The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-05-20
CONFEDERATE MUSEUM.
THE NARY Dir KESNE COLLECTION
~ CONE 10 RICHMOND.
The New Central school Building has oeen
Comp eted, andxhs Confederate" "h''s
Hoose to be iwschArgs of Ladies.

ON Twelfth street from the eontrSe'o''
and wrote 10 Col. John Is. Cary. chsirina"
of the School Committee OF the N"'
Council, that Il was ready dor oecup"H''
Col. Cary will at once turn the "e"
building over TO the School boaro io' ''''
mediate occupancy. and some u'ne '"''
week will transfer the old-jehersoh D"''S
mansion TO the Executive ConHh''ee u
the Confederate Memorial and Literary
soc.e,v as provded By the ordiha"ces
nassed ON mat subject, for use as
Confederate museum.
The ney building, which was buiit OF
the site OF the old Grant residence is
model scbooihOuse, and cost. Complete d'4"
furnished. $500. 49,.
II is not. however TO mention this
school that this article is written Du'
rather to speak Of the museum INTO
which the old Confederate White House
is 10 be converted. and of a maBhiIceh'
Confederate collection which has pee"
bequeathed to this society.
HISTORY of THE MOVEMENT.
For a long time the ladies of TINS CITY,
DESTROYS oil preserving such articles u
the Confederacy as Wouiu PeIPe'""'
the memories Of that time ana iIus'T@'s
the heroism OF the southern soldier hopeu
FOR some tangible way oil accomplishing
this service, and the completion o. Inc
new school makes practicable az last
the fulfilment Of their hopes
on December s. 1880. Col. John b. cary
who has taken deep interest ~ me move
meut from the beginning. offered reso-
Of a
ing for an Appropriation for the new
scnool ana the delivery of the Conied-
crate White House to the Confederate
Memorial and Literary Society for the
use OF museum as soon as the schooi
was ready.
The ordinance was passed by the COM
mon Council January >. 1891, and became
a law at once by the signature of Mayor
Ellyson.
The matter having been put in definite
shape. the ladies Of the society redoubled
their efforts TO secure valuable relics
for the museum. and finally the great
Confederate bazaar of last spring was
held with marked success. and not only
did 1t make possible the proper improve
ment OF the Confederate White House
when IL comes into their hands. but the
magnificent statue which will be unveil-
ed on the Goth instant owes its existence
largely 10 the same effort
With the funds left In their hands
from this and other sources. II is the
purpose Of the ladies of the Confederate
Memorial and Literary Society TO fit up
the old historic building for a museum.
which FOR twenty-four years has stood
tie wear and tear of hundreds OF school
children.
The house will be thoroughly repaired
SO as 10 maintain all of its old and pc
culiar characteristics and the various
rooms viii be devoted TO separate State
exhibits and fitted up 10 meet the needs
Of each
Then the ample grounds behind will he
improved and when complete II will be
one of the most interesting spots in Amer
Tea.
The ladies have already gathered a
great many Confederate relics and the
building will be opened with a good
nucleus TO start on.
THE DE RRNNE COLLECTION.
As most encouraging. not TO say
browning good fortune of the society they
have just been presented with the Mary
De Renne Collection" perhaps the finest
and most extensive collection Of Confed
crate relics ever made. This superb col
lection, as is shown by a letter below,
only awaits a formality to be turned over
TO the society. and no doubt will be
ready to be turned over to them by the
time the museum is ready. and will then
be placed in the Georgia-room.
The collection was made by Mrs. Mary
NuttalI De Renne, of Savar nah, and
what was started without any fixed pur-
pose grew to almost a passion with
this devotedly Confederate woman, and
she spared neither trouble or expense
in securing everything of value as
memento of this great struggle.
A great many people, sympathizing with
her. aided her in the collection. and she
was given a great many rare and, valua-
BILE relics.
The collection was kept in a room in
the De Renne residence In Savannah
carefully arranged in glass cases made
for the purposes. and the valuable papers,
containing many OF the autograph orders
OF President Davis. at the close of the
Confederacy were arranged by expert
hands in books specially prepared
Mr. Davis saw this collection on his
last visit TO Savannah and was very much
interested In IL.
DIR, RvERARD DE BENNK.
DIR. Everard De Renne, son OF Mrs.
Mary Nuttall De Renne. died In New
York few months ago, and in his
will bequeathed the collection to the
Confederate Museum in this city.
Since his mothers death the collection
has been stored In a safe deposit vault
in New York. where DR.. De Renne re-
sided most of the time, and 1t is now
there.
The donor of this superb gift was a
warm-hearted. courteous gentleman OF
refined tastes. He was educated in Eu-
rope, and while travelling there after
his marriage lost his wife. and from
that time he lived rather quiet life in
New York.
He was possessed OF large means, and
though the collection was one OF great
value, he. In that spirit of patriotism
which inspired his mother 10 make the
collection. provided for placing 1t where
he thought IL would be OF most value
and be best preserved.
AN INTERESTING LETTER.
The following letter from Hon. Robert
Lewis Harrison, Of New York, counsel
for the DE Renne estate, in reply TO
an inquiry from The Times. gives fur
ther Information concerning this wonder
ful collection.
II may also be OF interest 20 know
that MIR. Harrison is a Nirg1nian. master
OF arts OF the University Of Virginia, and
president OF the Alumni Association in
New York. lie Is a son OF Professor
Gessner Harrison, Of the University, and
great grandson 9f Bette Washington.
the only sister 81 George Washington.
The use OF the names Of the Virginia
Historical Society and the Hollywood
Memoiia, Association in correction with
this collection, perhaps grows out Of a
LACK OF kEONlodlr. L. .1-.i 49,