24, 1832. Brown was responsible to Abram Staples for $615.09 as Staples and Stuart had a legal suit pending in Grayson County. The slaves involved in this transaction from Stuart to James Madison Carter included Peter, Jack, Bob, Moses, and Winney and children (Amy, Lavinia, Scott, and Jackson) for $1251.86 from Carter to Brown. The next day, August 15, 1839, the slaves listed on page 277 of Patrick County Deed Book #10 include Charles, age 40, Suckey, age 43, Jefferson age 19, Catharine age 17, Lucy age 15, John age 13, Louisa age 11, Charles Henry age 5 and Martha Jane age 3. This transaction states that Chiswell Dabney sold slaves in Missouri for $4480, along with slaves valued at $2000 in Virginia. Archibald Stuart received $4530 via Dabney.

Alexander Stuart transferred the property to Archibald in December 1828 with his recorded will on November 11, 1832. The Patrick County Deed Book #10 on page 255 lists a recording on September 12, 1835, with Archibald Stuart and Chiswell Dabney of Lynchburg acting as agents. The value listed as $939.14 included a library at $213.97, a law library at $162.75, furniture at $271.50, livestock at $237, including six cows at $12 each and schoolbooks at $6.92. Dabney was to receive property from the estate, and Stuart’s brother in law, J. E. Brown, held some of the property.

The exact cause of Archibald Stuart’s financial woes is unknown. The tradition in the biographies of his famous son J. E. B. Stuart are vague, dismissing his problems as a simple lack of business skill portraying Elizabeth Stuart as taking over the running of the Laurel Hill Farm, but the evidence points to other causes. From early in their marriage, there are rumors of a gambling problem. There were problems from the estate of Judge Alexander Stuart. Either or both of these wreaked havoc on the financial condition of the Stuarts at Laurel Hill. One fact that speaks volumes is the will of Bethenia Letcher Pannill recorded in Pittsylvania County Will Book #1 on page 507, which states clearly that her land is “not for the payment of Arch Stuart’s debts” and James Peirce will act as trustee for Elizabeth Letcher Pannill Stuart, not Archibald.

Chiswell Dabney, along with J. E. Brown, comes up in the transactions regarding Archibald Stuart often. Dabney, who lived near Lynchburg, was Arch Stuart’s maternal uncle. Chiswell’s brother John had a famous grandson also named Chiswell Dabney, who served as “Aide de camp” on J. E. B. Stuart’s staff from 1862 until 1863 during the Civil War. The many people in the Stuart family with Dabney as a middle name included Archibald’s sister, and son John Dabney Stuart denotes the importance of this relationship. Chiswell Dabney, who administered Judge Alexander Stuart’s Will, along with Judge Brown, allowed Archibald Stuart to survive the financial problems that plagued him throughout much of his adult life along with the inheritance from his father.

Patrick County, in 1833, the year J. E. B. Stuart was born, was “rural isolation.” The county seat called Taylorsville, named after a Revolutionary War figure George Taylor, but always referred to as Patrick Court House by the Stuart family, had forty homes, three taverns, two stores, a tailor shop, saddlery, tanyard, flour mill, and two tobacco factories. The Stuarts lived on the far western end of Patrick County in The Hollow or Ararat along the state line with North Carolina.

Excerpted from “The Dear Old Hills of Patrick:” J. E. B. Stuart and Patrick County Virginia by Thomas D. Perry.