NIHS Newsletter - Week 26, 2025
The Maples - The Champney House
Charles A. Plumer Photographs
There were a series of unmounted pictures, some tinted, taken by Mr. Charles A. Plumer that were presented to the Historical Society by Mrs. Melinda R. Kendrew, James Anderson House, Williamsburg, Virginia, 1961. Mrs. Plumer was Sally Rockwood Plumer, Great-Aunt of Mrs. Kendrew.
These pictures were mounted in two books to preserve them by Hazel E. Balch. I was only able to locate one of the albums which I digitized in 2018.
On Saturday, June 28th I stopped at the Historical Society to visit with Carl Toko. While browsing the book shelf, I discovered the second album.
It is of special interest because it contains some photos taken of “The Maples” the Champney House on Porter Hill Road near the Old Burying Ground. The present owners had mentioned that photos exist and we finally located them.
Ten Years Ago - The Week of June 23rd 2015
James Roger Diaries Entries - 1908
23rd June 1908 (Tuesday)
Warm and muggy. Wind east. Rain commenced at 3 pm only a slight shower. David went to Academy in morning for settees for Town Hall and him and me seeded the Jim Davis field. D bush harrowed and rolled it. Took roller back to Joe’s and to blacksmith shop with the whiffletrees. Hamish arrived about 8pm. The cars are running across the bridge direct in to the Depot, so he came up for a run, Mail delivered tonight at the old time. Got letter from D. Lougee today. He got hurt but is better.
24th June 1908 (Wednesday)
Warm and saltry, Wind west. Thunderstorm commenced about 3pm and continued till 7 pm, but only a few drops of rain. David took Hamish to Depot in morning and fixed up his reaping machine after. I sowed some sweet peas, nasturtiums and flower seeds, hoed some corn and 2 rows of potatoes in incubator field. Rain came on about 8pm a nice shower. Grover Chuctour (?)Died 840 am today.
25th June 1908 (Thursday)
Dry and windy not much rain during the night. David and Mother went to Club House and fixed up the house. He then hoed potatoes. I fixed up some perches in the brooder house and filled lamps in Hall for Grange tonight. Also put in some manure in garden ready for cabbage. Lougee telephoned about some stray cattle at his place supposed to belong to Mr. Huckins 16 at Grange.
26th June 1908 (Friday)
Warm and dry wind north. David took the horse Peter down to Joe Silver’s as there appears some swelling about the sheath afterwards sowed rutabaga, turnips and in afternoon went for grain and hay, also took 3 empty oil barrels 2 for Boston, 1 for Prescott.
27th June 1908 (Saturday)
Very warm day wind east. David and Walter Hardy went for a load of summer wood over the mountains. Afterword fixed up wagons put rake and dump cart in church sheds. I hoed 2 rows of potatoes and some rows of weeds in garden. Also swept church.
28th June 1908 (Sunday)
Warm and sultry. Thunderstorm began about 430 pm and continued more or less during the night with some refreshing showers. A partial eclipse of sun from 1008 am to 114 pm. Mr. Peacock on text “Come let us reason together”. S.S. after subject “Temperance”. No C.E. Dan Brown and wife took shelter for a while. Anniversary of our 41st Marriage day.
29th June 1908 (Monday)
Warm muggy forenoon: a nice rain commenced about 2 pm. afterwards fair. David and Henry Royce grinding scythes &c in forenoon and D. fixed one bay in barn for the hay. I planted some early and late cabbage. Got pc from Hamish.
The Maples must have required quite a gardening staff to keep the place up. The garden fountain is interesting. Perhaps the low humble building in the background, shown in the shot of the garden from the piazza, is a tool shed. The entire property looked pretty much deserted to us when we were kids. Each house in Town seemed to us to have a personality and atmosphere of its own; a house needed human life within as much as we needed it for shelter.
Where was the shot of the spectacular sky red barn taken?
Am so glad that you found those photos of The Maples. Like Pat, I remember that house was always deserted and a bit run down when I was growing up, my school years. It now is restored back to its original beauty again.