Farmer's Delight Plantation is home to the Piedmont Philosophical Society, a group dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through research and discussion.

History of the Society

Ambassador George C. McGhee was a lifelong student who loved to engage his fellow man in lively discussion and debate. Throughout his career in Washington, D.C., he and his peers would meet at least once a month in the city to discuss the issues of the day, primarily focusing on diplomatic matters. The Ambassador also belonged to the "Coach Stop Lunch Group," a band of inquisitive fellows who debated and dined at the Coach Stop restaurant in Middleburg every Friday.

After Ambassador McGhee officially retired to Farmer's Delight, he established the Piedmont Philosophical Society so that he and his neighbors could stay abreast of current affairs and developing research. He modeled the group on the American Philosophical Society, which was established by Benjamin Franklin in 1743. Topics of discussion broadened to include history, the arts, science, and literature, in keeping with Franklin's original intentions for his philosophical society.

The society was originally comprised of between ten and fifteen members at any given time, and this level of participation continues today. Members were encouraged to bring guests, suggest speakers, and engage in a lively discussion of each month's topic.

Ambassador McGhee remained active with the society until his passing in 2005. Today, before every meeting, the members of the Piedmont Philosophical Society raise a glass in salute of the Ambassador's passion for knowledge and debate.

Schedule of Speakers

The Piedmont Philsophical Society meets in the McGhee Library at 5:00 PM on the third Thursday of each month, September through May. Each month's topic and speakers will be listed here, as well as any change in schedule.

January 15: Brian Lichorowic, "Computers for the Disabled"
Brian Lichorowic is a technology entrepreneur whose first company became AOL’s first Web Browser.  He has developed several internet technologies that have become standard in the industry, including the use of computers to help the disabled, especially those with sight and hearing impairments.  He is also an established food writer, stems from generations of family in that business, and is currently working on a voice-enabled internet service to help people cook with available provisions.

February 19: Michele M. Tourney, "The Families of Farmer's Delight: The Greggs and the Leiths"
The McGhee Foundation Archivist Michele M. Tourney continues her series of talks on the history of Farmer's Delight Plantation and the families who lived there. This month, Ms. Tourney will share her ongoing research on the Gregg and Leith families, who owned Farmer's Delight Plantation from 1829 to 1919. As Ms. Tourney will reveal, these families survived disease, civil war, and economic hardships to maintain ownership of the plantation founded by their ancestor, Colonel Joseph Lane. The talk will also include a brief update on previously shared research on the Lane family.

March 19: Richard Roe, "North Atlantic Marine Resources and Their Environments – The Impacts of Overfishing and Environmental Change"
The speaker will be Richard Roe, a retired marine scientist and marine fisheries administrator who will present on the current status of the North Atlantic and the effect of overfishing. He has quite a background ranging from oceanic exploratory fishing, to serving as the Directors of: the Offices of Marine Mammals and Endangered Species, the Office of Fishery Management and the Office of Environmental Science and Technology. He was involved in managing and regulating commercial and recreational marine fisheries and fishermen, marine environmental and habitat protection, and protection of marine mammals and endangered marine animals.

Brief bio for Richard Roe

April 16: Dieter Steiner, "A New Dawn for Germany – From Ashes to Reunification, an Ambassador’s Vision Come True"
Dieter Steiner, a photojournalist with over 40 years of experience, was a friend of Ambassador George McGhee. Mr. Steiner will share with us his observations on the changing social and political climates of Germany over the past few decades. He will focus on the nation as it was envisioned by Ambassador McGhee and as it is today.

Brief bio for Dieter Steiner

May 21: Rich Gillespie, "John Brown, the Civil War, and Loudoun"
John Brown organized 22 committed white and black men to make a swift strike at the Harpers Ferry Arsenal in October 1859. Hoping to use the weapons thus taken, they aimed to run off a massive number of enslaved African-Americans into an armed bubble that would move from Harpers Ferry down the spine of the Appalachians, then help large numbers of slaves to escape all the way to Canada and freedom. Their mission did not catch fire – local militia and U.S. Marines engaged and overwhelmed them at Harpers Ferry – and led to the raiders' deaths or capture. The ensuing trial of Brown electrified the nation. It was a portent for many in the South, a sign of what the North was willing to do to strike at slavery. It left panic in its wake, particularly in nearby Maryland and Northern Virginia. For abolitionists, John Brown became a martyr as he went to the gallows on December 2, 1859, but for many others in the North, an uncomfortable moral quandary had been created.

This year marks the Sesquicentennial of John Brown's portentous raid. For the Commonwealth of Virginia as well as for the National Park Service, commemoration of the events of 1859 will be the opening of the Sesquicentennial of the American Civil War. With that in mind, this talk examines Brown, his raid, and its impact on the area now included in the Mosby Heritage Area.

Brief bio for Richard Gillespie

Join the PPS

If you are interested in becoming a member of the Piedmont Philosophical Society, would like to be included on the mailing list, or have a suggestion for a speaker, please contact The McGhee Foundation's Director of Community Relations and Events Sandy Danielson at 540.687.3743 or by email at sdanielson@farmersdelight.org.