Dr. William T. Fleet

He probably attended the Medical School at the University of Pennsylvania as did his father and his uncle Benjamin. For whatever reason, according to "Old Houses of King and Queen County, Virginia" by Cox and Weathers, 1973, he may have become "a merchant in Norfolk but went bankrupt and returned to King & Queen County to practice medicine." His father-in-law Richard Bagby's brother John Bagby had many business interests in Norfolk, VA. John R. Bagby wrote to Thomas Pollard on 12 Oct 1848 from Stevensville: "Dr. Fleet has moved out to Covington and, of course, carried Cousin Sue with him."[p. 58] According to his will, Richard Bagby, Maria Susan Bagby Fleet's father, owned lots "in the city of Covington." The 1850 KY census, Kenton Co., City of Covington lists him, his wife and daughter Mary age 2. He is a druggist.

About 1856 his brother, John Alexander Fleet, acting as Trustee for the estate of Richard Bagby, purchased "Erin" for his sister-in-law, Mrs. Wm. T. Fleet. According to local lore, Dr.Fleet "built "Erin" which he placed on an angle because his wife could not decide which road she wanted to face.  He had the stairway face the back instead of the front door so the young gentlemen could not see his daughters' ankles as the girls came downstairs."  In truth, he seems to have added on to an existing structure and apparnetly, the stairway did face the front door originally and was moved later. In 1860-61, he probably added a third floor and in 1862, the building assessment was raised "because of new improvements."  The Fleets may have added their own schoolhouse because in 1906 Judge Jones moved the schoolhouse from the yard at "Erin" to Cloverley to use as his office."

1860 VA census, K&Q Co., Bruington collected 31 Aug 1860: He is 39, a Doctor of Medicine, with his wife and five children. The 1860 Slave Schedule shows him with 6 slaves: an adult male and female and four children.

From Benny Fleet's Diary - January 13, 1861: "Pa got home last night about 9 1/2 o'clock; said he helped cut Jimmy's arm off above the elbow. Cousin William Fleet cut it off. Pa helped to do it." Jimmy was James Robert Robert Fleet, Jr. Account is told in "Green Mount", Betsy Fleet, Univ. of Ky, 1962.

Co. K 34th VA Inf. - May 7, 1861: There was an immense gathering at the Courthouse for the purpose of drilling the militia of the county. In the afternoon, a meeting of our company was called in the Courthouse. We are now 68 strong. Col Bagby was called to the chair and a committee, including Dr. Wm. T. Fleet was appointed to draft rules for the organization of the company. May 8, 1861: The company met in the Academy and the constitution was adopted. John R. Bagby elected captain by acclamation... Dr. William T. Fleet, surgeon. In 1862, the Confederate Congress exempted "magistrates, wheelwrights, millers, doctors of five years practice, also clerks, sheriffs, commissioners and those who had charge of 20 negroes." (This account from the book "King and Queen County, Virginia," Rev. Alfred Bagby, Neale Co., New York and Washington, 1908.) Both Dr. William TR. Fleet and his uncle Dr. Benjamin R.Fleet were exempt from miltary service.

The 1870 VA Fed. census, K&Q, Stevensville, Post Office Little Plymouth, pg. 481, list Dr. Fleet as a Doctor of Medicine. He is 48 and eligible to vote. His property value is real estate 6000 and personal property 1000. He is living with his wife and six children ranging from 19 to one year of age. The information was collected 27 July 1870..

His sons moved to New York in the 1870s. (Dec 1873 - "I visited Erin today. Dr. Fleet has not returned from New York. The girls look ever more careworn and sad." - page 120 "Green Mount After the War", Betsy Fleet editor.) Dr. Fleet and the rest of the family eventually moved to Brooklyn, New York , probably by 1874. They remained until about 1885.

The 1880 census found the entire family living in Brooklyn at 128 Second Place in the 10th Ward. Dr Fleet is age 59 and still practicing as a physician, with children ranging from 30 to 9 (Ellen), two boarders and a black house servant, Virginia Jackson, age 19 born VA. His neighbor is a banker.

According to the book "Bruington" by Michael Indorf, Ashley Press, 1994: "the parsonage committee (of the Bruington Baptist Church) agreed on "Erin" in 1881. In 1883, "Erin' was bought by the Bruington Church for a parsonage, The deed was recorded 7 Feb 1884.

The Fredericksburg Free Lance (newspaper) July 4, 1899, pg3, c. 4:

Dr. Wm. T Fleet died at his home at Walkerton, King and Queen, last Saturday of paralysis. He would have been seventy-eight years of age in August. He leaves a widow, a sister of Capt. A F. Bagby, and six children -three sons and three daughters. Dr. Fleet was born and raised in King and Queeen County.

Outside the house"Erin" there are still four old magnificent trees - two beeches and two oaks.