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“Bite-Size Bits of Local, National, and Global History”
Lake of the Woods in Orange County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
 

Orange Grove 1865 - 1967

 
 
Orange Grove 1865 - 1967 Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Craig Swain, May 9, 2009
1. Orange Grove 1865 - 1967 Marker
Inscription.
Alexander Dandridge Spottswood
He spelled his name with two t's, known "as a gentleman of the old school," he referred back to the spelling of the name his ancestors used in Scotland, Spottiswoode.

1836 - Born in the house at Orange Grove on November 19

1861 - Enlisted July 15th in Co. C. 30th Virginia Infantry

1864 - September 12th admitted to Chimborazo Hospital. When he returned from the service his father, his mother and two sisters were living on the home place. The property was completely run down. There was nobody there who was physically able to operate the farm. He took charge of the property and supported the family.

Sometime after 1865 the home burned down and the family Bible was lost in the fire. Some of the possessions dating back to the 18th Century were saved, among them many of the original oil paintings of the Spottswood family. The family moved into a smaller 1 fl story building and made that their home.

1869 - He married Lucy Harrison Gordon

1888 - His father died on March 14th. All the land was left to Alexander and certain personal property was left to other members of the family.

1923 - Wife Lucy died, her obituary appeared in Fredericksburg Star on February 9th; Alexander D. died the following year and both are buried in the family cemetery.

Alexander
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Gordon Spottswood
Only son of A.D. and Lucy, he never married and operated the farm for his father when his father's health became bad.

1873 - Born on September 10th

1908 - He purchased Somerset on Flat Run, part of the original Alexandria tract patent.

1917 - He preceded his parents in death and is buried in the family cemetery, located on Spottswood Road.

Lelia Lewis Spottswood Willis
Born 1871 in the plain frame house.

1918 - Married E.O. Willis and moved to Culpeper

1924 - Inherited the farm from her father

1952 - In court proceedings she claimed full title to the entire property. At that time Orange Grove contained 357 acres, including part of the highway.

1967 - On January 13th she died, the last of her line.

Lelia, before her death in 1967, provided an oral history of Orange Grove and her ancestors. Only a small portion of that history is presented on these signs.

The Pile of Bricks
Where once stood a chimney, the last remnant of the structures at Orange Grove, a brick pile now stands before you.

Contained in this pile are hand made bricks from the 18th Century, as earlier materials were reused in later buildings.
 
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: AgricultureHorticulture & ForestryWar, US Civil. A significant historical month for this entry is January 1781.
 
Location.
Markers at Lake of the Woods image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Craig Swain, May 9, 2009
2. Markers at Lake of the Woods
38° 20.6′ N, 77° 44.793′ W. Marker is in Lake of the Woods, Virginia, in Orange County. Marker is on Lakeview Parkway, on the right when traveling north. Located at a park in Lake of the Woods Community. The marker is inside a gated community, and visitors must register to enter. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Locust Grove VA 22508, United States of America. Touch for directions.
 
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Orange Grove 1728 - 1864 (here, next to this marker); Captain John Spotswood (within shouting distance of this marker); Battle of the Wilderness (within shouting distance of this marker); Spotswood Family Cemetery (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); a different marker also named Battle of the Wilderness (approx. half a mile away); Gordon's Flank Attack (approx. 1.3 miles away); The Federals Fall Back (approx. 1˝ miles away); a different marker also named Gordon's Flank Attack (approx. 1˝ miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Lake of the Woods.
 
More about this marker. On the left is a facsimile of Alexander D. Spottswood's obituary. In the upper center is a portrait of Lelia Lewis Spottswood Willis. In the lower center is a map showing Orange Grove is now Lake of the Woods. Spotswood Park and all the land and lake within half a mile was the last Spotswood farm at Orange Grove.
Remains of Chimney image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Craig Swain, May 9, 2009
3. Remains of Chimney
In the upper right are two photographs showing Orange Grove as rebuilt. The large tree you see in the picture still stands in front of you. The WPA historical inventory of January 8, 1837 states this is a plain frame house, which the family moved into, when the mansion was burned. The picture is dated 1938 and the home has been abandoned for more than 10 years.
 
Site of Orange Grove image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Craig Swain, May 9, 2009
4. Site of Orange Grove
The tree mentioned in the photo caption is one of those in the background.
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on December 26, 2019. It was originally submitted on May 16, 2009, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. This page has been viewed 1,262 times since then and 10 times this year. Photos:   1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on May 16, 2009, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.

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Mar. 29, 2024