Sunday, March 21, 2010

Royal Gov. Alex Spotswood of VA - Bible Desk




Today I parted with one of the oldest antique pieces of furniture I have ever owned. It was a c.1640's Bible Box (Nautical Desk) belonging to Royal Governor Alexander Spotswood of Virginia. Turns out the 8th great-grandson by the name of Todd E. Long had been researching the family history and came upon my site and is now the owner of this historic piece. My tenure of being the guardian of a slice of American history has ended after almost 15-years.

Friday, March 19, 2010

Todd Long - new owner of the Spotswood Bible Box

The Spotswood Family Reunion
Fredericksburg, Virginia

July 9-11, 2010


Agenda

Friday, July 9
12:00- 3:00 p.m. Executive Lunch Meeting
2:00-4:00 p.m. Registration
6:30 p.m. Cocktail Reception
7:00 p.m. Buffet Dinner
7:45 p.m. Guest Speaker: Todd Long, “Ghosts of Salubria, Home of Lady Butler Spotswood”
This 270 year old home has been a source of “haunted” stories since the Civil War.
9:00 p.m. Adjourn

Saturday, July 10
8:30 a.m. Tour of Germanna Visitor Center, including colonnaded Memorial Garden, containing the
monument and grave of John Spotswood, son and heir of Governor Spotswood
These are the German Descendants of those indentured workers brought by Governor
Spotswood to Virginia to work his mines and iron furnaces, 1714 & 1717.
10:00 a.m. Tour of Spotswood Home Site, including footprint of both Spotswood’s Enchanted Castle
and Fort Germanna
Fort Germanna was built to house and protect Spotswoods’ German miners and iron
workers. He later tore down Fort Germanna and built Lady Butler Spotswood the largest
mansion in colonial Virginia, described as the Enchanted Castle by visitors.
10:45 a.m. Tour of Salubria
This mansion was built for Lady Butler Spotswood, widow of Governor Spotswood, by
the Rev. John Thompson, the widow’s second husband.
12:00 p.m. Lunch in Fredericksburg
1:00 p.m. Tour of Kenmore
Kenmore is the family home of Betty Washington and Fielding Lewis, Sr. Betty is the
sister of George Washington.
2:00 p.m. Rising Sun Tavern
Home of George’s brother, Charles, which later became a colonial tavern frequented by
the Spotswoods and Washingtons.
3:00 p.m. Tour of Mary Ball Washington House
This house was purchased by George Washington for his mother’s safety and because it
touched on the garden of Kenmore, the home of his sister, Betty.
5:00 p.m. Return to Hotel
6:30 p.m. Cocktail Reception (Open Bar 6:30-7:00. Cash Bar 7:00-8:00 p.m.)
7:00 p.m. Plated Dinner Banquet
7:30 p.m. Guest Speaker: Governor Spotswood in his full 18th Century attire
Governor Spotswood discusses his life and achievements. Question and answer session
follows.
8:00 p.m. Business Meeting
9:00 p.m. Adjourn

Sunday, July 11
10:00 a.m. Attend St. George’s Episcopal Church where the Spotswood and Washington families
worshipped
12:00 p.m. Lunch cruise aboard City of Fredericksburg, a Riverboat on the Rappahannock River that
reaches from Fredericksburg to the Chesapeake Bay