NEWELL Drucilla C.

1844 - 1907  (63 years)

• Name	NEWELL Drucilla C.  [1]
  Birth	29 Jul 1844	Prince George County, VA   [1]
  Gender	Female
  Death	11 Sep 1907  [1]
  Notes	Only Child "In 1844 my maternal grandmother was born to Sallie and Thomas Newell, in Prince George County, Va. Drucilla C. Newell was their only child, and according to my mother, Corralesia, Drucilla's youngest child, her mother often told her of her lovely childhood. She alleged that she was educated by a tutor, traveled in a coach with a driver escort, clothes made by a special seamstress, with imported materials. Most little girls enjoy such fantasy, but with my mother it was for real, she believed every word, and was greatly impressed by all of her mother's teaching, and related many to me as long as she lived. Such fondness inspired me to select my Grandmother Drucilla as one of the most interesting personalities of our heritage to attach to the family geneology for life style of the times." Drucilla lost her father by the time she was 6 years of age, leaving most of her rearing to her mother, Sallie, who was quite well off, owning many acres of land from now Fort Lee to Prince George Newville, enabling her to give her daughter a most cultural and gracious lifestyle. My grandmother Drucilla was 40 year old and grandaddy was 66 years of age when my mother was born. Three years later they had a daughter Minnie, who lived only 3 months. My mother often told me she remembered her father only as an old man with a long white beard. His activity was limited to walking, usually a couple miles to the country store known as "Sam Barhams". It is still operating by Sam's grandson. Grandaddy would often take my mother with him, as she had no children to play with. While Grandaddy was at the store, he would buy himself a 5 cent jigger of whiskey from a wooden keg. According to my mother, enroute home her Dad would be quite talkative, especially bragging about how rich he was, always with the same remarks "Billy Hatch richest man in Prince George County". This disturbed my mother, for the next morning her Daddy would be just as quiet and poor as ever. Upon arrival home from the store he would ask "Tootlum",(his nick-name for my mother) to help pull his boots off, he would hold on to the mantle and do a jig on fireplace hearth before early retirement. My younger brother "Tommy" affectionately called our mother "Tootlum" daughter of Billy Hatch, richest man in Prince George, "By Golly", always asking "Tootlum" if she really didn't think her Dad, Billy Hatch, didn't have more than one drink when at the store. My mother, known to all as Corrie, enjoyed with great fondest reminiscing about her parents, especially her mother, who through necessity assumed complete responsibility of rearing their large family. My mother could never understand how Grandmother always had time to help her neighbors and anyone in need, always with a smile of loving kindness. Yet in times of distress, she was fearless. She often told my mother during the war she kept everything under lock and key- when visited by Yankee soldiers attempting to break in smokehouse for meat, the hennery and other food storage places, she would hold them at gunpoint and offer to share and cook whatever she had, but if they broke a lock, she, with her slaves who remained with her, would shoot. She was fortunate as she was never harmed. The homeplace that Drucilla maintained during the Civil War was located in a very remote part of Prince George County. The nearest neighbor was about a mile away. This distance intensified the excellent relationship in a common cause for survival in this community. Every effort was made to protect their homes, family, and life style. Southerners had lost everything they ever accumulated to earn their freedom and failed. The young men were killed, starved, or died from diseases; therefore, it seemed no means of recovery for the south, but never underestimate a southerner's Pride or Power! Grandmother Hatch contended the reconstruction years that followed the Civil War were by far the hardest times that the South ever endured. She should know--she lived all twenty years of them. Some northern politicians insisted the South should be punished for receding --devoured if possible! Lincoln, our President at the time, had plans for a two year rehabilitation program, but northern politicians were too greedy, cruel and jealous, to accept any parts of such a speedy recovery. Such revenge prolonged the suffering, often starvation, for over twenty years. A group of northerners known as Scalaways, always followed the Yankee soldiers once the war was over for the sole purpose of taking over anything that was left. Another group of dishonest Yankee politicians known as Carpetbaggers also intruded the south in a most ruthless manner. Replacing all the southern leaders with incompetent and displaced people of their own choice. This left the southerners without any authority or protection, just too intolerable to be endured after so many years. Once again these Yankees had underestimated the southerners' values and love for one another. The greater the trials and tribulation became, the closer the southerners were drawn together. This "Togetherness" by necessity taught the communities in the south to share everything, look after every need for one another. In my Grandmother's community she was greatly admired for remaining calm and patient regardless of whatever the tension was. Many years later, I took my mother back to her childhood neighborhood to visit her relatives and friends with whom she grew up. Many years had passed, but Drucilla was still praised as one of the most courageous, loving and helpful person whom they ever knew. Recalling she never faltered whenever or where-ever she was needed -- walking miles in the night when necessary to help someone in distress, returning home in time to prepare a basket of food for any needed. This kind of reminiscing of adoration among those who knew her best was most assuring to my mother, who had immortalized her mother as long as I could recall. Drucilla survived the torture of war and years of reconstruction; she had to believe to have given so much of herself to revive what she loved so dearly. Her compassion gave her one hope: That our country would never be divided against itself again, because it left wounds such as hatred, hardships, and grief that took years to heal. Drucilla joined her husband Billy Hatch in death in 1907. She was buried by his side in Aspen, the family cemetery, just off Route 460 between Waverly and Disputanta From Debbie Cruppenink : Drucilla's mother Sarah, left 250 acres in her will to Billy Hatch and it did not say anything about any monies. Have you heard about the story of Billy giving land to Ft. Lee and that there is a plaque in the ground at one of the gates? I have walked around at the two back gates and didn't see anything, do you know if this story is true? [1]
  Person ID	I9728	Booth Family
  Last Modified	22 Aug 2013

  
  

  Father	NEWELL Thomas   d. 1850
  Mother	NEWELL Sallie --LNU--   d. Yes, date unknown
  Family ID	F3241	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family 1	HATCH William Nicholas,   b. 8 Feb 1818, City Point, Hopewell (city), Virginia, USA d. 28 Mar 1903 (Age 85 years)
  Marriage	8 Jul 1863  [1]
  Children	1. HATCH Corralesia,   b. 11 Jun 1884, Prince George County, VA d. 24 Aug 1961 (Age 77 years)   2. HATCH John P.,   b. 16 Aug 1864, Prince Edward County, Va d. 20 Jul 1865 (Age 0 years)   3. HATCH William Thomas,   b. 4 Apr 1867   d. 28 Nov 1890 (Age 23 years)   4. HATCH Victoria Mason,   b. 24 May 1869   d. Yes, date unknown   5. HATCH Edward P.,   b. 22 Nov 1871   d. 20 Nov 1896 (Age 24 years)   6. HATCH Chester N., Sr.,   b. 19 Jan 1873   d. 12 May 1952 (Age 79 years)   7. HATCH Drucilla C.,   b. 23 Sep 1874   d. Yes, date unknown   8. HATCH David Levy,   b. 11 Jan 1877   d. 21 Oct 1945 (Age 68 years)   9. HATCH Anna Bell,   b. 18 Aug 1879   d. Yes, date unknown   10. HATCH James H.,   b. 27 Feb 1882   d. Yes, date unknown   11. HATCH Minnie,   b. 5 Jun 1887   d. 21 Aug 1887 (Age 0 years)
  Family ID	F3237	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	11 Mar 2010

  
  

  Family 2	MOORE John W.   d. Civil War
  Marriage	27 Jul 1859  [1]
  	On July 27, 1859, Drucilla, at the age of 15 married John W. Moore, in the home of C. H. Scarborough, by Rev. R. W. Berryman
  Children	1. MOORE Martha,   b. 11 Nov 1861, Prince George County, VA d. Yes, date unknown
  Family ID	F3238	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	11 Mar 2010

  
  

• Event Map

  Birth - 29 Jul 1844 - Prince George County, VA  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Sources

  [S1093] Ruby Westbrook Schultz, Ruby Westbrook Schultz (Reliability: 3).