What a day for New Kent County history!
County officials and New Kent Historical Society members met with Mr. McBrien of Pennsylvania on Friday, October 1, 2021. His great great grandfather Edward Brown was a Union soldier during the Civil War. Edward Brown served in the 1st New Jersey Regiment and was in New Kent County at the courthouse when it burned in 1862. Edward Brown picked up the New Kent County Courthouse wax seal that was lying on the ground and carried it home with him. When the Civil War was over, Edward Brown returned home with the seal.
This wax seal has been in Edward Brown's family for four generations. Due to the recent death of Mr. McBrien's father, Mr. McBrien decided that the wax seal needed to be returned to New Kent County.
County Administrator Rodney Hathaway thanked Mr. McBrien for the preservation of the seal and for returning it home after 159 years.
The wax seal will be on display at the New Kent County Fair on Saturday, October 9 at New Kent Middle School (7501 Egypt Rd, New Kent) from 10am to 6pm. After that time the seal will settle in its permanent home in the New Kent Historical Society display case in the New Kent County Administration Building.
Pictured is Circuit Court Clerk Amy Crump holding the wax seal returned to the County (left) and Mr. McBrien (right) holding a picture of his great great grandfather who picked up the seal off of County grounds as the New Kent County Courthouse burned in 1862.