The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1880-05-21

| LII ~ lt'tlluy ny tlNl-
liked people-a people practising the arts and
sciences-as is the case with our own coun-
try-to find a dwelling, the erection of which
dates back more than century, in n state OF
good repair may be regarded as of extreme
ly rare occurrence, yet this fine old stone
mansion has withstood the storms and the
test of Time for one hundred and ten years
1t was erected in the year ITO. Its age is
estimated beyond doubt by the fact that the
date and the initials of original proprietors
are carved upon stone set in the gable-end
Of the wall, engraved in the following antique
style, ii. NJ H., ITO. The initials repre-
sent the names of the man and wife who
owned the property when the house was
built, viz: Joseph and Mary Husband, the
grandfather and grandmother of Mr.. Joseph
Husband, the present enterprising manufac-
turer of ground flint, whose mill is located
near, just below, the old Deer Creek Iron
| Works, which was established many years
ago by Stump and jackson.
Since the erection of the house, the prop
erty has changed ownership but three times
previous to coming into the possession of the
present proprietor, Mr.. 7. King, namely =
Stephen Jay, f. Morgan, and John Jewett,
senior The present name by which the
estate is known, far and near-K enton-and
Familiarity, in connection with the owners
name, as "r. King of Kenton" like that of
John Randolph, of Roanoke, the old English
style, has been so called in sweet remembrance
of Kenton, the ancestral English home of his
| parents, and from whence they came to the
| new country.
Let us, citizens ofthis country, boast of our
| laws of freedom" and of our Democracy"
as we may, yet those of us who can directly
trace any English blood to our veins, have a
kinder feeling and higher respect, if moi
love, for the old English customs, and aristo-
cracies even, than we are willing 10 openly
| confess.
Republican principles, in the broad sense of
the term, are well enough in the abstract, and
are wonderfully talismanic with the political
orators and office-seekers of the day, but in
the actual, practical associations, indicated
| by the name, they are more frequently hon
ored in the breach than in the observance
We have now TO speak of Kenton restored;
| az the renovating repairs and additions made
| to the ancient churches and castles in old
countries is called, when they are wrestcd
from the decaying touches of time and re-
stored to their original solidity and freshness
| as well as to their pristine beauty.
! After Mr.. Kings return from his proracted
| visit to Europe, about four years ago, in
which old countries so much respect and CON
| sderation is shown toward old buildings of
/
antiquities generally, his own innate predilec-
| tiOns for all that is beautiful in the antique
We're strengthened and fortified into firm
resolution TO preserve as much of his old
mansion as possible, instead of dismantling
| it and erecting new dwelling, as he had
previously thought of doing. ANY man with
| the means can have new house built, butt
is the privilege of very few to occupy
| dwelling that is so handsome and substantial,
and over n century in age,
In this respect but few can compete with
| Kenton. 1t was therefore determined to re-
| new, with some additions, and restore the old
mansion that had been owned and occupied
| by such worthy persons as friends John and
Susannah Jewett, and other highly respecta-
| BILE citizens. The walls were found to be
strong and unbroken; as substantial, perhaps,
| as any built at the present day. With such
| walls, u real restoration could be readily ac-
complished; an improvement which, with
| the majority of American dwellings, owing
| to their temporary character i'll construction,
| is usually quite impracticable, if not impossi-
bic. The size of the house, and of the differ
ent rooms, though large enough for his pres
cnt use were not quite so large AS the dmen-
sions desired yet, for antiquitys sake, as al
ready mentioned, Mr.. King determined to
preserve the main building intact; and to sup
ply all the needed space, the old kitchen at
| the end was wholly removed, and large,
and very handsome addition built in the place
oft, for kitchen, pantry and dining-room be-
low, and bedrooms above, together with
which all the modern convenienccs and COM
| forts of civilized life have been introduced
| and made a part.
The main building, to which we have al
| ludcd as being preserved in its original integ-
| rity, is in size thirty-siX feet by thirty; the
| new addition, which adjoins, and sets back
| ten feet from the front line, measures twenty
| two feet by thirty, and is also constructed of
| stone with very handsome front The eel
lar floor of the new building is carefully
grouted, and has within it hydrant, and an
open fireplace, for rough work, and also has
| winter milk room adjoining
| The kitchen is a large and nicely furnished
room, sixteen by twenty feet in size with
three windows facing the south, and one to-
ward the west, and is supplied with hot
water, from large copper boiler, and also
with an abundance of cold water from large
sectional tank, which has a capacity for $40
gallons and is substantially located in the
attic story.
Such large and convenient supply of
water is n valuable adjunct TO housekeeping
and is not sufficiently considered in the cree
ton and location ofdwellings generally.
The walls of the kitchen and entry are
wainscoted three feet high with solid ash,
oiled and shcllaced, which moi only presents
q highly ornamental appearance, but prevents
the breaking of the pastering, by the tables
and chairs, and the consequent unsightliness
resulting therefrom.
The ceiling and side walls of the kitchen are
painted in Brunswick brown, so that there is
not only general air of comfort and con-
venience in this apartment, hut taken alto
gether, it is really very handsome room.
| In view of the fact that these improvements
| nj KentOn have been so recently made-with-
in the year 1S,9-and have been made in
such durable and permanent manner-'for
all time as il were-we propose TO enter into
| their details more infinitely than our limited
| information permitted us To do in our notices
ofthc Homes previously skctched Should
any of our present readers weary of these de-
tails, we seek comfort in the reflection that
perhaps our future readers, the generations
hat will follow ours, should the record be
! preserved, will ponder over them with re-
doubled interest and pleasure, for KeHton,
should no accident befal it, may stand as u
memorial of this day for centuries TO come :;
and its history will possess a value hundred
years hence with those who will then occupy
the "IIomes on Deer Greek" that is simply
impossible for us to conceive of now.
Those who are familiar with old books of q
biographical character, old diaries, &C., well
know the value of written statements of CO.
temporary events when truthful; even such
as may appear unnecessary, and of trivial I'M
portance at the time of their record, often ac-
quire wonderful and undreamed-of interest
in the lapse of time. So, it may be, in the
years to come, long after we, of this day,
shall have all been quietly laid away in our
last resting places, where neither the tax
gatherer, with his inevitable demands, nor
the merchant with his bills for the necessaries
of life, may pursue us-"Where the wicked
cease from troubling, and the weary are at