ANOTHER SIDE OF SILA'S SON RICHARD
as told by his granddaughter, Maxine Ferguson Kitts
Richard and Mary Holdren Dearing lived in the house that had been built by Silas Dearing.
Richard, often known as, "Old Man Dick Dearing", was quite a character. He is remembered as driving a buggy with a top on it and always carrying a whip in his hand. He was apparently a very moody and changeable person. He could be very stern and at other times very kind and considerate. When he went to Bedford or Roanoke, which was quite an occasion in those days, he often brought gifts to all the members of the family, as well as his wife.
I have history from the Barnhardt Church that contains much about Richard Dearing. However, since this history tends to put a "Halo" over his head, I feel it is only fair to tell another side of his character. Thus making him a human being with both good and bad parts of character like the rest of us.
This story was told to me by several people. It began when Louise Spradlin told me she found in the court house records that he had all of his property in his wife's name at the time of his death. I asked my father, Tollie Ferguson, if he knew why this was done. He told me that a later pastor of Barnhardt Baptist Church named Thomas was suing Richard for slander at the time of his death but he could not remember why.
I then learned from my aunt, Addie Dickerson Ferguson, that Mr. Dearing had not liked Preacher Thomas, so he had gone around and put up public notices on public buildings stating his feelings about the character of Mr. Thomas. She remembered because her father had a tobacco warehouse and a notice was tacked on the warehouse. She could not remember what was written on the notices.
Whatever it contained, the Rev. Thomas thought it sufficient grounds to enter suit for slander of character. When Richard Dearing died, the case was not settled and Rev. Thomas dropped the charges.
__________________________________________________
I love this declaration taken from Richard's will:
FIFTEEN: I direct that if any of my children fuss or law with one another in any way about my estate that I have left them, that the said property shall at once go to the Trustees of the Baptist Orphanage of Salem, Roanoke County, Virginia, and be sold and used for the benefit of said Orphanage.
__________________________________________________
Co.F,2nd Va.Cavalry Regiment-CSA
as told by his granddaughter, Maxine Ferguson Kitts
Richard and Mary Holdren Dearing lived in the house that had been built by Silas Dearing.
Richard, often known as, "Old Man Dick Dearing", was quite a character. He is remembered as driving a buggy with a top on it and always carrying a whip in his hand. He was apparently a very moody and changeable person. He could be very stern and at other times very kind and considerate. When he went to Bedford or Roanoke, which was quite an occasion in those days, he often brought gifts to all the members of the family, as well as his wife.
I have history from the Barnhardt Church that contains much about Richard Dearing. However, since this history tends to put a "Halo" over his head, I feel it is only fair to tell another side of his character. Thus making him a human being with both good and bad parts of character like the rest of us.
This story was told to me by several people. It began when Louise Spradlin told me she found in the court house records that he had all of his property in his wife's name at the time of his death. I asked my father, Tollie Ferguson, if he knew why this was done. He told me that a later pastor of Barnhardt Baptist Church named Thomas was suing Richard for slander at the time of his death but he could not remember why.
I then learned from my aunt, Addie Dickerson Ferguson, that Mr. Dearing had not liked Preacher Thomas, so he had gone around and put up public notices on public buildings stating his feelings about the character of Mr. Thomas. She remembered because her father had a tobacco warehouse and a notice was tacked on the warehouse. She could not remember what was written on the notices.
Whatever it contained, the Rev. Thomas thought it sufficient grounds to enter suit for slander of character. When Richard Dearing died, the case was not settled and Rev. Thomas dropped the charges.
__________________________________________________
I love this declaration taken from Richard's will:
FIFTEEN: I direct that if any of my children fuss or law with one another in any way about my estate that I have left them, that the said property shall at once go to the Trustees of the Baptist Orphanage of Salem, Roanoke County, Virginia, and be sold and used for the benefit of said Orphanage.
__________________________________________________
Co.F,2nd Va.Cavalry Regiment-CSA
ANOTHER SIDE OF SILA'S SON RICHARD
as told by his granddaughter, Maxine Ferguson Kitts
Richard and Mary Holdren Dearing lived in the house that had been built by Silas Dearing.
Richard, often known as, "Old Man Dick Dearing", was quite a character. He is remembered as driving a buggy with a top on it and always carrying a whip in his hand. He was apparently a very moody and changeable person. He could be very stern and at other times very kind and considerate. When he went to Bedford or Roanoke, which was quite an occasion in those days, he often brought gifts to all the members of the family, as well as his wife.
I have history from the Barnhardt Church that contains much about Richard Dearing. However, since this history tends to put a "Halo" over his head, I feel it is only fair to tell another side of his character. Thus making him a human being with both good and bad parts of character like the rest of us.
This story was told to me by several people. It began when Louise Spradlin told me she found in the court house records that he had all of his property in his wife's name at the time of his death. I asked my father, Tollie Ferguson, if he knew why this was done. He told me that a later pastor of Barnhardt Baptist Church named Thomas was suing Richard for slander at the time of his death but he could not remember why.
I then learned from my aunt, Addie Dickerson Ferguson, that Mr. Dearing had not liked Preacher Thomas, so he had gone around and put up public notices on public buildings stating his feelings about the character of Mr. Thomas. She remembered because her father had a tobacco warehouse and a notice was tacked on the warehouse. She could not remember what was written on the notices.
Whatever it contained, the Rev. Thomas thought it sufficient grounds to enter suit for slander of character. When Richard Dearing died, the case was not settled and Rev. Thomas dropped the charges.
__________________________________________________
I love this declaration taken from Richard's will:
FIFTEEN: I direct that if any of my children fuss or law with one another in any way about my estate that I have left them, that the said property shall at once go to the Trustees of the Baptist Orphanage of Salem, Roanoke County, Virginia, and be sold and used for the benefit of said Orphanage.
__________________________________________________
Co.F,2nd Va.Cavalry Regiment-CSA
as told by his granddaughter, Maxine Ferguson Kitts
Richard and Mary Holdren Dearing lived in the house that had been built by Silas Dearing.
Richard, often known as, "Old Man Dick Dearing", was quite a character. He is remembered as driving a buggy with a top on it and always carrying a whip in his hand. He was apparently a very moody and changeable person. He could be very stern and at other times very kind and considerate. When he went to Bedford or Roanoke, which was quite an occasion in those days, he often brought gifts to all the members of the family, as well as his wife.
I have history from the Barnhardt Church that contains much about Richard Dearing. However, since this history tends to put a "Halo" over his head, I feel it is only fair to tell another side of his character. Thus making him a human being with both good and bad parts of character like the rest of us.
This story was told to me by several people. It began when Louise Spradlin told me she found in the court house records that he had all of his property in his wife's name at the time of his death. I asked my father, Tollie Ferguson, if he knew why this was done. He told me that a later pastor of Barnhardt Baptist Church named Thomas was suing Richard for slander at the time of his death but he could not remember why.
I then learned from my aunt, Addie Dickerson Ferguson, that Mr. Dearing had not liked Preacher Thomas, so he had gone around and put up public notices on public buildings stating his feelings about the character of Mr. Thomas. She remembered because her father had a tobacco warehouse and a notice was tacked on the warehouse. She could not remember what was written on the notices.
Whatever it contained, the Rev. Thomas thought it sufficient grounds to enter suit for slander of character. When Richard Dearing died, the case was not settled and Rev. Thomas dropped the charges.
__________________________________________________
I love this declaration taken from Richard's will:
FIFTEEN: I direct that if any of my children fuss or law with one another in any way about my estate that I have left them, that the said property shall at once go to the Trustees of the Baptist Orphanage of Salem, Roanoke County, Virginia, and be sold and used for the benefit of said Orphanage.
__________________________________________________
Co.F,2nd Va.Cavalry Regiment-CSA
Family Members
Siblings
