Author Archives: Scott

Great Grandparent Richard W. Robertson

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I found this family history site, which includes individual pages on great-grandparents. One of those is on Richard W. Robertson, who lived at 302 Laurel Street.

Here is an excerpt:

A death certificate shows that Richard W. Robertson died at age 87, on October 16, 1918, while at Grace Hospital in Richmond. The certificate shows that he was born in July 1831, in Virginia. His father was listed as Alex Robertson and his mother as Sallie Williams, both born in Virginia.
At death, he lived at 302 Laurel St., Richmond. Apparently, from the certificate, the cause of death was an injury from a street accident involving a car. Whether he was a pedestrian, hit by a car, or a car’s occupant during the accident is unclear. The certificate informant was C. H.
Robertson, one of Richard’s sons, who lived at 2218 Hanover Dr. Richard W. was buried at Hollywood Cemetery. The death certificate information is very consistent with other information provided here, in my family history.

The 302 Laurel Street address, which is very near the Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, was almost certainly the address of Mary A. Owen, Richard and Mary Robertson’s daughter. From the 1860s until Richard and Mary’s death, one pattern that emerges is the frequent changes in their addresses. This, along with the fact that they were living with their daughter at the time of death and that they are buried at Hollywood Cemetery without head stone markers, is consistent with the conclusion that Richard and Mary were likely very poor much of the time. Frequent
moving suggests they always rented their residences, and did not have a lot of stability in their living arrangements. And, having no head stone at their burial site, which was known at Hollywood Cemetery in the late 1800s, very early 1900s, to mean a lack of funds for purchasing one, also suggests the Robertsons were poor.

Richard and Mary Robertson is just one example of finding throughout my family ancestral history, from the 1860s into the 1900s, many poor economic situations. And, I believe, because these families were all southern families that their poor economic status was in large measure a
consequence of the Civil War.

New Overlooks For Hollywood Cemetery

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The Times Dispatch has news of three new overlook river viewing areas planned for Hollywood Cemetery.

Excerpt from article:

“It’s going to be a beautiful spot where you can really come and sit and enjoy the spectacular view,” said Kelly Jones Wilbanks, the executive director of Friends of Hollywood Cemetery.
She said construction of the first overlook is scheduled to begin with a groundbreaking Friday, and work should be complete this spring.
The structure will include landscaping and “ample seating,” she said. It’s being designed by Van Yahres Studio of BCWH Architects.

ABC Notice for Altria Theater

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From notice, as published in the Times Dispatch:

SMG Food and Beverage, LLC d/b/a Savor trading as Altria Theater, 6 N. Laurel St., Richmond, Virginia 23220 is applying to the VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL (ABC) for a Wine & Beer On Premises; Annual Mixed Beverage Performing Arts Facility license to sell or manufacture alcoholic beverages. Harold L. Westley, President and CEO. NOTE: Objections to the issuance of this license must be submitted to ABC no later than 30 days from the publishing date of the first of two required newspaper legal notices. Objections should be registered at www.abc.virginia.gov or 800-552-3200.

Library Book Sale This Weekend

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Friends of the Richmond Public Library will be holding a book sale this weekend at the Main branch, also coinciding with First Friday celebrations.
From the announcement:

Give in to your book buying addiction and attend the Friends’ Fall Book Sale. The sale will offer thousands of great hardbacks at $2, paperbacks, large print and children’s books at 50 cents, DVDs and CDs at $1, and cassettes at 25 cents. There are collectible books at a fraction of the going internet prices available in the Special Collections Room on Friday and Saturday.

The sale is open to the public:
Friday, November 5 from 12 noon – 5 p.m. and 7 – 9 p.m.
Saturday, November 6 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Monday, November 8 from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

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Public Masturbation Reported

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VCU Commonwealth Times newspaper is reporting that there have been repeated complaints about a public masturbator on the 195 overpass bridge on S. Laurel Street.

Excerpt:

On Oct. 28 at 9:30 p.m., junior advertising major Meredith Berger was walking to the library from her home in Oregon Hill when she was warned of a man publicly masturbating on the South Laurel St. Bridge.

“I was about to cross the bridge that is on Laurel going over the highway in Oregon Hill and was stopped by this girl,” Berger said. “She told me I should cross the street because there was this guy publicly masturbating.”

According to Berger, the young woman who stopped her seemed disturbed by the incident.

“She was really upset by this and she was really very adamant that I be on the other side of the street and not deal with him,” Berger said. “She was really nice though and made a lot of effort to stop me.”

Both Berger and her roommate, junior interior design major Noshin Faruque, described this man as African American, medium build and medium height in his late 30s to early 40s.

Faruque said she has come across this suspect five times.

It’s Almost Halloween!

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The 10th Annual Halloween Parade is around the corner, October 31st on Halloween Proper, 7pm, from the Southwest corner of Monroe Park, we will gather for A Funeral March for Individual and Collective Depression!

We confront the imbalance within ourselves both solitary and as a lattice of individuals as we strive to be a reflection of our purist intention….while having fun! We will look at our relationship with nature, and with massive puppets we will come together to celebrate community and spontaneity All the Saints-style with ruckus and puppets in the streets of Oregon Hill. Our Halloween parade is an ancient form of huge pageant style puppetry with the Dixieland tribute to modern day New Orleans style funeral marches. We are blessed to have a community that welcomes such wildness because wildness is necessary!

Join us for 10 years of All the Saints’ Halloween Parade, this years parade will include members from NoBS Brass Band, stilt walkers, Zombie String Band, 15foot saints style matroyshka-madonnas, 5 person buffallos, moose, a celestial tribute party, honoring the moon and the stars as well as mother earth, celebrating migration with tribute refugee puppets. “We will use our bones and blood to end your fracking flood” no pipeline boat will join us to speak up on behalf of mama earth. And of course we will have zombies, gouls, pumpkins, and whatever costume you show up in! This parade relies on your participation, so show up ready to carry puppets, dressed and willing for to do just about anything for Halloween fun!

This year’s parade theme was the outcome of grief and reflection in honoring the tragic and true death of All the Saints member and friend, Cayman Mooney. We will memorialize Cayman with a huge puppet of him with his accordion, and if you knew and played music with him please join us in marching with his puppet in remembrance, to celebrate his life and learn camaraderie and compassion from his death. I believe depression is caused by an imbalance between nature and true-selves, lets slow life down and remember Old World Traditions, and go Basic. Stars, Moon, and Sun. On All Hallows Eve when the walls between us and the spirit world are most translucent we welcome Cayman and all that we have lost. In remembering Cayman, I think of his music. Let us play music everyday, and seize opportunities to be wild, make love, and be joyous and kind! Congrats to us all on 10 years of Richmond’s Halloween Parade!

Thank you all,
Lily Lamberta
All the Saints Theater Company

We can’t wait to see you all in continuing this community tradition!

Dress up and parade with us!

Because it’s Saturday night and its the 10th anniversary, Oregon Hill residents should expect major crowds and traffic for this event. Still, hopefully there will be time and room for children’s trick-or-treating beforehand.

I know the new David will be watching the festivities..

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