University of Virginia Library

December 31, 1873

It would be highly interesting, entertaining and instructive,
if some of our older citizens, natives of the
place, were to write for publication their recollections of
what they had seen, or what they had learned from their
parents and predecessors, respecting persons, places
and events—traditions from the earlier settlements
down to the present period. We have tried and urged
several persons, well versed on these subjects, to enter

upon the work, and hope they may yet do so. The Historical
Society in the State of Wisconsin, once a part of
Virginia, through its secretary, Lyman C. Draper, Esq.,
has been, and is now, engaged in collecting facts and incidents
in the lives of men who lived here over one hundred
years ago down to a third of a century since. If
Wisconsin feels so great an interest in the men of past
days, who lived among us, ought not we, who tread the
soil these worthies cultivated, foster their memories, and
leave to those who come after us, a record of their deeds,
virtues and toils?

In the last two numbers of the Jeffersonian, we
stated some of our recollections forty-five years ago, and
propose to give others; but what we are able to give will
only be a drop in the bucket to the wells from which
others might draw for the public good.

In our last number we spoke of the lawyers who practised
in the courts of this county in 1828. We omitted
the name of James W. Saunders who, in later years, and
until his death, was clerk of the District Court of Appeals.
Jno. B. Spiece was also a practising lawyer in
1828, and he is the only survivor of all the lawyers belonging
to the Albemarle Bar of that day.

The old Swan Tavern, that we spoke of, in its latter
days was called the old War Office, and for a time was
used for Thespian entertainments; Judge E. R. Watson,
we believe, was a member of that Thespian Club. In the
summer of 1832, the old Swan tumbled down, or was
pulled down. At the time of its fall, there was a ball at
the Eagle Hotel; the noise of the crash startled the
belles and beaux, and caused them to think it the rumbling
of an earthquake—it was only the exit of the old
Swan, singing its dying notes.

On the east side of the Public Square, stands the brick
building known as No. Nothing;[24] in it the late Samuel

Leitch, Jr., (usually called Young Sam), and Col. John
R. Jones, carried on mercantile business. Mr. L. was
by birth an Irishman, and came to Charlottesville about
the year 1819, and became clerk to his brother, James
Leitch, a merchant who did quite a large business in the
store-house next to No. Nothing, and accumulated a
large estate. Young Mr. Leitch was sociable, friendly,
hospitable and enthusiastic in whatever he engaged in.
In after years he built, and carried on business in, the
house which stands where the Swan did. He served a
number of years as alderman in Charlottesville, and died
four years since, aged 79.

Col. John R. Jones occupied the southern half of No.
Nothing; he had previously been a co-partner and associated
in business with Col. Bramham; he was, we
think, also interested in a mercantile firm at Louisa
Court House. He did quite an extensive business here,
and acted as the financial agent of several of the most
substantial planters and farmers of the county. About
that time he erected the fine mansion on Jefferson st.,
now owned and occupied by John H. Bibb, Esq.[25] When

the Farmers Bank was established in this place, he became
its President. Col. Jones reared a large family of
ten children, and all lived to be men and women; one of
his sons, John M. Jones, received his education at the
United States Military Academy at West Point, and
rose to be a General in the Confederate Army; he lost
his life while rallying his troops at the great battle of
Chancellorsville, and was interred in the cemetery here
in 1864.

Col. Jones was a hospitable man, and entertained
hosts of friends and relations, at his sumptuous board.
For years before his death he was a member of the Baptist
church and died in its communion.

In front of No. Nothing, on court-day, could often be
witnessed a scene worthy of beholding. Three of Virginia's
patriotic and noble sons, Thomas Jefferson,
James Madison and James Monroe, had frequently, in
former years been seen standing together conversing.
All three of these worthies had filled the highest post of
honor within the gift of the free people of the Union.
Each honored, respected and confided in the other. It
may not be improper to state a fact here that is not generally
known. When Mr. Madison was a candidate for
the Presidency, the Federalists had used the name of his
personal friend, James Monroe, against him, which, for
a time, caused a coolness on the part of the Republicans
towards the latter. Mr. Jefferson, who knew Mr.
Monroe well, and placed a high estimate of his worth
and statesmanship, was exceedingly anxious to have him
again restored in the affections of the then dominant
party. For this purpose, on election day, in April,
1810, he came to town, and insisted upon Mr. Monroe's

becoming a candidate for the House of Delegates for
this county. He succeeded in inducing some of those
who had announced themselves candidates to withdraw;
Mr. Monroe then went upon the hustings and was
elected.

At that time the Court House was the only voting
place in the county, and freeholders alone were entitled
to vote. The democrats in the legislature knowing that
Mr. Monroe had the confidence of Mr. Jefferson, and
came endorsed by the great county of Albemarle,
elected him Governor of the State. The Governor was
then elected annually by the legislature but could be
elected for three years in succession. In 1812 Mr. Madison
appointed Mr. Monroe his Secretary of State, and
afterwards Secretary of War. The taking of an office
with a smaller salary, in order to aid the government in
those trying times of war, and his efficiency in the discharge
of his duties, rendered Mr. Monroe very popular
with the people. In 1816 he was elected President of
the United States to succeed his friend and neighbor,
Mr. Madison. John Adams, the second President of
the United States, voted for Mr. Monroe in the electoral
college of Massachusetts.

The brick building next to No. Nothing was [adjoined
by?] a small wooden building where the Charlottesville
Library[26] was kept, which, for many years was
a source of great benefit to the citizens. Mr. Jefferson

aided this library, and his extensive acquaintances with
eminent persons, enabled him to procure valuable works
for it. Rev. Andrew Eliot, an eminent congregational
minister in Boston, Massachusetts, contributed works to
this library. What remains of this old library, we think
is in the possession of the Young Men's Christian Association
of Charlottesville.

The late Andrew Leitch was a merchant, and did
business in the brick building[27] next to the old library
building, now the office of Wm. T. Early, Register in
bankruptcy.

Next to this [library] building stood two wooden
tenements; the first was occupied by Lewis Leschot,[28] a
watchmaker and jeweler, from Switzerland, who had settled
here by the advice of Mr. Jefferson and was quite
extensively patronized by the people far and wide.

Sophia Leschot afterwards carried on the dry goods
business; she had a fine taste and pleased the ladies in
her selections. In after years she was a partner of the
firm of B. C. Flannagan & Company in the large Warehouse
on Main street, next to I. Leterman, in which
for many years an extensive dry goods business was conducted,
until Mr. B. C. Flannagan entered into the business
of banking.

Mr. Richard Matthews, was the successor to Mr.
Lewis Leschot, and till his decease, conducted the business
of a watchmaker and jeweler; he had watches manufactured
in Geneva for his sales here.

In the next building to Mr. Leschot, where the law
office of Judge W. J. Robertson[29] now is, stood a plain,
one and a half story wooden tenement[30] and in it lived,

and sold liquors, the hermit and miser John Yeargain.
He came to Charlottesville in 1811, and carried
on the business of saddle maker in the house now
occupied by Mr. Wm. T. Early as a law office. He is
said to have been a very sociable, genteel and agreeable
man, fond of ladies company, and attended all the balls
given in the place, ladies of rank, fashion and of the best
of families becoming partners in the dance with him.
On one occasion while at a ball some lady pinned the
skirts of his coat up, and in the next set he cut a somewhat
ridiculous figure, that caused a titter among the assembled
party. This so mortified his feelings, that he
never afterwards went to a party or ball. How long he
conducted his saddle making business we do not know;
he engaged in the purchase and sale of liquors and the
Yeargain whiskey had a reputation that brought him
extensive custom. At first his doors, like other stores,
were open, and he stood behind his counter to wait on his
customers but a party of young gentlemen, who had
been to a wine party, entered his store to get drinks and
one of them jumped over the counter and aided the old
man to make change. From that date he closed his store
doors, and put a ball and chain to the upper half of it,
and when any person wanted anything he would open
his door only a few inches. He left his house once a year
to go to the Court House to obtain his license, and to
make a few purchases of necessary articles of food. He
would, occasionally, admit a few personal friends into
his home, but he was a recluse for many years, and to the
end of his life. He wore short buckskin breeches, drab
colored cloth swallow-tail coat, and a knit cap on his
head. On a few occasions we have seen him stand with
the upper half of his store door open, conversing with a
crowd drawn together by the novelty of the sight.

It was known that he hoarded and buried his money.
He never received anything but silver coin. He died
suddenly, some 35 years since.—It is believed that in a
fit of apoplexy he fell into the fireplace, where he was
found dead with a slight bruise on his forehead. In his
cellar under his fire wood, was found his buried treasure,
amounting to six thousand dollars, which we saw placed
in tubs in the public room at the Eagle hotel. Many
persons believed that he had secreted a much larger
amount of money than was found in his cellar. A large
excavation was seen in the stalls of the adjoining stable,
from which it was said, at the time, some of Yeargain's
treasures had been buried, and taken away at the time
of his death. A plaster bust was taken of Mr. Yeargain
after his death, and the late John Toole, artist, painted a
striking likeness of him, which is now in the possession
of Col. Th: J. Randolph. Some years ere his death, a
nephew of his visited him; and the old man boarded
him at the Eagle hotel, and at the end of a week told him
he must stay no longer. Mr. Yeargain had a sister living
in Elizabeth city, and other relatives who inherited
his property.