Untitled

HOME INTRODUCTION TRICE FAMILY TREE CONTENTS GALE HILL WHO'S WHO? MAPS Family Doc List

Lucy Jane Minor Trice
(June 20, 1822- February 17, 1876)
Daughter of Dabney Minor and Martha Jefferson Terrell Minor, wife of Robert Nelson Trice,
mother of seven including Mary Jane, Margaret, Martha, Lucy, and Dabney Trice.

Oh Fame, had I but fame, I could die happy; or I could bear my living death with resignation. Can it be Gin, that these burning aspirations after genius, this yearning desire for fame shall forever remain unsatisfied? Oh! To leave a name to be handed down to posterity, to be immortalized as Shakespeare or Scott, would be perfect happiness.
Lucy J. Trice, letter of April 30, 1841(?) to her friend and cousin, Virginia W. Minor (1822-1847)

Old as I am, I am romantic enough to believe that there is a purifying, ennobling power in strong affection (technically love) before which selfishness or levity must vanish, like mists before the sun.
Lucy's mother, Martha J. Minor, August 8, 1841

Dr. John Staige Davis (1824-1885)
Professor of Medicine, U. Va.
Brother of Lucy, Lizzie,
and Eugene Davis

Prof. John Barbee Minor (1824-1885)
Professor of Law, U. Va.
Lived with his family, the Davises, and
Lucy Jane Minor and her mother in 1840's

I could not make the pin cushion so I send you a motto instead...

DON'T.

Lucy J. Trice, to her cousin, Dr. John Staige Davis, during his stay in Philadephia, 1842

Warm Springs, Virginia, 1857
Visited by Lucy J. Minor in 1843

The scenery was more magnificent than I could have conceived and as we stopped on the top of the Warm Springs Mountain, I could not help thinking that such a prospect was ample compensation for all the fatigue and anxiety which we had undergone, but I forgot that you too have enjoyed this unparalleled view, and even if you had not, that it would be the height of presumption(?) in me to attempt to describe it, language is inadequate to it.
Lucy J. Trice, to her cousin Virginia W. Minor Rawlings, July 22, 1843

Lucy Jane Minor's book stamp

Oh Gin, such a mother as I am blessed with, every day some new proof of such devoted affection, and when we are alone so much and she opens the rich stores of her mind for my amusement and gratification, every day I find new treasures. Certainly, filial affection apart, she has more general cultivation and information than any woman I have ever seen and you know how unostentatious she is with it all.
Lucy J. Trice, to her cousin Virginia W. Minor Rawlings, January 6, 1844

The death we can scarcely grieve when we think of her sufferings and what anxiety she showed to be at rest and her state of preparation was such that without any great stretch of fancy you might imagine the angel band around her bed, "Hark they whisper angels say, sister spirit come away," waiting only for the release of her spirit from its shattered casket to bear it to realms of bliss. To the last her perfect exemption from selfishness (you know through life one of her most characteristic and beautiful traits was always to prefer the convenience and pleasure of others to her own) was shown in her great fear lest her attendants should suffer from their fatigue and confinement, it was truly the "ruling spirit strong in death."
Lucy J. Trice, January 6, 1844, regarding the death of Maria Dabney Carr of Dunlora

Lucy Jane Minor Trice in 1857 with her children,
Margaret, Virginia, Lucy, and Martha

…The heat of the season suggested that we should at once carry into effect a scheme for making Mary Jane (Davis) and some of her little friends supremely happy, which had been made some time since. A picnic party for Anne, Mary Jane Trice, the McIntires and Goodloes. They came up before breakfast in a state of ecstasy that was amusing. It was such happiness...

...We soon reached the ravine between Lewis and Observatory Mountains and encamped on the bank of the stream. I wish you could have been a witness of their enjoyment. It was really delightful to see. They picked huckleberries - drank out of oak leaf cups (before the ice pitcher arrived with more convenient goblets) made a moss garden - and found many wonders. Then the children played games and then came the crowning pleasure of all - I banished W. G. and let the girls wade in the stream! You never saw such delighted creatures. They never before had tried that innocent amusement. Mary, Lucy and I chuckled together to think of the dismay of Mrs. Morris and Mother could they know what was going on...
Lucy Landon Davis, letter of July 2, 1858 to her brother-in-law, Eugene Davis, regarding an outing with Lucy Jane Trice

…Would that I could say something to comfort you, but I know by like experience that it is only He who has smitten can heal. Your little darling was a great favourite with us all and gave promise I thought of noble traits, but after the first agony of bitterness is over you will be glad to think God chose the brightest and most beautiful to adorn His garden above. I too have wept the death of a first born son and never while memory holds it's seat can I forget the pain, unmitigated as it then was by aught of Christian hope. But to you dear Richard who have an assured hope of meeting him in the resurrection at the last day, I can repeat my Mother's last farewell, "Remember it is but for a little while."

Still I know how often Faith's wing will falter and we can only groan in anguish of spirit. Oh! That I had him here. But even then in those moments of darkness how soothing is the remembrance that "Jesus wept" - How differently now as a minister can you sympathize with bereaved parents, since the iron hath entered into your own soul. "I will not leave you comfortless, I will send the Comforter to you."
Lucy J. Trice, to Richard Terrell Davis. January 13, 1862

Besides Sister Patsy (Patsy Morris, Eugene Davis's wife), two persons who did most to brighten my very sober childhood were Aunt Minor and Cousin Lucy, her daughter. They lived in a little white house on the cross street just behind "The Corner" on High Street in Charlottesville, and thither I made blissful pilgrimages once or twice a month - But it was at Mychunk where they stayed a good part of the summer, that the acme of happiness was attained by some, if not all, of Mother's children - Brother Staige, it was, who said "Delight was born at Mychunk." Both possessed a talent I have never seen equaled for making small children happy at no cost of money and not much of trouble - It was such pure pleasure to take one's meal at a little table set with a little chair in the long embowered back porch, pouring one's own tea into a small rose-painted cup and saucer and eating specially prepared biscuits the size of a silver half dollar. Then Aunt Minor kept a pony, which the boys rode proudly by themselves, and on which I made excursions sitting on a pillow, before Cousin Lucy, or later on, getting up behind her - Both had a fund of entertaining stories, and a store of children's books, which were rare indeed at that period - I used to revel in The Looking Glass For the Mind and Evenings at Home.
Lucy Minor Davis, reminiscing about Lucy Jane Minor and her mother, Martha Jefferson Terrell Minor

The Machunk farm has frequently been the scene of much refined gayety. The literary tastes of Mrs. Trice and her daughters were of the highest type, which gave them delight in entertaining those of similar dispositions. Here the charm of bright classic minds, combined with love of poetry, song and music, made this delightful home one never to be forgotten.
From Historic Homes of the Southwest Mountains by Edward C. Mead, 1898

Mary Jane Terrell Davis (1803-1879)

I do not know when I have seen the Christian character more beautifully exemplified than by your cousin Lucy during the past two months. Herself never free from indisposition, harassed by constant anxiety and fatigue with her twins, condemned to listen to the crying of the wet nurse's cross baby, with two of the other children sick enough to give a great deal of trouble, and lastly the distress of her mother's illness - through it all I have never seen her equanimity shaken or heard her say an impatient word - her husband too is a model of Christian uprightness and kindness. It is a pleasure and a privilege to be in daily association with such people. Poor Miss Polly too - Lucy's conduct towards her is beautifully illustrative of the guiding principle of her life...
Mary Jane Davis, Lucy J. Trice's aunt, March 18, 1857

My dear Mary,

I reckon you will think it very strange to receive a letter from your "cousin Lucy", and to explain the cause of my doing so, I must like old John Bunyan, tell you a little history. A few nights ago I fell asleep and dreamed that you were dead; every circumstance was before me with painful distinctness and reality. I seemed to see your parents anguish, Aunt Mary Jane's distress, and the whole family thrown into the deepest gloom: Oh! How relieved I was to wake from such scenes of grief to find it was but a dream. But still when I awoke, the question pressed on my mind with fearful earnestness. Is she prepared for death? Has she made her peace with God? Or has she secured the great Mediator Christ Jesus to make that Peace for her?

Now my dear child (for such you still appear to me, though in reality you have become a woman and arrived at the age of responsibility, when by your own acts you must stand or fall) I do not believe that this dream is ominous of your death or that you are one step nearer the grave than if I had not dreamed it: I had been thinking a great deal about your cousin Berdie's death and her present happiness, thence my mind rested on your dear Brother's glorious death, and how signally God revealed Himself on that occasion to the children of men, and of the many blessings which flowed from it in the conversion of other members of the family; thence by a very natural transition the thought of those who were still out of the ark of safety (apparently so at least) arose in my mind, I thought of you, of Lizzie, of Lucy, and of others who were dear to me, and the prayers arose that this event might not be unheeded by any of you.

Under these circumstances the dream was a natural consequence of the train of thought in which I had been engaged. But still I cannot help seeing a call in this little circumstance on you and on me, to bring this important subject of your salvation home to you, to induce you to ask your heart the question, Am I prepared if God should call me away to stand before Him, through faith in my Redeemer and is it my determination if He spares that life to try by His grace to spend it to His honor and glory and to the good of those around me? May the Lord grant that you may at once resolve not to know rest until you can give an honest answer in the affirmative to these questions is my prayer for Christ's sake.

To say to you that you are not too young to die is a truism which your everyday experience confirms, but to say that you are too old to die without having felt your need of a Saviour, and without having by faith in the Son of God made Him your saviour, is the point to which I trust you may be speedily brought. You have been so well instructed in the gospel plan of salvation, have so long been the subject of special prayer with your parents, that I sometimes hope the good seed may have been sown in your heart already, if this be so, dear child, see that you "quench not the Spirit," but pray earnestly to Him who "giveth liberally and upbraideth not" to lead you to Himself; to enable you to consecrate your youth to him, and to give you grace to obey His Divine command of confessing Him before men. Remember our Saviour's own words, "whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess before my Father which is in Heaven." You have been too well taught not to know that this act of confession must be preceded by faith and repentance, or rather by repentance and faith, for repentance must precede faith; you must repent of all you have ever done to grieve or wound your Saviour before you can exercise a saving act of faith in Him.

I do not ask you to answer this letter though I should always be gratified at hearing from you, but I do entreat you to consider it earnestly and prayerfully, and may the peace of God which passeth all understanding keep your heart and mind through Jesus Christ is the prayer of your attached cousin.

Lucy J. Trice
January 29 (the birthday of her twins), 1860's?, to Mary L. Minor, daughter of Prof. John B. Minor

...Death has been busy amongst us since you left us well in our peaceful neighborhood, as on the battlefield. Nannie Bronaugh, Eliza Schele, Col. Trice and Mary Jane are gone. Your Cousin Lucy will not be long behind her loved ones, though she has borne up wonderfully in thankfulness for Mary Jane's triumphant end. She came up each time and saw them laid to rest...
Mary Jane Davis, to her son, Eugene Davis, July 17, 1864

In 1864, Lucy Jane Minor's husband and eldest daughter died. To read their obituaries, written by Lucy Jane Trice, and published in The Religious Herald on December 1, 1864, click HERE

...Cousin Lucy Trice was here yesterday on one of her flying visits. She is still so much marauded on by her servants and has so much trouble with them that she thinks of moving down to Urbanna (Middlesex County) where she has a house. I would not be at all surprised if she were to go in a few weeks...
Lizzie Davis, to Richard Terrell Davis, October 7, 1865

…Well, this is all I have to look forward to for my girls and although I think with you that it is childish to whine over our losses you know mine have taken everything I had; my farm as at present managed nothing like pays expenses... Still I have struggled on, and it does seem to me that if his money could be saved for them, it would be better for me to make any sacrifice than for them to be left penniless and orphaned too; as to the boy, if I can see him (or provide for his) having a good education, he can get along as his father did, by his own exertions; but it is widely different with girls. Dear Staige, put yourself for a little while in their Father's place and tell me what you think it will be best to do...
Lucy Jane Trice, "Grass Dale", to John Staige Davis, March 5, 1867

...Cousin Lucy Trice came up to town last week and staid a day or two and was pursued as usual by her misfortunes. She came in a buggy with the solitary horse which she owned and at night they turned him very carefully loose in brother Dabney's yard. The next morning he was nowhere to be found and has never been heard of since...
Lizzie Davis, to Richard Terrell Davis, September 10, 1868

We were greatly surprised and grieved yesterday to learn that Cousin Lucy Trice had been taken much worse. She wrote a note to her girls & to mother the night previous & the boy brought them up on the train with a P.S. from little Lucy, saying that her mother had fainted that morning & been delirious ever since, & that the girls must go down.
Lucy Minor Davis, to Richard Terrell Davis, April 28, 1869(?)

Cousin Lucy Trice came round finally on yesterday week & continues with us. She has been free from those fainting spells that used to terrify them so at brother Dabney's since she has been here, but her condition generally is about the same & she feels much discouraged about herself... Cousin Lucy's daughters take it by turns to stay with her at night... Alice and Mary Jane find great amusement in the company of little Dabney Trice, who I should imagine was a most unexceptional playmate, though an odd looking little fish as ever you saw...
Lucy Minor Davis, to Richard Terrell Davis, June 5, 1869

The sad death of the estimable and widely beloved lady, Mrs. Lucy J. Trice, has caused quite a doom to overspread our neighborhood. Being quite sudden, her many friends were not prepared for such an event, which has caused so many sad hearts, and her place in the community will be widely missed and not easily filled.
The Charlottesville Chronicle, February 25, 1876

...Cousin Wm. Minor informs me that the Trice girls are very hard up for money...
Eugene Davis, to his brother John Staige Davis, July 17, 1876

HOME INTRODUCTION TRICE FAMILY TREE CONTENTS GALE HILL WHO'S WHO? MAPS