The following is quoted from "Upshur Family in Virginia" (1955, reprinted and updated 1993) by John Andrews Upshur (1899-1993):
RACHEL (REVELL) UPSHUR'S TRAGIC DEATH
This is the story of Rachel's death that has been handed down in the family from generation to generation: On a bleak December night in 1749, Abel Upshur I was aroused from sleep by the squawking of hens in the nearby fowl house. He climbed out of bed and hurried out into the yard to investigate the disturbance. It was a cold night and Abel had not been well. Rachel being concerned about his health, slipped a robe over her nightdress and went out to beg Abel to return. She found her husband standing near the fowl house, and he told her that he had been unable to discover anything unusual although the fowls seemed much frightened. Together they returned to their doorstep where Rachel, standing in her bare feet, gently pushed Abel into the house with the admonition that he should not stay out another minute lest he catch his death of cold. Rachel paused a moment on the mill stone at the foot of the steps; hearing no further disturbance she turned to follow Abel into the house. At that instant a red fox affected with rabies came from under the steps and bit Rachel on the heel. Nine days later she was seized with hydrophobia and died soon thereafter on Christmas night, being smothered to death between two feather beds, an old time precaution which was taken to guard against those so affected.
Still at "Warwick" is the old mill stone on which Rachel stood when bitten by the fox. The mill stone continues to bear out the legend for although the stone is solid gray in dry weather, when it rains or when water is poured upon the stone, a splotch of red shows where her wound is said to have bled upon it.
RACHEL (REVELL) UPSHUR'S TRAGIC DEATH
This is the story of Rachel's death that has been handed down in the family from generation to generation: On a bleak December night in 1749, Abel Upshur I was aroused from sleep by the squawking of hens in the nearby fowl house. He climbed out of bed and hurried out into the yard to investigate the disturbance. It was a cold night and Abel had not been well. Rachel being concerned about his health, slipped a robe over her nightdress and went out to beg Abel to return. She found her husband standing near the fowl house, and he told her that he had been unable to discover anything unusual although the fowls seemed much frightened. Together they returned to their doorstep where Rachel, standing in her bare feet, gently pushed Abel into the house with the admonition that he should not stay out another minute lest he catch his death of cold. Rachel paused a moment on the mill stone at the foot of the steps; hearing no further disturbance she turned to follow Abel into the house. At that instant a red fox affected with rabies came from under the steps and bit Rachel on the heel. Nine days later she was seized with hydrophobia and died soon thereafter on Christmas night, being smothered to death between two feather beds, an old time precaution which was taken to guard against those so affected.
Still at "Warwick" is the old mill stone on which Rachel stood when bitten by the fox. The mill stone continues to bear out the legend for although the stone is solid gray in dry weather, when it rains or when water is poured upon the stone, a splotch of red shows where her wound is said to have bled upon it.
The following is quoted from "Upshur Family in Virginia" (1955, reprinted and updated 1993) by John Andrews Upshur (1899-1993):
RACHEL (REVELL) UPSHUR'S TRAGIC DEATH
This is the story of Rachel's death that has been handed down in the family from generation to generation: On a bleak December night in 1749, Abel Upshur I was aroused from sleep by the squawking of hens in the nearby fowl house. He climbed out of bed and hurried out into the yard to investigate the disturbance. It was a cold night and Abel had not been well. Rachel being concerned about his health, slipped a robe over her nightdress and went out to beg Abel to return. She found her husband standing near the fowl house, and he told her that he had been unable to discover anything unusual although the fowls seemed much frightened. Together they returned to their doorstep where Rachel, standing in her bare feet, gently pushed Abel into the house with the admonition that he should not stay out another minute lest he catch his death of cold. Rachel paused a moment on the mill stone at the foot of the steps; hearing no further disturbance she turned to follow Abel into the house. At that instant a red fox affected with rabies came from under the steps and bit Rachel on the heel. Nine days later she was seized with hydrophobia and died soon thereafter on Christmas night, being smothered to death between two feather beds, an old time precaution which was taken to guard against those so affected.
Still at "Warwick" is the old mill stone on which Rachel stood when bitten by the fox. The mill stone continues to bear out the legend for although the stone is solid gray in dry weather, when it rains or when water is poured upon the stone, a splotch of red shows where her wound is said to have bled upon it.
RACHEL (REVELL) UPSHUR'S TRAGIC DEATH
This is the story of Rachel's death that has been handed down in the family from generation to generation: On a bleak December night in 1749, Abel Upshur I was aroused from sleep by the squawking of hens in the nearby fowl house. He climbed out of bed and hurried out into the yard to investigate the disturbance. It was a cold night and Abel had not been well. Rachel being concerned about his health, slipped a robe over her nightdress and went out to beg Abel to return. She found her husband standing near the fowl house, and he told her that he had been unable to discover anything unusual although the fowls seemed much frightened. Together they returned to their doorstep where Rachel, standing in her bare feet, gently pushed Abel into the house with the admonition that he should not stay out another minute lest he catch his death of cold. Rachel paused a moment on the mill stone at the foot of the steps; hearing no further disturbance she turned to follow Abel into the house. At that instant a red fox affected with rabies came from under the steps and bit Rachel on the heel. Nine days later she was seized with hydrophobia and died soon thereafter on Christmas night, being smothered to death between two feather beds, an old time precaution which was taken to guard against those so affected.
Still at "Warwick" is the old mill stone on which Rachel stood when bitten by the fox. The mill stone continues to bear out the legend for although the stone is solid gray in dry weather, when it rains or when water is poured upon the stone, a splotch of red shows where her wound is said to have bled upon it.
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