Peyton Townes and Muriel Pearce Family History
Prospect Hill |
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This section includes historical notes and photographs of Prospect Hill, a plantation in Green Springs, Lousia Country, Virginia that was owned early in its history by the Terrell and Overton families. In the 19th Century it was inherited by William Overton and his wife Nancy Giles.
Nancy Giles was the sister of Frances Gwynn Giles, who was William A. Townes's mother and Peyton Townes grandmother. Because of the close ties between the families, Prospect Hill was also a focal point for the Townes family, and William and his children and grandchildren visited there regularly. After William Townes's death in 1942, his wife Louise and son Gwynn lived there for a period.
William and Nancy Overton operated Prospect Hill as a farm. The farm fell on difficult times after the Civil War, and around 1870 was put on the market. Adolphus Townes bought it to keep it in the family, turning it over to Nancy.
William lived at Prospect Hill full time. Nancy and her daughters Frances and Marcy also lived part of the year in Washington DC, where they operated a boarding house.
The Washington house where the Overtons stayed was owned by Gen. Lawrence Hartley, who had served in the Union army and then became a prominent Shakespearean scholar after leaving the military. He was referred to as an uncle of Nancy Giles and became a patron of Nancy and her daughters. The connection was likely through Nancy's grandmother, Frances Ann Gwynn, whose mother was believed to be Ann Hartley.
Marcy and Frances Overton inherited Prospect Hill and eventually lived there full time. Following Marcy Overton's death, it was sold in 1978 and was converted into an upscale bed and breakfast inn.
(In another connection, it is likely that Martha Allen the wife of William's great grandfather John Townes was a member of the Terrell family that established Prospect Hill. Her mother was Elizabeth Terrell, and is linked to Richmond Terrell.)
