Figure of the Week

William S. Monteith lived near and was a member of Bethel Baptist Church. He held a a few public offices in Stafford County, Virginia, but made his living as a farmer and fisherman. He was a constable for the Falmouth District in 1885 and 1886. William was also Deputy Clerk of Court in 1885. In April 1903, William S. Monteith carried to Fredericksburg “a lot of fish and terrapins to the market here to-day, in which were several diamond back terrapins, which are not often seen in this market. They are in great demand in Washington and Baltimore, where the dish made from them is considered a rare delicacy. These diamond backs were caught in Potomac Creek in a net with fish” (Times Dispatch, Apr. 2, 1903). William was the brother of Amos K. Monteith and died of Bright’s disease (kidney failure).