Through the centuries, smallpox was one of the most serious viral diseases — it caused scarring and death.
The disease was wiped out worldwide by 1980, but on the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula the highly contagious disease was still feared and still very much present at the end of the 19th century.
A small point of land on Robinson Creek in Middlesex County is today called “Smallpox Point” — a little known anecdotal name passed down through the generations of the Heath family and a reminder of a dreaded and fearful time.
Colonel William Steptoe Christian of Hewick Plantation located just outside of Urbanna was the highest ranking Confederate officer from Middlesex County in the Civil War.
After the war, Christian came home to Urbanna to his family to practice medicine. He had graduated from Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia. Dr. “Billy,” as he was affectionally called by locals, passed away Dec. 10, 1910, which means this story happened sometime prior to his death.
George Heath was a Confederate veteran who after the war moved to Middlesex, bought a point of land at the end of what is today Lord Mott Road on Robinson Creek, where he raised a large family. During the oyster season, Heath rented out shanties to oystermen from other counties working beds in the Rappahannock River, ran a small general merchandise store, and had a “slipway” on the creek shore for hauling boats.
Sometime at the end of the 19th century, there was an outbreak of smallpox in the Town of Urbanna. To isolate those with the contagious disease, a large hut was used to house the sick. It was located on an isolated point across the creek from George Heath’s home.
Dr. Billy used the Heath’s property as a platform to go and come and to keep the sick as comfortable as possible. The family’s skiff was used by Dr. Billy daily to row across the creek to carry medicine, food and to care for the sick
L.M. Carlton, a grandson of George Heath, and who lives on the Heath property today, said that he was told that his grandmother made it clear to his mother, “Oleathia,” and other children in the family that they were to run into the house when they saw Dr. Billy coming down their lane in his buggy. They were not to go outside until he had returned in the skiff and left the property. During that time, the children were also banned from using the skiff.
One person in the hut passed away. The others recovered and to this day the point of land across from George Heath’s property is known to the Heath family as Smallpox Point.
It Happened Here in Rivah Country!
