Jerdone Castle
Encyclopedia
Jerdone Castle is a plantation
located in Bumpass, Virginia
, dating from 1742. Jerdone Castle is a Virginia Historic Landmark and registered on the U.S. National Register of Historical Places. Originally 1100 acres (445.2 ha), much of the plantation's original land is submerged under Lake Anna
. The estate currently contains 125 acres (50.6 ha).
from Scotland
in 1740. In addition to expanding his original landholdings and building a residence, Jerdone operated stores, mill
s, and a forge
. The later main section of the house was built in 1853 for Francis Jerdone's descendent Sarah Jerdone Coleman and her husband, Gen. Clayton Coleman. The structure's generous size is emphasized by an Italianate bracketed cornice and cupola. In 1879 the estate was purchased by Frank T. Glasgow of Richmond, father of the author Ellen Glasgow
. Ellen Glasgow spent her childhood summers at Jerdone Castle, which she later said greatly influenced her writing. In the fourth chapter of The Woman Within, entitled “I Become a Writer,” Miss Glasgow describes lying in the meadow at Jerdone Castle and coming to the realization that writing was to be her future (VLR 280).
The Louisa County, Virginia, Historical Society documents that on June 10, 1791, President George Washington
was an overnight visitor at Jerdone Castle. Washington's wife Martha
was a close friend of Francis Jerdone's wife Sarah. Papers from the Jerdone family, including life at and the maintenance of Jerdone Castle, can be found in the Special Collections Research Center at the College of William & Mary.
in the Shire of Tivotdale, Scotland
on January 30, 1721. He was the son of John Jerdone, a magistrate and treasurer of the town. At the age of nineteen, he immigrated to Virginia from Scotland and settled in Hanover County, Yorktown; and later in Louisa County. He made his living as a merchant (factor), running a mercantile business with George Pottie until his death in 1771.
He owned plantations in Hanover, York, Louisa and Albemarle Counties in Virginia. His Albemarle plantation is now the old part of the Clubhouse at Farmington Country Club
. His wife was Sarah (Macon) Jerdone, 1731–1818, was born in Virginia. Their sons included Francis Jerdone II, 1756–1841; John Jerdone, 1764–1786; and William, 1769-1772. Their daughters included Mary, b. 1754; Sarah, 1757–1793; Elizabeth, 1759–1830; Isabella, 1761–1825; Anne, 1763–1794; and Martha, b. 1767. Elizabeth was the wife of Alexander Macauley, a merchant of Yorktown, Virginia.
His son, Francis Jerdone II, was a planter of Louisa County, Virginia
. He was born on February 9, 1756 in Louisa County, Virginia, and died on April 29, 1841 in Louisa County, Virginia. His wife, Mary "Polly" Byars, was born on December 2, 1771 in Louisa County, Virginia; died March 12, 1821 in Louisa County, Virginia. She was the daughter of Captain John Byars.
Francis and Mary's sons included John Jerdone, a planter of Spotsylvania County, Virginia
. John was born October 11, 1800 in Louisa County, Virginia and died on December 2, 1863 in Henderson, Kentucky
. This family were the absentee landowners of Providence Forge, New Kent County, Virginia
. He married Barbara Ann Callis on November 30, 1830 in Louisa County, Virginia. Barbara Ann Callis, born February 25, 1814 in Louisa Co., Virginia; died December 9, 1890 in Henderson, Kentucky. She was the daughter of William Overton Callis
and Anne Price.
Francis Jerdone, III, b. 1802, a planter of Orange County; and William Jerdone, b. 1805, a planter of New Kent County, Virginia. Daughters of Francis Jerdone II included Sarah Jerdone Coleman and Mary Jerdone Toler.
Plantation
A plantation is a long artificially established forest, farm or estate, where crops are grown for sale, often in distant markets rather than for local on-site consumption...
located in Bumpass, Virginia
Bumpass, Virginia
Bumpass is an unincorporated community located primarily in Louisa County, Virginia, United States, but covering a small portion of both Spotsylvania and Hanover Counties as well. It has received moderate fame for its unusual name. Named for the Bumpass family who lived in the area when it was...
, dating from 1742. Jerdone Castle is a Virginia Historic Landmark and registered on the U.S. National Register of Historical Places. Originally 1100 acres (445.2 ha), much of the plantation's original land is submerged under Lake Anna
Lake Anna
Lake Anna is one of the largest freshwater inland lakes in Virginia, covering an area of 13,000 acres , and located 72 miles south of Washington, D.C. in Louisa and Spotsylvania counties...
. The estate currently contains 125 acres (50.6 ha).
History
The oldest section of Jerdone Castle was built ca. 1742 by Francis Jerdone who immigrated to Louisa CountyLouisa County, Virginia
Louisa County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2010, the population was 33,153. The county seat is Louisa.- History :...
from Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
in 1740. In addition to expanding his original landholdings and building a residence, Jerdone operated stores, mill
Gristmill
The terms gristmill or grist mill can refer either to a building in which grain is ground into flour, or to the grinding mechanism itself.- Early history :...
s, and a forge
Forge
A forge is a hearth used for forging. The term "forge" can also refer to the workplace of a smith or a blacksmith, although the term smithy is then more commonly used.The basic smithy contains a forge, also known as a hearth, for heating metals...
. The later main section of the house was built in 1853 for Francis Jerdone's descendent Sarah Jerdone Coleman and her husband, Gen. Clayton Coleman. The structure's generous size is emphasized by an Italianate bracketed cornice and cupola. In 1879 the estate was purchased by Frank T. Glasgow of Richmond, father of the author Ellen Glasgow
Ellen Glasgow
Ellen Anderson Gholson Glasgow was a Pulitzer Prize-winning American novelist who portrayed the changing world of the contemporary south.-Biography:...
. Ellen Glasgow spent her childhood summers at Jerdone Castle, which she later said greatly influenced her writing. In the fourth chapter of The Woman Within, entitled “I Become a Writer,” Miss Glasgow describes lying in the meadow at Jerdone Castle and coming to the realization that writing was to be her future (VLR 280).
The Louisa County, Virginia, Historical Society documents that on June 10, 1791, President George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
was an overnight visitor at Jerdone Castle. Washington's wife Martha
Martha Washington
Martha Dandridge Custis Washington was the wife of George Washington, the first president of the United States. Although the title was not coined until after her death, Martha Washington is considered to be the first First Lady of the United States...
was a close friend of Francis Jerdone's wife Sarah. Papers from the Jerdone family, including life at and the maintenance of Jerdone Castle, can be found in the Special Collections Research Center at the College of William & Mary.
Biographical Note
Frances Jerdone was born in JedburghJedburgh
Jedburgh is a town and former royal burgh in the Scottish Borders and historically in Roxburghshire.-Location:Jedburgh lies on the Jed Water, a tributary of the River Teviot, it is only ten miles from the border with England and is dominated by the substantial ruins of Jedburgh Abbey...
in the Shire of Tivotdale, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
on January 30, 1721. He was the son of John Jerdone, a magistrate and treasurer of the town. At the age of nineteen, he immigrated to Virginia from Scotland and settled in Hanover County, Yorktown; and later in Louisa County. He made his living as a merchant (factor), running a mercantile business with George Pottie until his death in 1771.
He owned plantations in Hanover, York, Louisa and Albemarle Counties in Virginia. His Albemarle plantation is now the old part of the Clubhouse at Farmington Country Club
Farmington Country Club
Farmington Country Club is a country club in Charlottesville, Virginia, near the University of Virginia. The octagonal east wing of the clubhouse, constructed in 1802 as an addition to the pre-1780 structure, was designed by Thomas Jefferson....
. His wife was Sarah (Macon) Jerdone, 1731–1818, was born in Virginia. Their sons included Francis Jerdone II, 1756–1841; John Jerdone, 1764–1786; and William, 1769-1772. Their daughters included Mary, b. 1754; Sarah, 1757–1793; Elizabeth, 1759–1830; Isabella, 1761–1825; Anne, 1763–1794; and Martha, b. 1767. Elizabeth was the wife of Alexander Macauley, a merchant of Yorktown, Virginia.
His son, Francis Jerdone II, was a planter of Louisa County, Virginia
Louisa County, Virginia
Louisa County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2010, the population was 33,153. The county seat is Louisa.- History :...
. He was born on February 9, 1756 in Louisa County, Virginia, and died on April 29, 1841 in Louisa County, Virginia. His wife, Mary "Polly" Byars, was born on December 2, 1771 in Louisa County, Virginia; died March 12, 1821 in Louisa County, Virginia. She was the daughter of Captain John Byars.
Francis and Mary's sons included John Jerdone, a planter of Spotsylvania County, Virginia
Spotsylvania County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 90,395 people, 31,308 households, and 24,639 families residing in the county. The population density was 226 people per square mile . There were 33,329 housing units at an average density of 83 per square mile...
. John was born October 11, 1800 in Louisa County, Virginia and died on December 2, 1863 in Henderson, Kentucky
Henderson, Kentucky
Henderson is a city in Henderson County, Kentucky, United States, along the Ohio River in the western part of the state. The population was 27,952 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Evansville Metropolitan Area often referred to as "Kentuckiana", although "Tri-State Area" or "Tri-State" are more...
. This family were the absentee landowners of Providence Forge, New Kent County, Virginia
New Kent County, Virginia
At the 2000 census, there were 13,462 people, 4,925 households and 3,895 families residing in the county. The population density was 64 per square mile . There were 5,203 housing units at an average density of 25 per square mile...
. He married Barbara Ann Callis on November 30, 1830 in Louisa County, Virginia. Barbara Ann Callis, born February 25, 1814 in Louisa Co., Virginia; died December 9, 1890 in Henderson, Kentucky. She was the daughter of William Overton Callis
William Overton Callis
William O. Callis was the son of William Harry Callis and Mary Jane Cosby. He was a childhood friend of Presidents James Madison and James Monroe, was with Washington at Yorktown, and was known to Lafayette, Thomas Jefferson, and Benedict Arnold.-Early life:William Overton Callis was born March...
and Anne Price.
Francis Jerdone, III, b. 1802, a planter of Orange County; and William Jerdone, b. 1805, a planter of New Kent County, Virginia. Daughters of Francis Jerdone II included Sarah Jerdone Coleman and Mary Jerdone Toler.