Catalpa (Culpeper, Virginia)

Catalpa was an 18th-century plantation near Culpeper in Culpeper County, Virginia.[1] Catalpa is best known as the birthplace of John Strode Barbour, Jr. (29 December 1820 – 14 May 1892), a United States House Representative and United States Senator from Virginia.[1] Catalpa is also known as the scene of the first encampment of the Culpeper Minutemen.[2]

History

During Virginia's colonial period, the Catalpa estate was the seat of Major Philip Clayton.[2] The plantation was named after a catalpa tree that Clayton brought from Essex and transplanted on the property.[2] Clayton's tree was the first catalpa introduced to Culpeper County.[2] Clayton married the sister of Robert Coleman, on whose land the town of Culpeper was established in 1759, originally named "Fairfax" until the American Civil War.[2] Clayton was among the town's first trustees, along with Nathaniel Pendleton, William Green, William Williams, and Thomas Slaughter.[2]

The Culpeper Minutemen organized on 17 July 1775 under a large oak tree at "Clayton's old field" on the Catalpa estate.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 J. J. Prats (June 19, 2008). "John S. Barbour’s Birthplace". The Historical Marker Database. Retrieved 2009-04-05.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Green, Raleigh Travers (2008). Genealogical and Historical Notes on Culpeper County, Virginia. BiblioBazaar, LLC. ISBN 0-559-00278-5.

Coordinates: 38°30′38.4″N 77°59′15.9″W / 38.510667°N 77.987750°W