Rural Retreat/Far-A-Field Acres: Antebellum Approaches Next Milestone
Submitted by: PAMELA WELDON
Phone: 434-409-6624
Email Address: tialulu_129(at)hotmail.com
Date Added: 12/6/2015
A historic Greene County home on a 30-acre tract of land did not sell December 16 and will soon be listed for sale. Located west of Quinque at 3718 Welsh Run Road, the 30-acre parcel for sale is part of the former 151-acre horse breeding farm known as “Far-A-Field Acres;” and “Far-A-Field Acres” was, in turn, earlier a part of a 240-acre estate called “Rural Retreat.”
As this 30 acres of land and its 170-year-old residence face the likelihood of new ownership, and therefore a new chapter in its long history, this seems an appropriate time to reflect upon the history of this Greene County landmark.
Part 1 of this article is a reprint of an article written by Woodie Brown Parrott in 1981, and published by the Greene County Record, which provides the history of “Rural Retreat” prior to 1981. The article is republished here with Mr. Parrott’s permission.
Part 2 of this article, by Pam Weldon, picks up the narrative in the 1980s, and provides the subsequent history of this intriguing estate.
Part 1: Rural Retreat, 1804-1981, by Woodie Brown Parrott
Charles Hughlett Parrott, Sr., 1772-1833, was a native of Northumberland County who, at a youthful age, migrated with other members of his family to what is now the Quinque community in Greene County. A prosperous gentleman, Charles Parrott and his wife, the former Sarah Brown of Browns Cove, acquired three sizeable “plantations” in Greene and Albemarle Counties which were manned by 48 servants. These farms were named “Wakefield”, “Rural Retreat” and “Mount Nebo”, respectively.
Following the death of Charles Parrott on February 28, 1833, Sarah Brown Parrott became administrix of her husband’s estate and managed affairs with due tact. Choosing the “Rural Retreat” tract as the site for her home, she divested those properties not adjacent to “Rural Retreat” while purchasing other farms adjoining the tract selected for her home. By the mid-1850’s, “Rural Retreat” encompassed almost 600 acres.
It may well have been the year 1841 that Sarah Brown Parrott began laying her plans for the construction of her home at “Rural Retreat”, as suggested by the following deed. On February 10, 1841 Sarah purchased from Paschal Twyman a site on Welch Run near “Rural Retreat” for the erection of a lumber mill:
“This is to certify that I, Paschal Twyman, have this day bargained and sold (to) Sarah Parrott a mill site and all the land attached thereto that the water may cover or inundate by the raising of the dam, and also one acre for the yard, or as much as seems to be necessary for the receiving of timber to the mill, and two roads from the mill leading through my plantation…”
While the lumber mill site was purchased in 1841, it would require three years and extended litigation before final approval could be obtained from the Greene County Court for construction of the mill. In 1844, the Greene County Court decreed:
Upon the petition of Sarah Parrott, “This day came the said Sarah Parrott by her attorney, and John C. Harrison, who opposes the establishing of said mill and dam, whereupon, on consideration of the inquisition returned by the Sheriff, and on fully hearing the petitioner, and all circumstances being weighed, it is ordered that the said Sarah Parrott have (permission) to build the said mill and dam, and that she become seized in fee simple of the land located in the said inquisition…upon her paying the valuation thereof, and damages founded by the jury to the parties entitled thereto (who owned adjoining properties).”
In all likelihood, the lumber mill on Welch Run was established either in 1844 or early 1845. In addition to providing a means of sawing lumber for construction of the Parrott home, one can speculate that the mill was a needed business establishment in the community. Sarah owned this mill for more than a decade, but finally sold it to George Durrer on April 20, 1858.
It was in 1845 that Sarah Brown Parrott’s stately two story home was built at “Rural Retreat”. The lumber was cut from the tract on which the home was constructed, and in all probability was processed at the mill on Welch Run. It is believed that the bricks for the foundation and chimneys were made at the site of construction.
There is reason to believe that “Rural Retreat” was designed by Sarah Brown Parrott’s brother, Capt. Bezaleel Brown, Jr., of Browns Cove. The latter was a state legislator and an amateur architect of some renown who designed a number of homes in Albemarle County, including his own home which was called “Licking”. Except for the fact that “Licking” was of brick construction, “Licking” and “Rural Retreat” had striking similarities in architecture.
According to family tradition, Sarah Brown Parrott’s son, Bezaleel Brown Parrott, personally inspected all lumber used in the construction of his mother’s home. The manual labor was provided by the family’s servants. The project was supervised by Bezaleel Parrott and a professional carpenter.
Considering the housing standards which existed in Greene County in 1845, “Rural Retreat” must have by comparison represented a grand home indeed. In fact, the quality of the lumber used in the construction of “Rural Retreat” was judged so superior that, when the early 1850s addition was made to “Brightberry” in Browns Cove, lumber was transported from “Rural Retreat” at Quinque to Browns Cove for that project. It was to be well after the turn of the century before the weatherboarding’s natural wood grain at “Rural Retreat” received its first coat of paint, as evidenced by early photographs.
Sarah Brown Parrott died on January 20, 1865, and “Rural Retreat” became the residence of Sarah’s youngest son, Nathaniel Brightberry Parrott, 1828-1899. It was during Nathaniel’s tenure that the “Rural Retreat” was reduced back to its original 240 acres, more or less, being the identical parcel conveyed by William Parrott, Jr., to Woodson Parrott on June 26, 1813, and which Woodson in turn conveyed to Charles Parrott, Sr., on May 21, 1824. William Parrott, Jr., an Orange County court justice and sheriff, and later the first sheriff of Greene County, had initially purchased the “Rural Retreat” tract as part of a larger parcel in 1804. The consensus of knowledgeable family members is that Nathaniel Brightberry Parrott actually purchased “Rural Retreat,” but that his failure to receive a deed from the other heirs denied him the legal title to which he was morally entitled.
Following the death of Nathaniel Brightberry Parrott, “Rural Retreat” passed to his son, Charles Stonnell Parrott, 1880-1959. The old Parrott homestead was later the residence of Mrs. Maude Amos Parrott, widow of Charles Stonnell Parrott, and their son, Charles Lyndon Parrott, until its sale as a result of a Chancery suit filed in Greene County Circuit Court for partition of the Charles Parrott Estate in 1980. “Rural Retreat” ceased to be a Parrott residence in 1981.
Author’s Note: The carpenter (referred to as a “professional carpenter”) was George H. Stockdon who would later be the master carpenter to build “Burlington” in Barboursville in 1851. Burlington was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1994.
Part 2: Far-A-Field Acres, 1989-2015, by Pam Weldon (a reprint of an article written by Virginia Klumpp in 2002)
In 1989, Mrs. Lieselott Wiendieck and her husband Dr. Dietrich Wiendieck, a veterinarian and homeopathic practitioner, purchased and moved their operation to Quinque, Virginia, from Millbrook, New York. “Rural Retreat” renamed “Far-A-Field-Acres” was a working cattle farm and much work was needed to make it suitable for horses. They sent their young horses directly to Virginia and the breeding stock was sent to New Mexico while Far-A-Field underwent extensive renovations to the fields and barns (which now includes a spacious indoor arena with barn built by Virginia Frame and several other barn facilities). Sadly, Dr. Wiendieck passed away in l990.
Lieselott continued to manage the farm by herself until 1993, at which time she embarked upon a new venture and entered into a partnership forming Far-A-Field Acres LLC. By then Far-A-Field Acres Farm had become established as a highly successful Holsteiner horse breeding business and world acclaimed. Presently Far-A-Field Acres Farm is owned by the Eagleburger family.
Mrs. Wiendieck participated in all aspects of her horse operation – from foaling to judging the horses in training. She was an early member of the American Holsteiner Horse Association (AHHA), served on its Board of Directors and on the Breeding Committee for a number of years; she also served as a breed judge for seven years and liaison to the German Verband, the Germany-based Holsteiner Association/Holstein Studbook. In 2008 Mrs. Wiendieck was given the President’s Choice for Breeders Excellence by the American Holsteiner Horse Association (AHHA). Then in 2009, Mrs. Wiendieck was given the Holsteiner Verband’s Golden Badge of Honour by its Chairman Jan Lûneburg and recognized as the Holsteiner Breeders “Grande Dame” for her tireless campaign for the Holsteiner horse and breeding in America. In the U.S. Equestrian Federation (USEF) 2015 Leading Breeder Rankings, Mrs. Wiendieck continues to do well with her horses in the Dressage, Hunter and Jumper categories.
To drive by Far-A-Field Acres in its heyday was impressive with its vast fields filled with groups of bay horses all of which were left outdoors in a natural state with trees and woods for shelter. Only the breeding stallion, foaling mares or sick horse had a stall. Today, it stands nearly empty and the fields fallow. Mrs. Wiendieck retired from her Holsteiner horse breeding and dispersed the last of the young performance and breeding stock in 2010. She continues to live in the antebellum home with her dog and two cats, while enjoying the Book club and visiting friends.
In addition to the indoor arena and 20-stall barn built in 2000 for the performance horses, there are barns on the antebellum home side. They include a six-stall shed row style barn, a three-stall barn renovated from a vintage corn crib and a three-stall foaling barn with a built-in observatory for the watchful and discerning breeder. There is a small grass ring to show young foals by their dam's side for guests or prospective buyers. There are also additional buildings as well, some early century and others are modern used for hay and equipment storage. Each paddock consists of a few or several acres, networked with streams which provide a strong source of water and situated so that horses or any livestock could be rotated with minimal effort as all are linked with adjoining gates in a circle close to and around the antebellum home. Several fields could be converted to other agricultural pursuits such as hay making, small or large scale farm nursery, Christmas tree production, winery or wedding venue while still maintaining pastures for horses, other livestock or empty for privacy.
Already an estate of great charm this early home continues to be a significant landmark in Greene County; with some further restoration has the potential to become one of the showcase properties of Greene County. The antebellum home and its 30 acres “Rural Retreat”/”Far-A-Field Acres” will soon launch into an exciting new chapter of its long existence.
Author bios:
Woodie Brown Parrott of Lyndhurst, Virginia, has researched and written extensively on the history of the Parrott family. He has previously qualified in courts of law as an expert in the unrelated fields of real estate appraisal and genealogical research.
Pam Weldon of Ruckersville, Virginia, originally from the Panama Canal Zone, has long had an interest in old homes of Greene Co. Virginia, particularly homes belonging to the members of families of the Parrott, Shearman and Stephens of Quinque.
References:
1. Greene County Deed Book 2-Page 19.
2. Court Records of Greene County, Virginia
3. Greene County Deed Book 4-page 681.
4. Based on information from deeds of record in the Circuit Court Clerk’s Office, County of Orange, Virginia
5. Ibid: general references: date from personal conversations with Judge Richard Nimrod Early and Mrs. Charles Stonnell Parrott.
6. Article by Woodie Brown Parrott in the Greene County Record, Stanardsville, Virginia: “Rural Retreat”: Antebellum Home Approaches New Milestone”, published April 16, 1981.
7. Article by Virginia Ann Klumpp, Keelona Farm, Charlottesville, Virginia: “An Overview of the History, Bloodlines and Philosophy of Lieselott Wiendieck & Far-A-Field-Acres LLC,” published July, 2002, for the Fall issue of The American Holsteiner Horse Association, Inc. Official Newsletter.
8. Notice of Trustee’s Sale of 3718 Welsh Run Road, Quinque, VA 22965, Daily Progress, November 11, 2015.
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