Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1893-04-24
Pictures of Two Colonial Homes.

Among the houses of the Northern
Neck of Virginia left to the State by
those early settlers "who builded better
than they knew" is one that may be
said to have direct connection and
powerful influence over the time now
recalled by the Confederate Bazaar
''Stratford. Old "Gunston Hail."
near Mt. Vernon, and "Stratford, ''early
home of the Lees Gncluding Light
Horse Harry" and his more famous
SOM, are we'll known. Both gave, in the
course of descent, many prop, as well
as aid and ornament, to cause des-
tined to fail, yet whose children are left
to say of it:
'"Tis a cause. not the fate of a cause, tLat is
glorious
1t is perhaps, then, not inappropri
ate addition TO the portraits of Lee and
other Confederate Generals, which are
now ior sale at the Alabama booth Of
the memorial bazaar, that two water
color copies of these famous old houses
recall the elder time" of great rebels,
to quote the parlance not long since in
vogue on the other side Of Mason Il
DiXon's line.
In an old Applctoa'S Magazine Of 1874
we find that the original George Mason,
founder of the Virginia family, was a
colonel, of StafIordshirc, Eng, and
member of Parliament in the reign of
Charles l., who began like Lord
III thn
actions of the King, but fought
under his standard during the
war proceeding the Commonwealth, and
later under that of Charles II, at Wor
cester. The unfortunate result of this
battle was such that he made haste TO
leave England, and looking upon Nir-
ginia as the haven for distressed cara-
liers, took ship, landed at Norfolk, and
soon thereafter bought the estate on
the Potomac, the site of Gunston Hall.
The George Mason, or fifth of the
name, was the iramcr of the Bill of
Rights, and his history has been so well
given in recent book by one of his de-
scendants that it is unnecessary to
touch upon it here.
The river view of the old mansion,
built of imported English brick, with its
tall old chimneys, steep roof, gables,
and curious octagon porch is given in
the picture now for sale in the Ala
bama booth.
"Stratford, built by the Richard
Lee who left England in 1850 Gt is sup
posed, from like loyalist sympathies as
those of the first George Mason), was
burned down and rebuilt by the notable
Mr.. Lee of that period through the aid
of his friends at Williamsburg, in
Guiding "his Excellency the Gov
ernor' who made such re-
port of the virtues and misfortune of
this gentleman to Queen Caroline as to
draw from her the free gift of $4,000
to be devoted to the work of rebuilding
"Stratford." So the solidly-construct-
ed mansion, with its picturesque square
turrets, arose again from its ashes in
1745 to recall the names of Richard
Henry Lee. great orator and statesman
-sgentleman of the silver hand" !"
whose eloquence stole men'sjudgments,
according to Mr.. Writ; Francis Light
foot Lee, of elegant attainments and n
signer ofthe Declaration of Independ-
ence; William Lee, afterwards sheriff,
alderman, and ardent friend of the col
onies in London; Arthur Lee, writer,
diplomatist. and untiring representa-
tive of his country in France.
Here, in the very room, says tradi-
ton, where Richard Henry and Francis
Lightfoot were born came into the
world Robert Edward Lee, general-in-
chief of the Confederate armies. His
father, General Henry Lee, came into
possession of ''Stratford" through mar
riage with his cousin, Miss Matilda
Lee, and figured in the war of the rev.
olution as the famous Light Horse
Harry"