Virginia Seymour Richardson grew up in Farmville, Virginia where she married William Brown Pollard on November 29, 1922. After their wedding they made their home in Winston-Salem, North Carolina where William was from and they raised their two daughters, Rives and Peg. William's grandfather, Dr. William Lafayette Brown, was a founder of Brown Brothers Tobacco Company with his brother, Rufus, and they were considered pioneers in the tobacco industry. The Browns moved to Mocksville, North Carolina at the turn of the 17th century where they lived until the Brown brothers moved to Winston-Salem in December of 1877 due to the great success of their tobacco company. William was the older of the two brothers and had gone to school at the College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City where he graduated at the top of his class. Sometime after graduating, while working as a surgeon, the Civil War began. North Carolina was a confederate state, and Dr. William Brown felt strongly against slavery and refused to join the Confederate cause which was against the wishes of many people he was close to. Instead, he opted to remain in Mocksville and join the home militia. Rufus, on the other hand, became a Lieutenant in Capt. Gaither's Company and was injured at the Battle of Seven Pines in Henrico County, Virginia. He then became ill with chronic dysentery. When the Civil War ended, William put down his scalpel and he and Rufus went into the tobacco business together.

Virginia Seymour Richardson grew up in Farmville, Virginia where she married William Brown Pollard on November 29, 1922. After their wedding they made their home in Winston-Salem, North Carolina where William was from and they raised their two daughters, Rives and Peg. William's grandfather, Dr. William Lafayette Brown, was a founder of Brown Brothers Tobacco Company with his brother, Rufus, and they were considered pioneers in the tobacco industry. The Browns moved to Mocksville, North Carolina at the turn of the 17th century where they lived until the Brown brothers moved to Winston-Salem in December of 1877 due to the great success of their tobacco company. William was the older of the two brothers and had gone to school at the College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City where he graduated at the top of his class. Sometime after graduating, while working as a surgeon, the Civil War began. North Carolina was a confederate state, and Dr. William Brown felt strongly against slavery and refused to join the Confederate cause which was against the wishes of many people he was close to. Instead, he opted to remain in Mocksville and join the home militia. Rufus, on the other hand, became a Lieutenant in Capt. Gaither's Company and was injured at the Battle of Seven Pines in Henrico County, Virginia. He then became ill with chronic dysentery. When the Civil War ended, William put down his scalpel and he and Rufus went into the tobacco business together.