For Sale: Bear Garden
Courtesy Historic Buckingham, Sketch by Margaret Allen Pennington
In 1871, Joseph Fuqua advertised the sale of his estate, Bear Garden, located near New Canton, in the northeastern corner of Buckingham County:
BEAR GARDEN FOR SALE –
The subscriber wishes to sell the estate on which he resides, known by the name of Bear Garden, lying in the lower end of the county of Buckingham, on James River, immediately below the town of New Canton, containing about eight hundred and twenty-five (825) acres, of which there are about one hundred and ninety acres first-rate James River low ground. The high land is good and is in improved condition. There is on this farm a good grist and plaster mill in good order, with cast-iron gearing, on a never failing stream. The neighborhood is as good as any – is convenient to the canal, and is sixty-six miles above Richmond by the canal. It is believed that the straight-shoot railroad from Clifton Forge, on the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad to Richmond, will pass through this immediate neighborhood.
The subscriber will also sell another tract of land lying north, in six miles of Bear Garden, containing about 385 acres, all in woods. If the sold lands be not sold privately by TUESDAY, the 1st day of August next, they will be offered for sale at public auction on that day, and the town of New Canton. All persons wishing to purchase such property, are invited to view the same and judge for themselves.
JOSEPH FUGUA
For more about life at Bear Garden see: Runaway Slave: Patrick Winfrey
slate river ramblings . . . . 
Kathie, Thanks for adding this information about Phelps Island. I didn’t recall that the island went to Fluvanna. Those islands in the James River are tricky to follow. Joanne
Hi Joanne, I think at some point, someone in my LeSueur family owned Bear Garden farm. Unfortunately I do not know the dates, nor the first name of the LeSueur relative. But I am sure you can find it in your research. Please do let me know if you find any information. Thanks,
Elizabeth LeSueur
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Elizabeth, I will let you know if I bump into any LeSueurs associated with Bear Garden. Joanne
Hey Lady, Love this. You know John Hartwell Cocke owned Bear Garden in the 18th century right?
So cool. A
Andi Cumbo-Floyd http://www.andilit.com — http://www.godswhisperfarm.com Facebook — Twitter — LinkedIn
On Thu, Feb 16, 2017 at 8:38 AM, slate river ramblings . . . . wrote:
> Joanne Yeck posted: ” Courtesy Historic Buckingham, Sketch by Margaret > Allen Pennington In 1871, Joseph Fuqua advertised the sale of his estate, > Bear Garden, located near New Canton, in the northeastern corner of > Buckingham County: BEAR GARDEN FOR SALE – The subscriber wi” >
Andi, Thanks for commenting. I did not know that J.H. Cocke once owned Bear Garden. Good to know the Cockes had a toe in Buckingham County. Joanne
Joanne,
I found an old deed in a private collection recently. Phelps Island (close to Bear Garden) was also bought by the Cocke family in the early 1800’s. Phelps Island was originally part of the estate of Thomas Phelps d. 1751 of Albemarle- which I know you are familiar with. : )
The island itself ended up falling in Fluvanna County after county formation.
Kathie