University of Virginia Library

KINSOLVING.

In 1788 James Kinsolving began to purchase land near
Mechum's River Depot. The name was variously written in
the early records, Consolver, Kingsolaver, Kinsolving. At
that date a Martin Kinsolving lived near the Burnt Mills.
James Kinsolving was successful in his business pursuits,
and at the time of his death in 1829 owned upwards of fourteen
hundred acres on both sides of Mechum's River. His
home was near the Depot, and bore the name of Temple Hill.
He and his wife Elizabeth were the parents of twelve children,
George W., Diana, Mary, Ann, Elizabeth, Jefferson, Lucy
Jane, Madison, Napoleon, James, Martha and Amanda.
None bearing this name have for years been resident in the
county, but it has attained a high distinction in the annals
of the Episcopal Church.

George W. married Nancy, daughter of Jonathan Barksdale.
For some time previous to 1822 he was the proprietor
of the Central Hotel in Charlottesville, but in that year he

retired to his farm near Mechum's Depot. In 1830 he was
appointed Colonel of the Forty-Seventh Regiment. He was
an earnest Episcopalian, and a vestryman in the North
Garden Church. He died in 1856, leaving one son and
seven daughters. The tendency in the family to remarkable
names was especially apparent in his household. His son,
Ovid Alexander, became an Episcopal clergyman, and
passed his ministerial life mainly near Leesburg and Danville,
Va. Three of his sons entered the Episcopal ministry,
George Herbert, Bishop of Texas, Arthur Barksdale,
a prominent rector in Brooklyn, N. Y., and Lucien Lee,
recently consecrated Bishop of Brazil. The names of the
seven daughters were selected with a view to having V as
the initial, and A as the final letter—Virginia, the wife of
William A. Abney, Vienna, the wife of William C. Fretwell,
Veturia, the wife of Thomas Clark, Volusia, Verona,
Verbelina, and Vermelia.

Diana was the wife of Clifton Garland Jr., and a grandson
of hers was Rev. Howard McQuary, who, because of his
extreme views on Evolution, was a few years ago deposed
from the Episcopal ministry by the Bishop of Northern
Ohio. Mary was the wife of James W. Leigh, Ann, the
wife of William B. Wood, and removed to Washington
County, Illinois, Elizabeth, the wife of William M. Brander,
and Martha, the wife of Reuben Wood. Lucy Jane was twice
married, first to Achilles Barksdale, and secondly to Valentine
Head. Madison married America, daughter of Philip
Watts, James married Margaret, daughter of Andrew Brown,
of North Garden, and made his home for many years near
the Cross Roads. He became a Baptist minister, was
Treasurer of the County School Commissioners, and about
1835 emigrated to western Kentucky. Most of the children
of this family finally removed to Kentucky, or Mississippi.