Completed in 1875, the Glencoe Mansion was the home of General Gabriel C. Wharton, CSA, and his wife, Nannie Radford Wharton, civic leaders whose work to further education, business and industry helped Southwest Virginia recover from the Civil War. Step back in time to learn about life in the late 19th century and the valuable contributions the Whartons made to reuniting the nation. At Glencoe Mansion there is something for everyone to explore!
Gen. Gabriel C. Wharton
The history of the Wharton family is the history of Radford, Virginia and the nation. They were among the founding families of Radford, and much of their work helped with unifying a nation torn by the Civil War.
Gabriel C. Wharton, a native of Culpeper County, Virginia and a VMI graduate, came to this area during the Civil War and forever connected himself to the region through marriage with Nannie Radford, whose family name was later given to the City. Together this couple helped forge the future development of the area.
Although no one in the family carries the name Wharton at this point, the descendants are still playing a role in our community through the vast collection of historic documents they have saved for posterity. These documents are helping us all to better document the story of Radford, Virginia and the nation.
Nannie Radford Wharton
Sue H. Bell, great-great granddaughter of Gen. G.C. and Nannie Wharton. Courtesy Damon Bates Photography
Gen. Gabriel C. Wharton and his wife Nannie Radford Wharton were prolific record keepers. They penned thousands of letters and documents, including a cache of over 500 Civil War letters written between the couple. These Civil War letters will be published by Wharton descendant Sue H. Bell and historian William C. Davis in the fall of 2020.
According to Davis, “This is a truly unique collection, one of the fullest and most unusual correspondences to survive the Civil War. So often the woman’s letters don’t survive, but to have nearly the full dialogue between a husband and wife is practically unheard of.”
The Whartons’ letters provide an insight into Southwest Virginia on multiple levels, from the Civil War in the region to life for the well-to-do of the community. They show the blossoming of a love between two people who married without knowing much about each other.
Letter (1863) from Gabriel C. Wharton to Nannie Radford Wharton. At left notice the needle holes where Nannie Radford Wharton sewed together all the letters to preserve them. In 2017, Sue H. Bell appeared on the PBS program, “Antiques Roadshow,” where she and a manuscripts appraiser discussed the historical significance of the Wharton letters.
Historian William C. Davis
Davis adds, “Letters provide an unfiltered view into an individual’s world. They are written with the idea that only the recipient will read them. Through the letters we see the true natures of the individuals. General Wharton was a passive man and a hopeless romantic. Nannie, on the other hand, was aggressive and much less sentimental.”
After the Civil War, General and Nannie Wharton settled in what is now Radford and in 1875 built a home they called Glencoe, which now serves as the Glencoe Mansion, Museum and Gallery. The Wharton residence remained in family hands for over 100 years. When the family sold the home, Bell’s parents saved the document collection, and we’re just now beginning to realize the extent of this family’s extensive record-keeping.
The Glencoe Mansion was home to the Wharton family for over a century. The house was also the home and worksite for the domestic staff who labored for the Whartons. These domestic laborers were the key to the operation of Glencoe Mansion and the estate.
These workers were primarily African Americans who had been former slaves of Nannie Radford Wharton’s family. In the post-Civil War period, emancipation did not guarantee equality and throughout the South, and nation as a whole, measures were actively and forcefully taken to keep the races divided.
We are taking steps to make sure this important part of history is documented and told at the Glencoe Mansion.
Unidentified Young Woman at Glencoe Mansion in early 1920s
Exhibits highlighting key individuals and events that have shaped Radford and the region
Featuring the works of talented local artists.
Sites and artifacts of interest on and around the Glencoe Mansion grounds.