Landon CABELL

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  General Notes:

Landon Cabell [3450.4.2.2.4] studied at Hampden-Sydney College (1778 — 80) and the College of William and Mary (1780 — 81). The British interrupted his education when they occupied the area around Williamsburg. Cabell reentered William and Mary in 1783 and remained there until May 1785. Landon was a remarkable man yet restless. He was a justice of the peace in Amherst County and Nelson Counties and a sheriff (1815 — 16) in the latter. He married Judith Scott Rose <860.htm> [860.7.8.1], the daughter of Col. Hugh Rose and his wife, Caroline Matilda Jordan.

Landon Cabell was born prior to February 21, 1765. From May 1772 to 1777, he was going to the same schools with his brother William (the sketch of whom see). From 1777 to 1778, he remained at Union Hill under the tuition of the Rev. Robert Buchan; from July 30, 1778 to 1780, he was at Hampden Sidney Academy; and at Wil­liam and Mary College from March 1780, to May 1781, when the exercises at the college were suspended on ac­count of the occupation of that part of the State by the enemy. While at college, he became a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society. It is traditional that he served at Yorktown in the college company attached to his Uncle Joe's regiment of militia. "Jan'y 25th, 1782. Landon set off on his way to Gen­eral Watts to be inoculated." "Feby 26th 1782. Landon returned from Mr. Watts in Prince Edward, where he had been twice in order to get inoculated, by Dr. Rose, who disappointed him by going Southward." "Feb'y 28th. Landon went to Col. Coles for his sister Paulina." (Col. William Cabell's Diary.) Landon had re-entered William and Mary College in 1783, where he continued until May 1785. "Decr. 17th 1785. Landon set off on his way to Dr. Thomas Walker's where he intends to stay some time studying the law with his son Francis."

"May 5th, 1786, my son Landon set off on his way to North Carolina, in order to practice the law. I gave him £250 cash, a pair of fine horses, a negro servant, and every other necessary of clothing, etc, etc." He was involved in an affair of the heart at the time; he was restless, and did not remain in North Carolina, but soon returned home. On August 31, 1786, his father made this entry in his diary: "Landon Cabell set off on his way to Camden, South Caro­lina." He was still restless. The affair was with a "Miss C.," of whom he always writes in the most affectionate way; but her full name does not appear in any of his let­ters, and I have no idea who she was. The affair did not run smoothly; but whether this was owing to the opposi­tion of herself, or her family, or his family, does not ap­pear. It is only evident that there was some difficulty in the way, and that this fact so preyed upon his mind as to make him resolve to seek relief in absence and obscurity. From August 31, 1786, his whereabouts was entirely un­known to his family and friends until May 1792, when, it after searching the wide world over," he was found by Mr. Myers, living in obscurity, as a clerk in a lawyer's of­fice, in Kingston, Jamaica. His brother William wrote to him at once, urging him to return home, to which letter he replied on September 2, 1792, declining to come. In De­cember following, his father wrote to him commanding him to come home, and he came; but he continued to lead a retired life until his death.

"Oct 28th 1793, gave my son Landon my Nassau Plan­tation." He had arrived at home only a few months before this. He married, in 1794, his cousin, Miss Judith Scott Rose. He lived first at "Spring Hill" (now known as "Montezuma"), until he removed to his Nassau Planta­tion (which his father had bought from the first Dutch settlers), then called "Job's Valley," now "Huntley." He afterwards sold this plantation to his brother-in-law, Rob­ert Rives, and lived for a time in Lynchburg, and finally on his wife's estate, "Rose Hall," in Amherst County, where he died in January 1834, and is buried. June 1, 1804, he was one of the three commissioners appointed by Gov. John Page to supervise the election of presidential electors in Amherst County.

There is a brief sketch of him in "Sketches and Recol­lections of Lynchburg," pp. 217, 218.Another, not of his name, who knew him long and well thus wrote of him: "Landon Cabell was one of the noblest men we ever boasted of in Virginia. He was a man both of brilliant genius and high cultivation, particularly excelling in the art of conversation. He was offered a place in his cabinet by President Madison, to whom he was allied by marriage, [his wife's brother, who was his first cousin, married Madi­son's sister], but he declined this, as he did many offices of distinction in his State. He spent the life of a hermit, charming all who enjoyed his hospitality with his elegant manners and instructive conversation."

Landon married Judith Scott ROSE.