Tusculum

Photos by Tony Copeland with information submitted by Deloris Williams

Tusculum Plantation, located near Arcola in Warren County, was the home of Samuel Thomas Alston (1806-1860) and his wife, Ruina Temperance Williams (1814-1897).  Built in the 1830s, Alston was apparently influenced by the ancient Roman city of Tusculum, which ruins had recently been discovered in 1825. That city, situated along the edge of an ancient volcano, had once been the home of wealthy Romans who had built their own large villas there in an attempt to create their long ago playground of the emperors. As were many of the families in the area, Samuel  and Ruina Williams - Alston were members of the sprawling Alston/Williams clan who owned plantations in Warren, Halifax and Franklin Counties. Samuel T. Alston was the son of Samuel Alston (1770-1807) and Elizabeth Faulcon (1775-1848), while Ruina T. Williams was the daughter of Robert Webb Williams (1792-1822) and Harty Hodges Davis (1793-1870).  Ruina was the sister of Dr. Robert Edgar Williams (1817-1904), the owner of Myrtle Lawn Plantation. 

See also: Will of Samuel T Alston and  List of Slaves, and additional info