Hampden Sydney College - Kaleidoscope Yearbook (Hampden Sydney, VA)

Page 20 text:

disinclined to talk about themselves. 'lfherc is not even the argument: of great liberality for his religious views involved in devotion to one church and establishing a school of another. The need for a good school in the neighbor- hood of his home was paramount to almost every other consideration, and about the sole light that his connection with its establishment throws on the personality of Mr. Johnston lies in the fact that he was surely no bigot in his 1'eligion, and that he could conveniently spare from his abundance a considerable parcel of excellent land. As to the status of M r. Johnston towards the struggle of the Colony, there is, so far as l am aware, nothing in evidence except his strong disinclination to have his son .l.'eter take a soldier's share in it, and the fact that this son was but thirteen years old, at the time of the ,l.Jeclaratio.n may well account for the feeling. .ln the circumstances, it is but fair to suppose that ,lfeter Johnston sympathizcd fully with the colonists in their desire for the improvement of tho colonial government, and, at last, for independence, and that he sustained, exactly the same relation to the movement as was sustained hy many other gentlemen, who, like him, were themselves too old for service and had sons too young. The records of his county show a considerable number of transactions in lands in which Mr. Johnston engaged. Of greatest interest is the transfer to trustees May .l5t.h, 1775, for the consideration of tive shillings, of a traeti of ninety-eight acres for the foundation of the school afterwards to become so widely and justly famous as llamimden-Sidney College. .Full of years and modest honors, and in that nnregretful peace which is the peculiar gift of the well-spent life, Peter Jolmston died llecemher tith, 1786. Qllis will recorded t.l1at same 'month provides for his wife, who survived to Qlnne QI2th, 1799, and divides a very considerable estate among his four sons, 'l'eter, Andrew, Charles and Edward. A large part of the estate, land, negroes and personal belongings, was to be held together during the lifetime of the widow, and so the will requests that no Hlistv be filed. 'l'his failure prevents exact knowledge of the items of the personality, but the will mentions quite a number of articles of silverware and a number of hooks, in which is the llnme's England given to him hiv his friend, lValter Scott, father of the g1'eat Sir lValt1er. Peter .lohnston the Second, eldest son of l'eter Johnston the Emigrant, was horn at Oshorne's illanding on the l,ower James in the Colony of Virginia, Qlanuariv tith, 1763. Ile was a hardy and adventurous hoy of uncommon physical and mental endowments, and passed the days of his early youth much in the manner of the average lad of his time and position. When he was an infant' his parents had removed to Prince ltldward, and he grew up in that eonnttyg at an early age was entered as a student at llanipden-Sidney College with the design that he should ultimately take orders in the Church of England. 19

Page 19 text:

Sir G11111'g11 .11'11111s1'1111 E1l1'1 111 I111111111y. The i1'1'1l1111'1'11111111 111 this 111'1111ch 111 11111 1-illlliiy wus, 1111w11v1111, 111 11111111 11111'111'i1'111, 11s 1'h11 S4111 111 11111 1'12ll'1, Sil' .111h11, w1111 s111'1'1111 with 11is1111111'i1111 111' 1'h11 111111111 111 11111 1311y1111, 01111111 11111' 11111sl101' 1111111151 i11111111111111 s1111111g Cllflllgll 111 s11v11 his 11111 1111 11111 1'1111s11 111 111111 1:1111i1111s 11111111 111 11111 11'1111111s 111 11111111 xY1l2l1'1'Ull 11g11i11s11 1111111. 11.01111 U1111111111111. 1'111'111' .1111111s1'1111 11111 1C1111'1' w11s 11111111 111 i1':l111l11lI1'g1l, N1111111111111' 10111, 1710. 11,0 111111111 111 Yi1'gi11i11 111 1727 111111, 2l1:1'0l' s1111111 11111111'hs, 1'11si1111111111, s1111111111 111' Osl1111'11e's 11111111i11g, 11111' 1111' 11111111 1'111111's11111'g, wh111'11 111111111115 Q11111111's1111's 1:Pl1'1l1'l', 1'01ic11' .I11111111s1111, l'l'S11'1011 1111 1111111111 11111 yl'1l1'S 11111113 11111111 Mr. .1'11h11s11111 1111g11g1111 in 11g11'i111111111'11 111 il s1111111 11x1'11111, 111111 v111'y 11ll'g.f01.Y 111 1'1'ilC11l1g, 112l1V11lg 1111 111- 111111s111111'1111111 i111111111s1s 111 1'11ss111s 1111g11g1111 111 1111111111111'1111 with 1C1lg12lll11 211111 1111111- ing 111 1h11 111111111s. 1111 s1111111s 111 1l2lVl' 11111111 11111 11111s111y 1111g1'11ss1111 ill 111s OXVII 2l'1'1i2lil'S 111 1111111 111111-11 1ll1l'1'0S1' 111 1111111111 111111'1'111's 11111'i11g this p1'11'1'i1111 111 111s 11111, 211111 1 21111 11111' 1111111 111 11is1111v1111 ZIIIIY 111111111111 1111111111111'111g 111111 w11'h 111111111151 11111' 1111111111y 111111 1f1l1ll'f'1l 11111i1'i1'y l1lll'1Ilg 1111s 1111111. S11 11111s111y was 1111 1111g11g1111 in 1'111si1111ss 111111' 1111 w1111111 111111111111 111 h11v11 111111111 1111 1111111 11111 s1111i111 l'1'111.hi1111S, 11s 111111111 s1111111s 1111 1111111111111 111 111111 111 11111 111111151 11111'111's s1i11 p1'11s111'v1111 1111ssi11g 11111w111111 11111's1111s who 11111s1' h11v11 11111111111 111111 1111111, 111111 h11 11111111'1'1'111 111111'1'yi11g 1111111 s1111111 1'11i1'1.v-111111' y11111's 111 1'f'l' 11is s111'111111111111 111 OS111'11'l1C',S, 21 s1111111wh1111 11111-111111111111 1111111y 111' Zllly 1111111 211111 11s111111i1111y 111 11111 11i1'1111111s111111111s 111 which 1111 1i1'1111. 111 17111, 11111 111111-'1'l'l'llT1l 111 1X11ll'U11, 1111 111111'1'i1111 h12ll'11121 11l1110l', wi1111w 111: 1111111. '1'111111111s 1111g111's, who 1111111111111 11111 111111111111 111 his five s1111s 111111 11l1t11X'f'f1 111111 hy 111101114 1w111v11 y11111's. V111 17115, h111'i11g 111111111111111111111 11 v111'y 111111si11111111h111 11111111111'11y, 1ll'11'l' .1111111s11111 1'11111111'1111 111s 12l1ll11'V 111 I'1'1111111 '11111w111'11 01111111153 11111'- f'1121S11lQ 11111115 211111111 111111 111111' s11111111111s11 111 11111 111'11s11111' 111w11 111 1 111'111vi1111 211111 1111111111g 11111 11s111111 1,111111w111111-11 111111111 1111111 11111'1'111111111 111111 1,1111gW111111-11111111 1h11 A111111111111111 1111s1'111 111 11111 S111 .111h11. '1'11 1'his 1'11si1111111111 1111 111'1111g111 his Wi111, his 141111. 1'111'111' I1111111s11111, 1111., 11111111 111 1711251-11111 111111111111 s1111, Q1111111, 11111111 S11p.1'11111111-11 11111, 17154, 1l2lV11lg 1111111 111 i111111111.v-111111 his 11111111111111111 111 s111v11s. 111 111s 111111' 111111111 1111 1111111 111111111 111 11111111 11s 11111 1111111111 111111 111111111 01 11111 11111.11y 1111111 111 111111111 H1110 1'11si111111 111 111111' 1111111111111 11111111i1'v, 21 1'11gi1111 11111 s1111111111 11v1111 111 his 11111 111111111 1111 11111 1,11w1'11' .11111111s 1111' 11111 11111111 111111 111'111111111g 111111 111111111111111' 111 11s 11111111111. 11111111 1111 1111g11g1111 111111111151 111 1l,Ql'1K'll11l1l'l', 111111 11111111 111s 111s1 1'1l1'l'0 s1111s w111'11 1111111: .fX11111'11w, h12ll'l'1l 11111, 171i7g f'h111'111s, A111111 29111, 17691 1qf1W2lI'f1, N11111111111111 15111, 1774. 11Yi1l1U1'1'1Ill2I1'l'1.V 111111111 is 111 0X1S1'f'11l0K1 1111 1111l'1l'1l11 111 Nr. .111h11s11111, 11111' is 111111111 11115' 1111111111111 1'1'1111i1'i1111 1111s111'i11i11g his 1111.vsi11111 1'1'1111's. 111 1'111igi1111 1111 was 111 1h11 1C11g1ish 01llll'01l, 111111 1111sig111111 his :11111 1'111'111' '11111' 111111 111i11is11',v. 1111 XVEIS 111 11111 h1g1111s1' i11111g11i1y 111 1111 his 1111111i11gs 111111 s1111111wh1112 1111s1111'11 111 his 1111111111113 111111 1111 111111811111 f11'g'1'1'1' 111 1'111i1111111111 11111s1 h11v11 11111111 111111 111 111s 11h111'11111111'is1i11s, sinc11 11111 11111111111 1111111111011 is 111111 1111111 1111 211111 his s1111 'P111111' w111'11 S'1l1Qf1112l1'1y 18

Page 21 text:

Whcn hc 1'1-11chc11 171111 11g1- 111' sc1'1-1111-1-11 11111 1111s111'11i11g 1-111'1h1y s111'ugg111 i11 w11ic11 his C01l1111l'y was 1-11g11g1111 111'11v1- fl'0Il1 his 11111111 1111111 s11i1'i1111111 NV1ll'f1ll'0 for which 11c 111111 111-1-11 i111c11111111, 111111 111- 111111111-11 111 his f2l1'1l0l' 1111' 111-1'111issi1'111 111 j11i11 1111- C11111i11c111111 f111'c1-S. This 11c1'111issi1111 111'11l,Q 1111si1'i1'1-ly 1'1-1'11s1-11, 111-, with 21 detc1'111i11111i1111 w11ic11 111'11111is1-11 w1-11 1111' l1is 111:1ivc s11cc1-ss RIS 21 s11111ic1', 1111w1-v1-1- ill i1 1111111-11 for his p111i1-11c1- of 11iscip1i111-, s1-c111'1-11 1111 cx111-1111111 h111'sc 111111, 1-11111iI1g 11is s1e1111111s1'ic s1111c1'i111's w1111 XV1'l'0 111-1'111111s 111111'11 11111-11 1111' 1hc 1111181111 of 1c111'11i11g 1111111 11111 1111111111 of 111gi1iv1-s, lll2l111' 11is w11y 111 111-11's 11Cg111l1 i11 11111 S1111111. lI1-1'1- 111- 1111-1' wi1'h il 11111s11 g1'111ifyi11g 1'1-c1-111i1111, 111111 i1 was ill'l'111lgGC1 111111, though 11111 y1-1 quite S1-v1-1111-1-11, he S1l11ll1Q1 c111111' 111111 s11rvic11 with 1111- l'1lll1i 111 ,111Qll1011illl1. 4111111151 1111yw11c1'11 in 1111- lXllll'l'11'2l1l 2ll'11ly young .111h11s11111 w1111111 112lV0 11-11 111: 111111111, so 11111111111111 wus it 111 111111 just such y11ll111f1l1 g1111111-1111-11 11s 111-, 111'1-11 i11 111111-11 11111 S1111111 Wily 111111 wi1.h 111111111 1111! s1111111 views 111111 h11p11s. 13111 11h1-1'1- wus 1111 111'111 111 11111 s1-1'vic1- 111111 1111 111111111 i11 which 1111 1-1111111 h11v1- 11-11 111111'c 111 11is 1-asc 1111111 i11 1111- 1:11111111111y 111 which 11is 111111 112111 11-11 111111. l1111'c wus 1-1111111111 111' v111'i111y 111 give 1111 1111- spicc- 111111 1-v1-11 his 111111311- 11lll'11llS 11isj111si1i1111 c1'111'1'11, 111111 111-1'1- wus, COI'1'1l1ll1'Y, 1-1111ug11 111 work 111111 111' 111111g111' 111111 111 1111- 111'o111is1- 111111 f1'11i1i1111 111 1l1lll11I' 111 c111y 1hc 11pp1-1'i1'1- 111! 11 v1-1-y 11111111111 111 glory. 111111111-1111111 .l11h11s11111 111111: illl 111111111'1111111 111111 i11 lllillly 11c1i1111s 111 11111 1.1-gi1111 111111 111 1111- i1111111'1'11s Light U111'11s, 111 which 111- 111111111111- 21 Cilllltilill, 111111 G111'111-11 211111 11111111' w1'i11-1's 1111 1111- 111-1'i1111 1f1111-111'1111- his 11111-11s. .111- 1'1-cci1'1111 1111- 1111111113 111 1111- g1-11111111 i11 111'11c1's pu111is111-11 11111-1' 11111 111111111 1111 xVI'1g111,S B11111, 111111, 1111- w111' c111si11g, 111 1111- 1119511 111: 1'w1-111'y-11111-, wi111 1ll11VUl'Si11 11p111'11v111 of his i1'11'1'1-11111 111111 j1111ici1111s c111111111'11, 111- 1'l'1lll'1l011 111 11is 111111111 i11 1'1'i11c11 E11Will'11 111111 1111111 up 1h1- study of 111w. For this XV1ll'1i ill' 111111 IJCCll1121l' 111111-ss, 111111 111- s111111 1'1-110111-11 11 1111si1i1111 111 111-11111i111-11c1- i11 1111- 111'11c11ic1- 211111 w11s s11v111'111 1i111cs 1-11-11111-11 111 11111 11-gis1111111'11, 111-ing i11 111'i11ci1111-s 1111 111'111-111 Q11-111-1's1111i1111 1i11p11111ic1111. H1- was i11 1111- 1I11us1- 111 1191-11-131111-s 111 11111 111110 111 11111 paissugc 111 1111- A111-11 211111 S1111i1i1111 R1-s111111i1111s 111111 1111111 il 11111s1 210111112 111111 i11 1111- 111-111111-s which 111'11s1-, 111'111'i11g 11i111s1-11 il 111111g111'11us 1111v111's111'y ill 1his 1111111 1-v1-11 1111' 811011 1lll1'1El.g'0111StS 11s T11y1111' 111111 1,1PS1l111' 211111 1,1-1-. 'Hy 1111- gl'OWV11l 111 1111- S11111-, 11 111-w ju11i1-i111 circuit 11011111 11111111- 111-ccrssary, 211111 111-ing c1'c11t1-11 111 1111- Sflutilxvost, 111111120 131-11111-1111111-11111111 wus 1-11-1111-11 111 1111- 1-11111'1. A1 1111- s111111- 1111111 Mr. J111l1lS1'0l1 wus 1-11-c1'1-11 11s 1111120 of 11111 ci1'c11i1 i11 which 111- 111111 1iv1-11 s11 11111g. AX'll111Il11 1111-111s1-1v1-s 111 11111 S111111111 of 1808-9, whi1-h 111-1'111i111-11 2111 1-X1-1111111311 111 111- 11111111-, 1111-so ,951-11111-1111-11 111'1'1111g1-11 1111111 .Tudgc .111l111s1'1111 S1l0ll111 111111- 11is S1-111 i11 1111- 111-w c11u1'1, 111111 111- 1'c11111v1-11 his 1-1-si111-ncc 111 A11i11g111111 i11 1810. 111111120 lI11h11s11111 was 1llilI'1'1l'11 1wi111-g 111-s1, i11 1788, J11111- 2311, 10 Mary Wood, s1-c111111 111111g1111-1- 111' hY1l1Oll1'11l1' W111111, 11111111 111 G111'1c111111111, 111111 his wife, Lucy Hcury, il sis11-1' 111: 1'111'1'i1fk 11l'1ll'y. Of 111is 111111'1'i11g11 1111-1'1- w1-1'1- 1-11-V1-11 chi1d1'1-11: 20