George Henry Clay Rowe
George Henry Clay Rowe (1/12/1830 - 3/16/1878), son of George
and Lucy Rowe. was an attorney and involved with a newspaper
- the Fredericksburg Democratic Recorder. He was educated at
the University of Virginia. I have documents stating he had
an office in a brick building back of Chancellor's and that
he lived at Lowery's, on Main St.
He married Virginia
Sledd, (born abt 1837) on October 20,
1853, in Henrico County, VA. Virginia died in April 1873 of
Tuberculosis. She is buried in an unmarked grave at the Hollywood
Cemetery in Richmond, VA. Virginia was the daughter of William
(abt 1808 - 8/24/1869) and Julia A Franklin
Sledd (abt 1810 - 2/22/1867). William's occupation was listed
as a Butcher.
Nicknamed Clay, he and Virginia lived at 306
Caroline St in Fredericksburg. In 1858, the house caught fire
at 3 am on 2/15/1858. Below is from the Fredericksburg News
on 2/16/1858:
FIRE! - Mr
G H C Rowe's handsome brick house on Main street, one
square below the railroad, was discovered to be on fire
about 3 o'clock yesterday morning. The inmates barely
escaped. House and furniture were entirely consumed. Two
sofas only were saved. The Insurance on House was $3,500
in the Mutual, and $1,700 on the Furniture in the Franklin
Insurance Company. This will not cover Library, gold watches,
money and other valuables destroyed. The fire was accidental,
and originated in the basement.
At the time, the kitchen was in the English
basement.
In 1862, he was taken political prisoner from
his home, along with Dr W F Broaddus, in Fredericksburg and
held for a little over a month in Capital Prison in Washington,
DC (one of his children died during this). He wrote a Journal
during his imprisonment.
In the 1870 Census for Spotsylvania County, he is not listed
as the head of household, his wife Virginia is. George is listed
as a former Lawyer at the age of 39. He is listed at the end
of the Census after all of the children.
He died at
Williamsburg in 1878. His death notice states he died of heart
disease at the age of 48. He is probably buried in an unmarked
grave at the Masonic Cemetery in Fredericksburg.
George and Virginia Rowe's
children were:
Nannie
Minor Rowe(1854 - 1/10/1879)
- married Paul C Smith on 10/14/1877 in Richmond, Henrico County,
Virginia. No children William Wilson Rowe
(4/30/1856 - 9/26/1865) - known as Willie Eustace Conway Rowe (11/30/1857 - 11/16/1924), married
Mary Leta Taylor (11/11/1858 - aft 1920) on 8/25/1881
in Richmond, VA. Died of Angina Pectoris (heart disease) Buried
at Oakwood Cemetery, in Richmond
VA Virginia J Rowe (4/1860- 1862)
