Mount Josiah is the plantation that was once owned by Isobel Dunsany. It is located up the James River from Richmond, Virginia.
History
In the autumn of 1768, in the wake of Isobel's passing, her husband Lord John Grey chose to travel to the property with his stepson, William Ransom. Isobel had bequeathed the estate to William, and upon her death Lord John received inquiries from the factor of the plantation, requesting direction as to how the estate should be managed. As William's legal guardian, Lord John thought it best to inspect the property in person before deciding what to do about it.[1]
In October 1770, Lord John and William were living together at the plantation, when a nearby river flooded the privy and the chicken coop on the estate.[2] William left the plantation by the summer of 1771, and traveled to London to buy a military commission.[3]
John continued to live at Mount Josiah for another five years. Two other residents at the plantation were Manoke—a former Indian scout and John's sometime lover, who would come and go as he pleased and worked as a cook while at Mount Josiah—and Bobby Higgins, a former British soldier hired by John as a servant, who would carry messages and packages for him, many of these intended for Jamie Fraser of Fraser's Ridge.
In 1776, a number of politicals and army people came to stay with Lord John, and Bobby didn't feel comfortable at the plantation anymore, as his brand from the Boston Massacre could draw some very much unwanted attention. Bobby decided to leave Mount Josiah and eventually took up residence at Fraser's Ridge in September 1776.[4]
Lord John left America for London in late summer or autumn 1776.[5] Since his departure, the plantation has been unoccupied.
The following contains spoilers from an unpublished work – read at your own risk.
William returns to Mount Josiah in 1779 to find an old acquaintance from Quebec, John Cinnamon, along with Manoke. It appears that Manoke may have been there a while as William can hear chickens.[6] Over the past three years the house has fallen into disrepair; the front porch and the chimney are crumbled. When asked if he would stay, William decides that perhaps he would.[7]
Location
Mount Josiah plantation is located up the James River from Richmond, Virginia.[6] The nearest town of any size is Lynchburg.[8] It cannot be easily reached, as there are no direct roads leading to the plantation.
Surrounding Towns
References
- ↑ Drums of Autumn, chapter 25.
- ↑ The Fiery Cross, chapter 30.
- ↑ The Fiery Cross, chapter 77.
- ↑ A Breath of Snow and Ashes, chapter 119.
- ↑ Lord John is in Wilmington in July 1776 (An Echo in the Bone, Chapter 1), and returns to London in November 1776 (Chapter 14).
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Mount Josiah" – excerpt from Book Nine via DianaGabaldon.com
- ↑ "Carpe Diem" – excerpt from Book Nine via DianaGabaldon.com
- ↑ Drums of Autumn, chapter 25.
