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| Opening honors (Clerk office image) |
A light breeze and comfortable temperatures blessed the 200th birthday party for Goochland’s iconic courthouse on September 19.
Clerk of the Goochland Circuit Court, The Hon. Amanda Adams,
welcomed all to the courthouse green for the event, the kickoff for the
county’s 300th anniversary celebration, which will begin next year
and conclude in 2028.
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| The Hon. Amanda Adams welcome. |
The new interactive walking trail around the Courthouse
Green uses QR codes to unlock videos to help visitors discover the people,
places, and stories that shaped Goochland.
A joint Goochland Sheriff’s Office/ Fire-Rescue honor guard
presented the colors. The high school chorus sang the Star-Spangled Banner and Trail
Life Troop: VA2019 lead the Pledge of Allegiance, a traditional opening to civic
events on the green. The invocation was offered by the Rev. Emily Dunevant and benediction
by the Rev. Adlai Allen.
The festive atmosphere harkened back to days when the green
was a community gathering place. People visited booths set up around the green
by local organizations. Important speeches were punctuated by the happy chatter
of young children frolicking. Not that long ago, local children played on the green
and walked along the top of its brick wall.
Robin Lind, President of the Goochland Historical Society,
welcomed many dignitaries including Adams, former county sheriff James L. Agnew;
current sheriff Steven Creasey; the Hon. Dale Agnew, former clerk of court;
current District Court Judge Claiborne H. Stokes, Jr; former District court
Judge Edward Carpenter; Juvenile and Domestic Court Judge Deborah Tinsley; the
Hon. Teresa Dobbins, Powhatan Circuit Court clerk; current and former county supervisors;
and Pam Johnson former Goochland Treasurer
and Chair of the Electoral Board.
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| Robin Lind, President of the Goochland Historical Society |
Lind put the time that ground was broken for the courthouse
into historical perspective.
By September of 1826 America was a sovereign nation. Though
many of its citizens were born well after independence from Great Britain was
declared in 1776 and secured by years of war, they cherished the rule of law. Eleven
weeks earlier, both Goochland native son Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, who
birthed our nation, died on July 4, 1776.
Setting the cornerstone of the courthouse, a building
dedicated to justice, was “a physical manifestation of dedication to an ideal,
of which we have striven to keep in place every day,” said Lind of the rule of
law. This was not Goochland’s first courthouse. The exact location of its
predecessors remains elusive.
Former Goochland County Attorney, Darvin Satterwhite, who
practiced law in the county for decades, began his remarks with a quote from
comedian the late George Carlin, who once quipped that posting the Ten
Commandments in a courthouse, which he contended were frequented by lawyers,
judges, and politicians would create a hostile work environment.
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| Darvin Satterwhite |
Satterwhite contended that Carlin might have changed his opinion
if he knew about Goochland Courthouse.
“How could he not be impressed by its rich history.” In 1826
John Quincy Adams was president, The Last of the Mohicans was published.
Dabney Cosby, the architect for the courthouse, worked with noted builder Valentine
Parrish. Cosby had worked for Jefferson on buildings at the University of
Virginia. As a result, he was very fond of the Roman Revival style reflected in
the beautiful, majestic columns on the front of the courthouse. The brick wall
around green was built in 1840 to deal with complaints by jurors about the
sounds of cows mooing outside as they deliberated. The old clerk’s office was built
in 1847. What is now known as The James Klopton Knibb building in 1906.
The exterior of the courthouse remained unchanged until 1954
when renovations were made to expand and renovate judge’s chambers by local
builder S. Stuart Haden. The public safety and district court additions came in
1983. The Civil War monument was placed on the green in 1918 to be joined in
1998 by the Veterans’ Monument, erected by American Legion Post 215 as a
tribute to the sacrifice of all American Veterans for all the wars in which
we’ve been involved.
“A courthouse is made of more than brick and mortar. It’s
made of the men and women who serve in the facilities to provide the kind of
civic services that make not just society but a place where people can live and
thrive,” he said.
Satterwhite reflected on the people he encountered during
his legal career. “I worked with and against some fine attorneys but there was
one that epitomizes the integrity and professionalism of what a true attorney
should be. As a young lawyer I needed guidance and advice. Mr. Knibb was always
there to show you the way. Although he was legally blind, he practiced law with
vigor and zeal that few attorneys can match. Above all, he was a kind man, he cared
for and loved people. For so many years he walked through the doors of this courthouse
serving the people of Goochland as their Commonwealth’s Attorney. He was the
perfect picture of a southern gentleman and model of someone who we should all
strive to be.
Satterwhite singled out two of the justices that he appeared
before, F. Ward Harkrader, Jr. and Timothy K. Sanner, as some of the finest
judges in the Commonwealth “What a blessing they have been to the citizens and attorneys.
We also need to be grateful for the circuit court clerks who have faithfully
served the citizens, Louis “Doc” Parrish, Lee Turner, Dale Agnew, and Amanda Adams.”
Satterwhite listed current and past judges and clerks of
General District and Juvenile and Domestic Relations courts, and Commonwealth’s
Attorneys. He also commended the elected
officials who guided Goochland to preserve a special bend of rural character.
Many of these dedicated leaders have passed on leaving their stamp on the
county.
“We couldn’t enjoy the peace and safety we have in this
county without the dedicated service of our sheriffs.”
Satterwhite said that those people, and many more, are the
bricks that make up Goochland Courthouse, and we should be grateful for the blessing
of their dedicated service.
Reenactor Gerald Notare gave a stirring rendition of Patrick
Henry’s “Give me liberty” speech.
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| "Patrick Henry" (Clerk Office image) |
Suzanne Taylor, a teacher at Randolph Elementary School, explained how an innovative “time travel” curriculum brings Goochland history alive for fourth graders. She explained that Goochland was named for royal governor William Gooch, who never set foot in the county. The county was split off from Henrico in 1727 to accommodate westward growth.
Mining for coal, gold, and currently quartz has long been a
staple of Goochland’s economy. The Kanawha canal, which paralleled the James
River, was used for transportation eventually to be replaced by the railroad,
whose route follows the canal towpath.
An exhibit showcased Time Travel materials.
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| Bringing Goochland History alive for fourth graders |
A commemorative brick to mark the occasion was dedicated.
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| (ltr) "Patrick Henry", Amanda Adams, Sheriff Steven Creasey, District Court Clerk Jen Liptak, District Court Judge Claiborne H. Stokes, Jr., District 5 Supervisor Jonathan Lyle, District 3 Supervisor Tom Winfree, Commonwealth's Attorney John Lumpkins, Jr., District 1 Supervisor Jonathan Christy (Clerk Office Image) |
Former Sheriff James L. Agnew shared sanitized versions of some
sensational cases he dealt with during his tenure in office. “Goochland juries
do the right thing,” he said of the outcomes of those trials.
Agnew believes that the Goochland Courthouse Green is one of,
if not the most, beautiful in the Commonwealth and the nation.
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| Former Sheriff James L. Agnew |
Agnew categorized people who appear at the courthouse: those who make mistakes; those who are unable to reform their bad habits; and those who are truly evil.
“People come here, “said Agnew gesturing to the Courthouse,
“for chancery cases, divorce cases, land disputes, and civil suits of more than
$10,000. They come here to get their problems redressed.”
He recalled a dispute between a man and the bank that held
his mortgage, which resulted in the Sheriff’s office being ordered to evict him
and the unhappy homeowner holding a demonstration with a brass band.
“There are evil, nasty, and predatory people out there and
we need to deal with them,” said Agnew.
Perhaps the most famous murder case in Goochland happened in
1917 and involved brothers that began with a civil suit and ended when pieces
of one brother’s body were unearthed by a local dog. The surviving brother was
sentenced to prison. Fourteen years later, the majority of jurors that
convicted him asked the governor to pardon him.
The building itself is beautiful, but it has some issues
that cannot be fixed. In the next few years, it will be replaced and this will
be used for ceremonial purposes, said Agnew. It is very hard to maintain
security for the kind of people who appear in court here. “This building is not
suitable for modern trials.”
“This place is rich in history, and we are lucky to have
it,” said Agnew.
Adams thanked Lind for being the day’s master of ceremonies,
“and reminding us of everything that happened in 1826.” She also thanked
partners including American Legion Post 215; Daughters of the American Revolution:
Goochland County, Parks and Rec, General Services; Grace Church; Goochland
Fire-Rescue; the Sheriff’s Office; the school division including the high
school chorus, culinary arts department for the wonderful event themed cookies,
and elementary schools; Goochland Historical Society; Goochland’s DeWitt
Clinton Masonic Lodge; Goochland Rotary Club; the Library of Virginia; and Goochland
250.
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| Celebratory cookies (Clerk Office image) |
She singled out for, special thanks, her office; Jessica
Kronberg and Paul Drumwright of county staff; Angelia Miller and Tom Cocke of
Parks & Rec.; and James Richmond for the display in the old clerk’s office.
It was a glorious day to honor our courthouse and its role
in county history. Thank you, Madame Clerk, for making it a day to remember and
carrying on the legacy of your predecessors!
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