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Dr. Thomas Ewell, the subject of this short sketch, was the descendant of

an old and respectable Virginia family.  His paternal ancestors, having

just received a large grant of land, emigrated, from the small town

that bear their name in England to Virginia during the joint  reign of

William & Mary.  On the maternal side, he was the descendant

of a French Huguenot family driven to this country by the revocation

of the edict of Charter during the latter part of the reign of Louis IV

in France.  His family first settled in one of the lower counties of

Virginia.  The old mansion house built by the first settler of the

name, in Lancaster County, although fiercely bombarded during

the past civil war, is yet standing and is in possession of one of

the lineal descendants of the family, bearing the family name

and the name of the bay which it overlooks, (Ewell’s bay) still indicating

the haven where the earliest settlers of the family first found rest

after their passage across the Atlantic.  The family did not clus-    

ter around this comparatively tranquil spot.  Dr. Ewell’s immediate

progenitor removed to Prince William County at a time when it

was supposed that the now decaying town of Dumfries, would be one

of the commercial marts of the state.  Unhappily, local [?]   prevents

these hopes from ever being realized, and thus a severe blow was

inflicted on the fortunes of his branch of the family.  We bo

These oppressions of fortune, should not however present the exhi-

bition of certain forcible and distinctive traits of character which

have been displayed (for good or for evil) in the Ewell family from generation to generation.

Under [?] so quiet, as almost to subject them to the charge of

supreme indolence, they have, with few exceptions, concealed a face

of courage and recklessness that carried them on in a manner

resembling the course of a whirlwind in whatever path they

might choose to follow.  Dr. Ewell himself illustrated too for-

cibly in his life this distinctive trait his short career [em ?]  a

hurricane of proportionate and mental activity out into the most [incredible?]

fulfillment, but this observation is perhaps too great a description

from one, at present, more immediate subject Dr. Ewell’s

ancestors.  His grandfather, a member of the house of Burgesses

during Colonial times was compelled to wear while occupying

his seat in the house, a halter of rope around his neck

this signifying that, for sympathy with his loyal subjects,

he deserved the punishment of the halter and was repress-

ed only by the exercise of the royal clemency.  The family have

been represented in every war that occurred after their arrival

on this continent.  [Heirs?] of the name were in the war of the

 Revolution, There was not one of this crowd who did not distin-

guish himself in whatever way he was called upon to act and

family tradition is still [busy?] with the names and

deeds of those who fought and suffered in our [past?]

In the earliest county records of Fauquier we trace them as being only

of some of the most valuable land in the Piedmont Country

was for independence.  Dr. Ewell displayed the same energetic fire

that characterized his family in the field, in the more peaceful

[  ?  } that was chosen for him.  At an early age, he was placed by

his father (Col. Ewell of Bel Air), with his companion Dr. Weems..one

of the physicians of the highest standing of those times, and residing

in Georgetown at{the?} Town and beautifully initiated on the banks

 of the Potomac in the District of Columbia.  Dr. Ewell remained with Dr. Weems,

until he was sufficiently advanced in his medical studies..to attend

the lectures in Philadelphia of the Medical University of Pennsylvania.

In this school, he completed his medical education, and graduated

with distinction before he had attained his twenty first year, after

correspondence with the distinguished professors of the

University, he, announcing to them his suggestion and ideas on

the practice of medicine, and the nature of disease, and

these being generally received with commendation by

his former instructors in the healing art.  Dr. Ewell returned to the Dis-

trict of Columbia after the completion of  his medical educa-

tion, he then married Miss Stoddert, the oldest daughter of the

first Secretary of the Navy of the United States.  After Dr. Ewell’s

marriage, he went to reside at the Navy Yard near Washington DC hop-  
ing ro a commission of Surgeon in the Navy.  This commission was given

to him by Thomas Jefferson, as a proof of the estimation in which he

held the character and {?} of Dr. Ewell, and also as a

testimony to the long enduring friendship that subsisted be-

tween Thomas Jefferson and Dr. Ewell’s father, a friendship

which began when they were classmates at the then, proudly stand-

ing College of William and Mary, and which continued through

the life of Col. Ewell.  One proof of this affectionate attachment

subsisting between the two men, one, coveting privacy and retirement,

the other, one, whose life was always before the public, was that

Mr. Jefferson in traveling from his home in Albemarle to

Washington, always deviated from his course, so as to enable him

to spend a night with his old friend.  The friendship so truly felt

for the father; was extended to the son.  During the life of  Mr. Jefferson

he never failed to manifest his interest in Dr. Ewell.  No application that

Dr. Ewell ever made to him for consultation service was neglected.  At

a severe  crisis in Dr. Ewells affairs – the first and only person

that he thought of applying to was Thomas Jefferson and

with an almost paternal feeling did he look toward him

for mental support and for commendation.  Until the

destruction of the family records by the {?} way Mr.  Jefferson

letters to Dr. Ewell, full of {?} suggestions,  how in diffi-

cult positions of affairs to {act?} ,  full of the most dedicated

worded warnings  were among the most highly prized             

of the family records.  Dr. Ewell held his commission            

surgeon for but a few years, few incidents of {?}  his life have {?}

{?} he in one instance substantially befriended one of his subordinates

who afterwards  was to {?} in his profession, on another the occasion

he was very nearly made the victim of a mob, incited to action

by the widow of a man who had died with some unknown

disease of the brain, and whose head Dr. Ewell was in

process of disposition when he found that this life would

be imperiled if he continued the physical investigation.

He left the Navy Yard and went to reside on the Capitol Hill in Washing-

ton , here he entered into various and successful speculations.  He

resided here for a short time and then went to live in George

Town occupying the house built by Mr. Stoddert, one owned

by him at that time…here he remained until sometime

after the death of that Mr. Stoddert.  During all the period he

was still carrying on multi {?}  and profitable speculations

and participating in the gay society of the period.  Some of

the old people in George Town can  recollect the  festivity that

formerly took place in his hospitable mansion, and  the  hospitality he showed to

all  who visited him.

Dr. Ewell disliked the practice of medicine, unless the case was

an exciting one, such as to call out his powers of analysis in

the symptoms and  {?}  of disease, and the discovery of new

and better mode of treatment for diseases, than the good established

methods.  He was undoubtedly the first physician in the country who

employed in, as a means of curing violent dysentery.  In that

 tedious complaint, the {?} disease his mode of creative

treatment was eminently successful.  Here he carried out his own

ideas and in at least one instance we know that he certainly

confirmed lasting benefit on a patient who but for his case and hu-

manity would have miserably perished.  There are doubtless numerous

other instances of Dr. Ewell’s humanity and skill, that might be

used in his treatment and cure of diseases, but they are lost to

his friends except of vague recollections.  He boasted little of

his skills was not addicted to talking of his own exploits, and was con-

tent if the means he used for the recovery of a patient was enough

without perhaps sufficiently appreciating the originality of his

own mind and the new and successful paths that he

occasionally struck out in medical science.  The fact

of his being the first physician who  employed ice as internal

and external remedy for the relief of dysentery was only

made known to his friends in consequence of another           

physician taking the credit to himself for the discovery of the

remedy..and this fact being more known to a third person

who took {?} trouble to indicate Dr. Ewell’s  practice of med-

icine than he thought it worthwhile to take for himself

It was such a small chance that his skill in curing the painful

Disease of the hip joint was discovered to his friends

{?.....}    {words?} ,for

the manufacture of powder, near B Castleberry? This way

were greatly in opposition to the wishes of the inhabitants of what

quiet the borough, who found the dangers they might

have to word{?} from the explosion, that were to be effect-

ted at these mills…particularly under the supposed

reckless management of Dr. Ewell.  There was but one

explosion while he owned them.  They passed out of his

hands to parties who bought, {word?} by some quiet w{word?}

retained them without ever making the smallest

payment upon them, and in whose hands they

{word?} so seriously as to cause far greater damage than

ever had been done by their first owner.  Dr. Ewell displayed

his usual {word?} making every research into the {word?} &

best method of {word?} and doubtless left

many hints on this subject which have proved valuable

to those who have since engaged in the manufacture of

powder.  From his various speculations and his financial

ability he succeeded in making a large fortune, in spite

of the heavy {word?} copy he sustained through the {word?} of

his various {word?} but the wheel turned after a

while, and before his death he lost much of what

he had amassed in the early part of his career.

After this period of his life, he determined to recommend

the practice of medicine, and for that purpose went again to

Philadelphia to attend a third course of {?} for the

purpose of renewing his medical knowledge,-this done, after

another short residence in the district of Columbia he returned

to his native state, here after a few years of {?} life

{…………..}his days in the flower of his age, having

{………………..}more during his short life, than the generality

{…………….}do in one indefinitely prolonged

as to his authorship.  He early manifested an irreparable

inclination for authorship.  Before he was of age he wrote

a  work on Chemistry.  This work was encouraged by Mr. Jefferson

after this, he wrote several works, principally on the diseases,

of women and children.  His last entire medical work

was “The Family Physician”?  This appeared before the

public at a great disadvantage, he having lost the

original copy, and being then compelled through

previous arrangements made with his publisher to

write hurriedly and from memory, the sheets as they

were wanted by the publisher.

Previous to this he wrote pamphlets on medical and other

 subjects, that are now lost-the writer of this sketch has been

informed by one of Dr. Ewell’s other medical friends-that all these,

whether the subject was entirely on medicine in its various branches

introductions were brilliant in an uncommon degree and that in the

pamphlets written by him  {?} that were confined to medical

subjects , both the practice of medicine was treated by him

in a masterly manner

Those that he wrote on the various theories of medicine

and its  {concom       } sciences displayed the profound

utmost scientific conceptions and difficult of belief as it may

Seem – that these{concretionary ?} originated with him before

the same ideas were promoted after by the medical

School of Paris-as new and important discoveries

in the science of medicine.  Dr. Ewell published

Hughes {Epays?} for which he received the public

censure of the Catholic Church in George Town

and the {? ?} criticism of one of the bishops in

the Episcopal Church of the United States his ex-

cuse for publishing them in reprinting along with the same reasons

was that he placed the anti-

dote by the side of the person, moreover he was a believer

in the truth of Christianity_and he gave the public credit for

the same amount of intellect he had himself. He

could read these works—extract what was valuable

from them without being affected by (word?} contained

in them.  At a closer perusal of them however, unfortunately, after they were published

he regretted having done so.  In addition to his

scientific researches, Dr. Ewell prepared a large find of

literary and historical knowledge.  There never lived a

person who could better appreciate a noble sentiment or

an appreciation that called forth the finer and more tender

feelings of our nature.  With all the best English poets he was

 familiar-and the {? {?] he received from them were forever

in his mind and on his lips, these intellectual achievements {??}

without assistance from others separate from his family.  At an early age

he was thrown entirely on his own {?} of pursuits and of (?} {?}

he was still a young man but even then, his powers, were thoughts

and was principally for those of the highest intellectual nature

Sufficient to this being placed in the medical {?}

to that winter in the University of Pennsylvania by the

death of Dr. Dorsey.  So high was the appreciation of his talents

however, by the original brilliant production that he was

in the constant habit of reading before the Medical Society.

There established, but unfortunately his mind although capable

of profound research on difficult subjects had

never been trained to the habits of self-control and self-

constraint.  His death in the flower of his age with all the fine qualities

of head and heart  {word?} give pleasure to himself in

this experience, and  benefit others by their influence upon

the well being of society were although not entirely lost, much observed by the defects

of his early training.  Perhaps it is as well to close this

short account of Dr. Ewell by saying that although he

was a firm Federalist in politics, even teaching these to

each of his children as were old enough to understand the

subject, he was nevertheless {?} true to his own State

of Virginia and would perhaps not have disapproved

of the course taken in our last Civil War by his sons,

one of whom, was said in a New York Herald of April

of the year 65 after the past career of his life, to be content

to be a Col. in the Rebel Army and aide to Gen. Johnston.

General Ewell another son of Dr. Ewell is too

well known as one of the active generals in the past {?}

to mention here more about him than his {word?} from

Dr. Ewell.  Dr. Ewell lost a son in the war with malaria at the battle of {?}

{?}  This youth called

after his father, inherited perhaps more than

any of his children his brilliant talents of his son

but his couse was like that of his father, destined to be

a short one.  With every promise of brilliant  {save?}

up in what ever path of life he might choose to

follow, at the moment when history principally

in consequence of his expectations had declared itself

on the side for which he was contending with the

praises and lamentations of the chief of command

{?} in his years.  He died in the morning of life

 and on the battle field.

                                                                                                                                6 Spinners? Ct.

                                                                                                                                Leesington ?St.  Balti

                                                                                                                                May 17th ‘67

Gen’ Benj. S. Ewell

     Pres of Wm & Mary College

                Williamsburg, VA

                                                                                                                                                My dear Sir

                                                                                                                                                                Some

time before the War I rec’d an agree-

able letter from you in reply to some

questions I had propounded upon the

matter of our common ancestry.  The let-

ter, with other valuable (?), was left

in my office in {alas?} & destroyed by the

vandals!  But, if my memory serves me,

it  won’t imperfectly realized my copies

{ ? } , in that it failed to go into

particulars.  I am devoting my

leisure to the compiling of a family

history in {Vas?} which is already

the most perfect of the kind in

this country..containing nearly one

hundred & fifty pages of notes..but

I aim to make it a valuable reference

in all time hereafter, and shall not

be satisfied until it is complete in

all its parts.

             Let me tell you what I

know about our family that you may then

more readily supply what I don’t know

of couse I speak now of the Ewells &

Bertrands of whom I know very little.

  As you are aware – my great, great-

grandfather Dr. James {Crank?} married

a dau. of Bertrand Ewell.  Now I

find that this gentleman married Fran-

cis..but what her last name was does

not transpire.  Then I know that Mrs.

Crank had a brother Jesse Ewell, father

 of Dr. James Ewell: and that there was a

Thos. {Winder?} Ewell {?} contemporary with

him, but further about the family

of Ewell & their inter marriages I am en-

tirely ignorant except that Bertrand Ew-

ells’ father Chas. Ewell m. Charlotte

dau. of Jean Bertrand, a minister of the

Church of England and a Huguenot re-

fuge.  I know, too, that a dau. of {this?} Jno

Bertrand was Mary Ann m. a Ball

there was a Wm. Bertrand {?} in

St. Mary’s Parrish Lancaster Co. somewhere be-

tween 1737 & 1756.  I know too that Jean

Bertrand m. (1686) Charlotte Jolly, said to be

dau. of a French Nobleman(!) and I recall

that the Griffins & Wrights are descended from

Wm. Betrand son of Rev. Jno. B.  I know too that Paul Bertrand

bro. of Jno. married & had { ? }, Paul who married and died without

issue about 1755 and this is all I know of the Bertrands & their

intermarriages.  I suppose you can tell me little more but of the

Ewell you have undoubtedly much more information than I have.

       I have a note, too of our connection through my ancestor {Gov?]

{Tasker?} whos dau. Elizabeth m. Christopher {Loudes?} Esq. and their dau.

m. {Levi?} {Grant?} of {Evaden?} P. George Co. and had {?} Christopher {Loudes?} {?}

m {?} Major Benj. Stoddart.  Antoher dau. of Christopher Laundes & Eliza-

beth {Tasker?} m. Major Benj Stoddart (Secretary of Navy) and their dau. m.

{?} father I believe.

                    Pray let me have all you know about

the Ewells from the beginning.  I have an elaborate history of the Bla-

{dens?} & {Taskers?}, which is at your service if you feel interested in such

inquiries.  I am an enthusiast on the subject and find no sym-

pathy in any quarter.  Even my dear Mother, who loves me most ten-

derly takes very little interest in my researches.

                                                                                      Another request &

I am done.  May I beg you to get someone whose time is not so value-

ble as your own to examine the records at Williamsburg..the wills

for the names Forrest & West.  My {?} ancestor Thomas Forrest

came to Jamestown in 1609 and brought his son with him.  His will is

probably on file in your clerk’s office & The Wests are doubtfully there.

I presume they have an index alphabetically arranged of

wills , and what I want is .. the recitals of pedigree contained

in them.  It is a labour of several hours and I am almost a-

shamed to ask you to undergo it even vicariously.

                                                             I am currently

engaged in the practice of law or rather I am faithfully ap-

plying for business.  Thus far..with little encouragement but {?}

desperation..as there is a rift in the cloud just now.  In my hours

of leisure I work leisurely upon a novel I have had in hand for

some time, a historical romance of the 12th and 14th centuries.  It is

christened ‘The {Blad ??  } of Upton’  I reckon if it will see the light.

             Pray direct me to sources of information in the matter

that has formed the burden of this my song and indulge me on this

my acknowledged weakness.  As the present {  ??) {gloomies?} & my fortunes

come the pleasure..the consulation I derive from my telescopic retrospect

{?}   and the most uncharitable  (those who have the shortest

pedigree) can only sympathize my {un  ??} researches..as a {“weakling”??}

{?  ?    ?   } their surprising than a man of sense should derive any

pleasure from {?     ?      ?    ?   }  labourer.

                                                                   Wishing you every

{/}, & the fulfillment of your hopes.  I have the honour {?}

Dear Sir   {?}  great respect

                                          your friend & kinsman

                                                                              Douglas F. Forrest

                                                                                Wicomico House      Dec. 15th 1868

                {Mi? } B. S. Ewell, Georgetown, D. C.

               My Dear Cousin,

                                                                I have received your letter inquiring into

the pedigree of the Stoddert family of Md.

James Stoddert was an immigrant from Scotland and

settled in Maryland about 200 years ago.  He was an

educated man & brought with him some money.  He was

appointed not long after his arrival, surveyor General of

the Colony.  Your Grandfather said to me when speaking

of him, that he was the wisest and best of his family.  His

eldest son, my great grandfather was John Stoddert and a

great acquirer of land & other property.  He left an estate

to each of his five sons & to one of his three daughters.

Married a Miss Susan Greenfield, daughter of {Kenelm?}

Chiseltine Esq. a large land holder of St. Mary’s County, and

granddaughter of Thomas Genard, Lord of Boomley in

Leicestershire, England.  From the date of this marriage

all my family have had added as a baptismal name. Youman

it is said a large property in England was settled by entail

to descend in succession to the heirs in {tail}, conditional he

held the name of Youman.  His eldest son was John Youman

Stoddert, my gd. Father.  He was a member of the House of

Burgesses:- Married Lucy {Herberd?} Smallwood, eldest daughter

                                         2

of Major General Wm. Smallwood of the Maryland line

in the War of independence.  He died young, leaving one

child, my Father, William Youman Stoddert, who was an

x {Burgo?} Major (Major) to his Uncle, and died at the age of

34 from disease caused by hardships of Camp life.  He

married Sally Massey, daughter of the Rev. Lee Massey

of Fairfax County, VA.  The friend & neighbor of Washington & George

Mason, whose sister was the mother of his 34d wife. (Rev. Lee Massey’s 3rd wife)

I am only son & surviving child of this marriage…So much for

my branch of James Stoddert’s descendants.  By a second marriage, he

had a son who was the father of your Grandfather, the late Major

Benj. {?} Stoddert, two daughters, one married to Mr. John {Naw?} of

this county, who afterwards removed to Georgetown & held office as Clerk

in one of the executive departments.  the other sister was married to a

Mr. {Smoot?}.  (probably Sleigh or Slye) Mr. Slye was his sister’s son.

       Your gt. grandfather intermarried with the Marshall

family of this county: an old & prominent, & wealthy family.

I do not recollect the name of your great grandfather & half brother

of my great grandfather.  Thomas killed Ft. {Tunalloway?}.  He was a Captain Major in the British

Army when Md. was a Colony & built the Fort bearing his name

on the Southern Frontier of British  {  ?  } dividing it from

Louisiana, then a Spanish Colony.  Your Grandfather entered into

the service of this State as Captain of Cavalry..near about the time

my Father left the University of PA at 17 years old, to do his part as

                                    3

1st  Lt. of Infantry.  Excuse this crude scrawl & believe

me       Yours sincerely, J. Y. Stoddert.

PS Col. Sir John Stoddert (the friend of Sr. Walter Scott) who so

distinguishes himself under Gen. Willesby (Sir Arthur Willesby)

in the E.  Indies & was knighted way, I am sure of our family.

Later he adds, “ {?} my Stoddert kin”?

                                               2nd Letter

                                                                 Baltimore, Jan 7th 1869

I gratefully acknowledge the receipt of your

grandfather’s likeness.  I could not have had a more

acceptable testimony of your respect & esteem.  His name

is historic, & no worthy man knew him who did not

venerate & honor him.  Few such are now to be found among

our public men.  Your brothers have supported

the honor of our House

Accept my sincere wishes for your health & happiness.

                                  Very truly your kinsman & Friend

                                                           J. Y. Stoddert

These are facts of interest in the above: but the sister of our

Grandfather, who married Mr. {Nau?} was not the daughter of

the British officer Captain Thomas Stoddert: This widow

married again, and she was positively half sister: another father.

The Forbes of Charles County of fashion and high position, and wealth

were his relations.  The 2nd marriage of the widow, { ? } the

children of the 1st marriage: so said Major Benj. Stoddert.

                                          4

   There was sometime in the decade between 1830 & 40, some effort

or stir made, I think in “Va to give something like

gratuity to the descendants of those who has fallen

under Braddock.  Aunt Rebecca then in Va wrote out

a petition in the name of heirs of Captain Thomas

Stoddert, a fact of Christian name, as well known by

Mother and herself, as the name “Christopher”? of

another Grandfather.  They  had heard their Father too often

mention his Father’s name, to mistake it.  {Wm. ??}

who married Miss Stuart, whose Father lived a few

miles from {Stronglonesome?} near Cedar run, South East,

was the agent.  I presume only Virginians were to be {remunerated?}

and he informed her.  I think the Va. Legislature originated it

As to falsehoods of tradition, a slip of the Republican was shown

given to me which professing to be a {?} of some of the past of Georgetown

mentioned the unpretending residence of the 1st  {  ?       ?    ?   ?    }

at full length) as on Bridge Street, South side, near Scotch Lane

and Duck Alley!  I corrected it in a long proof of the

residence as it was, and added other corrections, when it was

said in {   ?   }     “Mrs. Ewell married Dr. Ewell and went directly to his

farm in Va.”?  It was all published same paper: my rebuttals.

 Why say that Tory influence carried GrandFather out of the

{Rev.?} Army?  This would be utterly unworthy a man of his sound

calm judgement, and would injure his memory reputation.

                                                               5

why not, justly attribute it to the wound so severe

     whence the ball was never extracted and

   which, he said, was the cause of at times almost

intense pain in his side, which forced him in

{Bladensburgh?} (Cousin Ben { ? } told me from his

Father’s report) to lie in the room on a sofa leaving the table, and guests at

their wine around it.  Grandmother speaks of this pain

in her letters from Philphia?, as being better or worse

He said the {Tow?   }; were weak, but good.  Would he be influenced

in a point of honor and practice or conduct by them.  As to { ? } most gentlemen

and ladies were that, in Maryland.  They knew too much of the

Socialization to be otherwise in honor and sentiment; but

it did not keep the gentlemen from fighting , {?} to have

more liberty and fewer taxes.  Who { ? } himself in results a more practical Tory

than {Earol?} of Carrolton, or Signer by all his descendants

marrying, when they would { ? } of rank.  Christopher

Loundes?, I think from his business complications in Bladensburgh? ,

was not troubled much at the revolt; but as a gentleman of

family liked his ancestors.  I do not think Grandfather would have

staid a day from Military duty from his influence.  I think

indeed, at would injure him to publish this on surmise.  I always

when necessary to speak or writhe, gave the above severe wound, the retained

ball and the pain which was habitual, thought not constant.  I think

as the cause of the retreat from active service.  He said it would end

his life, he thought, and his sudden death may have been a result.

                                           6

I copied Major J. Stoddert’s letters because I thought

it would worry you to decipher the first one.  I had

great difficulty.  He was the beloved friend of Gen. Pierce

who wanted him in his Cabinet, but was overruled by

advisers, because he was too fond of a  {  ?  }.  He could do just

what he pleased with Gen. Pierce always: and your case

was sure if he asked for you anything.  This I know.

The genealogy letter I sent once to {M. L. Reown?} grandson, who had

a nice marriage, he wrote in {N. Orleans?} in consequence

but, that was written to me by him in early married life.  I do not know how he is now!

Are you not satisfied as to Thomas Stoddert? (As to

getting records, some chief clerk had the impudence ot

tell me “there was no “Ewell”? in revolutionary

military records!”?  He did not understand state records and

U. S. records as being a little less difference, one from the others)

Why would “Land Warrants”? have been given to an officer

who left active service, from change of principle?

Mr. & Mrs. Adams were remarkably fond of him, so Grand-

mother was told in Phila. she writes, and they always gave

proofs to him and to her of this regard..He was too

clever, sound judging, and modest, to say anything in regard of

self, he was not obliged to: and from Mother, so accurate always, and

never asserting a doubtful thing as fact.  I learned much

in our retired Virginia life.