Re: POVALL NAME ORIGINS
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In reply to:
POVALL NAME ORIGINS
Barbara 2/24/01
Here's the explanation in "Henrico County, VA Place Names" web-site:
"MALVERN HILL
This farm was the colonial dwelling of the Cocke family and with its long history has been involved in three of this country's wars. Lafayette camped on the hill in 1781 during the Revolutionary War, the Virginia militia camped here during the War of 1812, and one of the bloodiest battles of the War Between the States was fought on this land. Malvern Hill was first owned by Richard Cocke, who settled at Point Brerno, which is now part of the Curles Neck Farm. Cocke acquired a great deal of land in Henrico County and one such tract of land was Malvern Hill. He gave Malvern Hill, which he named because it reminded him of the Malvern Hills in England, to his son, Colonel Thomas Cocke. The ruins of a house on Malvern Hill today are said to be the last remnant of the house that Thomas Cocke built there.
The estate derives its name from the Malvern Hills in England which serve as the boundary between Hereford and Worcestershire. There is an interesting story about the naming of Malvern Hill. The story may be fact or fiction, but it lends an interesting sidelight to Malvern Hill's history. About the year 1658, two small children, Robert Povall and Elizabeth Hooker, were brought to Virginia and bound as indentured servants. Robert Povall was bound to Charles Carter of Shirley Plantation and Elizabeth Hooker was bound to Solomon Knibbs, Carter's nearest neighbor. The two children remained close and as they grew up, they fell in love. One day, Governor Francis Nicholson came to Shirley Plantation to see Carter on business. He said he had received a letter from a high official in England asking him to search for a girl named Elizabeth Hooker who had disappeared from her father's estate while just a small child. Her father was Lord Hooker recently deceased. He had left an immense estate to her. Robert Povall, serving as Carter's butler, overheard the conversation and revealed that Elizabeth Hooker was at the Knibb's farm. It was determined that this girl was indeed the daughter of the wealthy Lord. She married Robert Povall and they returned to her father's estate in England known as Malvern Hill. Here the couple remained for a few years, but longed for Virginia the only home either of them had ever known. So they decided to leave England and return. They bought a large farm in Henrico County and named it Malvern Hill in honor of their home in far away England."
Pat
More Replies:
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Re: POVALL NAME ORIGINS
JANICE BABB 7/01/01
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Re: POVALL NAME ORIGINS
Barbara 4/13/01
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Re: POVALL NAME ORIGINS
2/27/02
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Re: POVALL NAME ORIGINS