OCR
NORWOOD families, is in Powhatan County about seventeen miles above Richmond. Its two thousand and sixty-five acres lie on the south bank of the James ‘| River for about three miles. It was originally bought by John Heth, the great-great-grandfather of the present owner, Mr. Charles Randolph Kennon, in 1813 from one John Harris. In those days the present home site was called ““Greenyard,” possibly because of the lovely grove which surrounds the house. An extensive addition was made to the original residence in 1835 by Beverley Randolph, who then made it his home, he having acquired it through his wife, Lavinia, who was the daughter of John Heth. The estate remains practically unchanged to the present time, the succeeding generations keeping up its old traditions; Beverley Randolph leaving it at his death to his son, Charles, who, dying unmarried, left it to his sister, Nancy Kennon, and now the Kennon name has owned it in direct line for three generations. In the olden days it was a most lovely place, with its imposing grove and beautiful gardens in the rear of the house. The back was separated from the front by a privet hedge, which also surrounded the garden. | In front of the house was a large park containing some fifteen acres, enclosed by an osage orange hedge. The approach was by a long, curved driveway following this hedge. The front lawn, with its beautiful trees and grass, was separated from the park by a semi-circular arbor-vitae hedge. In the rear of the house about three acres was enclosed by a privet hedge, and was laid out in flower beds which it was the 22 I