Images once lost, now found-Part 2

Nannie Row

     Nannie Row (1831-1889), known to many as "Aunt Nan," was the only sister of my great grandfather who never married. Like her mother, Nannie lived her entire life at Greenfield, my family's ancestral farm in western Spotsylvania. She was devoted to her brother and his firstborn son Absalom "Abbie" Row, whom she informally adopted after the death of his mother. Nannie's story is an interesting tale in itself, and can be read at Nannie Row, Part 1 and Nannie Row, Part 2. Nannie was also the recipient of two historic letters that described the depredations of Union soldiers in Spotsylvania during the Overland Campaign: The Letter from Maria Dobyns and "Hirelings of the best government in the world".  [Please note that all images in my blog can be clicked on larger viewing.]

Lizzie Houston Row with son Horace

     This photograph of my grandfather Horace Row with his mother was taken in Lexington, Virginia in 1883, soon after the death of George Washington Estes Row. Although my great grandmother was well educated and was a descendant of General Sam Houston, she was certainly not a dainty hothouse flower, but a hardworking farm woman. Just take a look at how large and strong her hands are.
     The next five photographs below were shared with me just last week by fellow researcher Deb Callahan, who found them in an album at the home of a relative in New York, of all places:

Annie Daniel Row

     Annie Tutt Daniel (1848-1871) of Culpeper was the first wife of George Washington Estes Row. George and Annie were married at St. Stephens Episcopal Church in Culpeper in 1867 and she bore him two children, Abbie and Virginia Isabella. Annie's father was Samuel Alpheus Daniel, owner of Forest Grove in Culpeper, who joined Purcell's Battery in 1862 and was killed shortly thereafter during the Seven Days Battle. Annie's mother was then compelled to care for her four children, relying on her own grit and determination in Union-occupied Culpeper. The story of the Daniel family is one of my favorites and is told in two parts: Sarah Jane Daniel, Part 1 and Sarah Jane Daniel, Part 2. Annie died of diphtheria at Greenfield in November 1871. She is buried in an unmarked grave in my family's cemetery there.

George Washington Estes Row

     This rare photograph of my great grandfather was taken some time before 1871, most likely in Fredericksburg. Immediately after Annie's death that year George, his sister Nannie and their mother sold off many personal items at an estate sale at Greenfield. Nannie and her mother spent much of the following year living in Lynchburg with Martha Row Williams, and George divided his time between Spotsylvania and Rockbridge Counties. For a time the maintenance of Greenfield was left in the hands of a caretaker.

Nannie Row

     Nannie Row's look changed very little in the various photos of her. She looked very much like the other women in my family I knew as a boy.

Mary Kale Harding

Enoch Harding

     Mary Kale (1828-1898) was a daughter of Swiss-born candy maker Anthony Kale and his wife Catherine Estes, who was a sister of my great great grandmother, Nancy Estes Row. Mary married Stafford farmer Enoch Harding in 1861 and had two sons with him, Milton and Cleveland. Their photographs were part of an album shared with me earlier this year:

Cleveland Harding

Milton Harding