The Intriguing Indian Banks

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On remarkably beautiful land, surrounded by ancient trees and boxwood walks, stands one of the oldest homes in Vir-ginia and a stunning example of colonial-era estates at their finest. Surrounded on three sides by water — the Rappahannock River, Lancaster and Morratico creeks, Indian Banks is a manor abounding in beauty. With a history of epic proportions, the home has withstood native attacks, every American War since the Revolution, tales of murder, hidden secrets and seen the abiding love of family.

Although some questions surround the actual date the home was built, earliest records indicate that Indian Banks was built in 1699, a claim bolstered by inscribed bricks — cut with that year and placed under a window beside the front door facing the river. It is the ancestral home of the Glascocks, wealthy tobacco farmers who rubbed shoulders with nearly every important American founding father, including George Washington, the Lee family, Abraham Lincoln, and Thomas Jefferson, to name just a few. The history of the land on which Indian Banks was built, however, goes back even further, to when Captain John Smith first charted the waters of the Rappahannock River looking for trade routes.

Indian Banks sits upon what was once the principal village of one of the Powhatan Tribes, the Moraughtacund Indians. Smith twice visited the tribe in 1608 during his second exploratory voyage, noting the location on his map and including that it was a permanent “Indian King’s” village. The archeological importance of the site is renowned, with recovered artifacts including a tomahawk, arrowheads, deer-skinning knives, part of an Indian pipe, and moccasin molds.

In the mid-1600s, the region was being divided into large tracts, as settlers loyal to Charles II were granted the Northern Neck territory. The land quickly became a source of power, with huge holdings and vast wealth being accrued, mainly in tobacco farming. Plantations quickly replaced hundreds of small Indian villages, and within just a few decades, the area was unrecognizable from Smith’s era. It was a golden age for the region, from farming to trade, those lucky founding families soon became the shapers of the new world as they flourished in their new, fertile lands.

In 1643, Thomas Glascock came to Virginia with his wife, Jane, and their two sons. In 1652, he was granted rights to the Indian Banks land, and in 1699, the manor home was erected. At a time when most homes were smaller dwellings, Indian Banks was built in the tradition of the grand river estates. Dark red and bright green glazed bricks “shimmered” alongside each other. A projected belt course between floors was adorned with decoration. Between the two, tall interior end chimneys, the home is a mixture of Jacobean and Georgian architecture, with a dash of medieval style added by the L-shaped rear wing and hipped roof.

The lumber used in the construction was white oak and over the riverfront entrance are bricks molded in a wavy pattern known as a Scrolled Soffit or Jack Arch. The rare design is one of only two known examples in Virginia. Uniquely, beneath one window is a brickbearing the initials “GW” with a Masonic symbol, perhaps the work of George Washington, whose cousin, Esther Ball, married Captain Thomas Glascock in 1728. Washington is rumored to have stayed at Indian Banks while he courted Lucy Grimes, who instead married Henry Lee, becoming the grandmother of Robert E. Lee.

The lower exterior walls are 26 inches thick on the ground floor, and 18 inches thick at the upper levels. The floors are wide planks, and the woodwork is paneled in mantles, doors, and gorgeous deep built-in window seats. The hinges, locks, and many other features are decorative at Indian Banks, and an interior curved chimney in the main living room adds more stately charm. The rooms are ample and gracious, but lack the pretension of many of that period’s homes, instead embracing warmth and coziness. Although the home has seven fireplaces, one specifically has become the object of fascination and study.

The beautiful living room fireplace has a large space unaccounted for, and according to legend hides the entrance to an escape tunnel which leads out to the Rappahannock River — used perhaps as a means to flee Indian attacks. Including the living room, the main floor plan includes the front entrance, a library, large kitchen wing with a screened porch, and a spacious dining room. Upstairs are three bedrooms and two bathrooms. Numerous outbuildings at Indian Banks include a turn-of-the-century livestock and hay barn, an early nineteenth-century building which was used as a granary, a late nineteenth-century stable and a carriage shed. There is also a more recent garage with a workshop and apartment above, as well as a guest cottage. Perhaps the views from the home are the most astounding, with the breathtaking Rappahannock and confluent creeks offering an unadulterated vision from nearly every window, enhanced by the towering trees and verdant gardens.

While the home is stunning and bright, there is, alas, a darker side to Indian Banks’ history. In 1723, a murder at the residence shocked the region, causing fury and a following trial the likes of which had not been seen at that time. In November of that year, respected Northern Neck surgeon Dr. William Forrester had made a house call to the Glascock residence, and while the reason for the call has been left to speculation, what occurred after was not. Records show that Thomas Glascock, grandson of the initial Glascock immigrant and a respected member of the community, stabbed Dr. Forrester to death. Thomas and his son, Gregory, fled the scene, traveling by boat from Farnham Creek out to the Chesapeake Bay, heading south. A widespread search was conducted, with no immediate results, and a warrant and reward for capture was issued by the Governor of Virginia:

“... after one Thomas Glascock of Richmond County in Virginia, Planter, for having barbarously murdered William Forrester of the same County, Surgeon, by secretly stabbing him with a Knife, as he entered the House of said Glascock to which he was invited in the Business of his Profession, and of which wound would he instantly died...there is promised a Reward of Forty Pounds Sterling, to any Person or persons who shall apprehend and secure the said Thomas Glascock so as he be brought to Justice. He is a Man of middle stature, about 50 years of Age, well set, his Face bloated, of a pale Complexion, and much Wrinckled, his Hair dark coloured and almost streight, his Eyebrows large and a more than usual winking with his Eyes, his Beard growing in Patches and of a grayish hue, his Legs large and swelled with the Dropsie, his Garb uncertain, having taken several Suits of Cloths with him. Also, he carried with him his son, Gregory Glascock, about 21 Years of age, a lusty Wellset Fellow, with streight brown Hair, a swarthy Complexion and pretty much Freckled. It is also earnestly recommended to all Persons...who shall see or hear of the said Glascock, that they use their utmost endeavour to apprehend and secure him, that so notorous a Criminal may be brought to Justice.”

Nearly a month after the murder, Gregory returned, claiming no knowledge of the whereabouts of his father, and no motive for the crime. A trial was held, and Gregory was charged as an accessory to murder; however, without his father there for conviction, the case was dropped, and Gregory was released. Thomas was never heard from again, although some rumors exist of his having fled to the Carolinas to start a new life. His wife, Sarah, was left alone to raise their six children. She died two years later, followed by her daughter, Elizabeth, and son, Thomas. Although Indian Banks and all of its land was forfeited to Colonel Robert “King” Carter, of Corrotoman, he decreed in his will that the land be deeded back to the Glascock descendants, should his heirs deem it to be reasonable, and that is just what happened.

Through sheer determination to overcome their history, the Glascocks of Virginia went on to become patriots of the Revolutionary War and productive citizens of the Northern Neck. They served as local leaders and also stood by the likes of Patrick Henry, George Mason and Thomas Jefferson on May 17, 1769, during the Virginia Assembly adopting the ‘Nonimportation Resolutions,’ addressing English tyranny and restricting the import of British goods.

Indian Banks remained in the Glascock family until 1822, when it was sold, along with 342 acres, to Thomas Dobyns. The present owners, Sandy and Dean

Garretson, bought the house in 2004 and fell in love with both its history and its beauty. They were determined to not only preserve it, but also to restore what had fallen into disrepair. The previous owners, James and Connie Durham, replaced the old, crumbling brick basement with cinderblock, and the Garretsons personally dug a two-foot trench around the entire foundation to remedy leaky water. The Garretsons also extensively renovated the overseer’s house, which according to historical documents, predates the 1699 Indian Banks house. Ballast found on the property was used to construct new entrance steps to the stately manor.

“We fell in love with Indian Banks instantly, our kids fell in love with it instantly, and we have been proud to have been its keepers,” Sandy Garretson said.

Indian Banks has withstood the tests of time, and without a doubt, its beauty grows with each passing year. Time seemingly slows down once you cross the land’s threshold. It is a place deeply rooted in American history, its foundation built with hard work, love, and the dedication to overcome even the darkest obstacles. Indian Banks is more than just a home; it is an icon of perseverance.

The House and Home Magazine extends its sincere appreciation to the Garretsons and the Richmond County Museum for their gracious help in the research of this article.