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The Newington Daylily

The “Newington” Daylily cultivar pictured below is offered by Dalton A. Parker, a Lumpkin descendant, born in Essex County, who now lives in Columbia, SC. Mr. Parker is a researcher genealogist and daylily hybridizer. With this lily he is promoting local King and Queen County history and contributing the proceeds to the King and Queen County Historical Society. He hopes that by introducing the cultivar that there will be more awareness of the families that have lived at “Newington”, a historical site on the Mattaponi River near King and Queen Courthouse, and have contributed to the local, state and national history. Specimens have been planted on the grounds at “Newington”.

the “Newington” families that Mr. Parker honors are:

The Lumpkin family: Captain Jacob Lumpkin (d. 1708) was the first immigrant at “Newington”. Others whose roots stemmed from King and Queen are Captain Henry Lumpkin who served at Hillsborough and Guilford Court House, NC (1781) during the American Revolution; Wilson Lumpkin, a Virginian by birth, who became governor of the state of Georgia and who also served in the U.S. Congress, both as a representative and senator from that state; Jospeh Henry Lumpkin, who was born in Georgia (1799) and died there, was the first Chief Justice of that state; Samuel Lumpkin and Benjamin Lumpkin II also served as justices on that court; John Lumpkin was a presiding justice for King and Queen County during 1830-1860; Samuel Edgerton Lumpkin (1908-1964) became Lt. Governor of the state of Mississippi; and Alva M. Lumpkin, Sr. served as U.S. Senator from the state of South Carolina during the F.D.R. administration.

The Braxton family: Carter Braxton (1736-1797), born at “Newington”, was one of several early Virginia patriots of the American Revolution and was a signer of the Declaration of Independence.

The Roane family: Well know for its judicial connections, especially Spencer Roane, who served as Chief Justice of the Virginia Supreme Court. He married Ann Henry, the daughter of the patriot Patrick Henry. His son William H. Roane was a Senator of the Commonwealth of Virginia.

The Ruffin family: Thomas Ruffin was born at “Newington” in 1787. After attending Princeton, he relocated to Rockingham, NC in 1807 and later became Speaker of the North Carolina House, a Superior Court judge in 1825, and ultimately Chief Justice.

The Harwood family: Captain Archibald Roane Harwood was born at “Newington” in 1786 and served in the militia during the War of 1812. He also served in the Virginia House of Delegates and Senate.

Single-fan divisions of the “Newington” Daylily are offered for sale at $25.00 per plant plus $6 postage. Send a $31 check to Dalton A. Parker, 222 Willow Winds Drive, Columbia, SC 29210. The unusual features of this daylily are its rare lavender-orchid color with a yellow highlighted throat and ruffled petals, its ability to bloom twice each season, and produce approximately 25% polytepal blooms (four sepals and four petals).