Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-06-29
HOME, SWEET HOME.
A Story of the Immortal Song Told for
the First Time.
From the Washington Star.

From the Washington Star.
| Some things there are which, by COM
| mon instinct, mankind hold sacred. Among
these are the scenes of heroic deeds, the
precincts of patriot graves and the birth
place OF sublime thought, in proof of which
need only be mentioned such names as
Lexington, Mount Vernon and Independ-
ence Hall. And within the District of
Columbia there is a spot which the Ameri-
can people, if familiar with its associa-
lions, would not deem unworthy of men,
ton IN connection with those named
Half century ago George W. Talburtt,
then young and unmarried, was the owner
by inheritance of 4 plantation of 2Sl acres,
lying just across the east branch of the Po-
tomac from Washington, his fee simple do
main touching the river at point oppo
site the navy yard. Here he lived in ele-
CANT leisure, having about 100 slaves, and,
to dlgress for moment, the visitor may
still see near his home 4 row of graves,
from which are pointed out the particular
resting places of some more distinguished
than their companions for humble virtues.
One is remembered as the "colored NAM
my" of a person since raised to eminence,
while another is revered for an intimacy
with several family generations. This
young man, possessed of ease and atfluenCe
was a boon companion of John Howard
Payne, whose dust has since become so
sacred. The old home still stands. as it
then stood, in an Eden bower on the bank
Of the river, and here. under venerable
chestnut tree, sitting on rustic seat that
encircled its trunk, Payne and Talburtt
used to drink their mint iulep, sing their
IL Z i, IL.
to lead. Talburtt had promised Payne
that whenever he wanted home, it should
be built for HIM on the plantation, and
they would spend their bachelor lives to-
gether Much of the old plantation is
now within the modern suburban village
of Anacosta, and on an elevation that
commands view of the National Capitol
and its surroundings which quite ravishes
the eye with its beauty, stands the house,
now owned and occupied by II. A. Girls
void, built in fultillment of this promise.
The site was selected by Payne himself be-
fore departing on his foreign mission, but
he never returned to enjoy the home of
which he sang; and thus absOlved from his
vow of celibacy, Mr.. Talburtt afterward
married and himself occupied the new
house, in which children were born to
him, one OF whom, still q resident Of the
village, is the mother of j. Harry Shan
non, widely known as the juvenile orator.
But the chief point of interest is yet to be
told, for Notwithstanding the claim that
Home, Sweet Home" was written in
Tunis or in London garret, the original
manuscript, in the handwriting of the
illustrious author himself. and bearing his
own interlineation, is still in the posses
sion of the famil y-Mr Talburtt having
died il 1S65-and ii was on the rustic
seat under the chestnut tree, on the bank
! of the east branch Of the Potomac, so near
the mouth as to be practically on the main
river, and a little more than a mile east of
| south from the capitol building, that John
Howard Payne, with his own inspired ge-
Mus and an aid-de-camp of mint iulep,
drafted this immortal composition. The
rustic seat, held as precious heir loom, is
! preserved in the attic Of the old home :;
| and the chestnut tree, now partly dead,
! with its top cut away and much of its bark
Clipped off as mementoes, still marks the
birthplace of this song, that will live
while the English tongue is spoken or
matched roof covers the head of an hum
bic inhabitant of earth