330 



AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 



September, 1907 



son, who has many later deeds, Including those to 

 Nathaniel Harrison dated 1698, 1720, 1724 

 and 1725. 



The date of Captain Martin's death is un- 

 known, but at least he was living in 1626-1627; 

 his grave, which is doubtless at Brandon, is un- 

 known and unmarked. The connection between 

 Martin and the Harrisons is not clear. An En- 

 sign Harrison, who was probably Harmon Har- 

 rison, came to Virginia in 1608, and was com- 

 plained of, together with Captain Martin, before 

 the First Assembly in 1619. It is possible there 

 was a relationship between the two men, but it 

 is at least certain that Brandon, with its ten thou- 

 sand acres, passed into the Harrison family, and 

 became completely identified with it, for at a very 

 early time it became their ancestral home. 



The earliest buildings on the plantation were 

 long since swept away to make room for the pres- 

 ent stately mansion, commenced, doubtless, by 

 Colonel Nathaniel Harrison about the middle of 

 the eighteenth century; it was completed by his 

 son, of the same name. It is thoroughly typical 

 of the old Colonial architecture of Virginia, being 

 built of brick, with two wings. The latter are 

 earlier than the center, the brick being laid in 

 Flemish bond, the northern wing having black 

 headers. The house is built on a high bluff and 

 is about six hundred feet back from the river. A 

 landing at the water's edge abuts against a path 

 by which the main entrance is reached. A great 

 central hall, completely wainscoted, fills the cen- 

 ter of the house. Its depth is broken by a triple 

 arch, supported on Ionic columns, beneath one 

 of which rises the stairway that leads to the 

 billiard-room, which is directly over the hall. 



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