The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1894-05-03
HISTORIC GROUND.
THE ANCESTRAL HOME OF HOKE
SMITH.
Montpelier. Granville County,
Now Vance)--A Spot Familiar
to Many Of Our Readers---Some-
thing Concerning the Old Place
and It's Former Occupants.
By MRS. CICERO ". HARRIS.

thing Concerning the Old Place
and It's Former Occupants.
BY MRS. CICERO ". HARRIS
The ancestral home Of Hoke Smiths
maternal progenitors is Montpelier,
Granville county, n. G. 1t was built
prior to the Revolutionary War by
Judge John Williams, the great grand
father of Mary Brent Hoke, who
married Prof. Smith, of New Hamp-
shire, the father of the Secretary. 1t is
one mile from Williamsboro, one of
three post towns in North Carolina
during the war of the Revolution.
Montpelier Is approached by an
avenue a mile long Cut through a
prImeval forest of giant oaks. This
avenue is wide enough for four car
rlages to drive abreast down its entire
length. 1t IS perfectly straight, and
the view of the old house in the large
lawn, about the size of Franklin square,
IS very imposing.
The house IS built of the heart of the
pine, but IS finished inside with hand
carved oak. The drawing room and
library open on a central hall, as wide
as the average Washington House
The ball room on the reCond story is
nearly as large as the East room of the
White House. The hedge of ancient
box trees, in which Mrs. John Will
lamS hid her silver from Lord
rarleton's troops, is still standing.
Across the hall from the ball room is
4 triangular shaped bed room, which
IS SAID TO be haunted by the ghost of a
reckless son of the house of three
generations past, who met with an
untimcly and unnatural death. This
room overlooks the old family burying
ground, and there are strange noises
to be heard coming from the grave
yard when the wind is in a certain
direction. They probably come from
the limbs of the trees which strike the
tall Cardra marble monument of
Agatha Williams Burton, the beautiful
and only daughter of Judge Williams
/ and great grandmother of Hon. Hoke
smith. The poorer white people and
! The negroes do not accept this solution
/ Of the "ghost" however, and many of
] them assert to this day that they have
. rocn lights burning in the haunted
room when Montpelier which was
/ untcnantcd, and that they have seen
the 'ghost" fitting about the grave
yard. Montpelier's ghost is as fixed
an institution among these people as
the pension roll IS at The Interior De
| partment.
In this old graveyard is the un-
marked grave of Chief Justice Leonard
Henderson, the father of President
Andrew Johnson. When Andrew
| Johnson was President he was invited
to Raleigh to unveil the monument
which some OF the citizens of that
State saw fit to erect to the memory Of
an estlmable tailor, who was the
husband OF President Johnson:
mother Andrew Johnson went, but
referred to him as " my reputed
tather.' He, as well as the friend:
and descendants of Chief Justice
Henderson, knew whence Andrew
Johnson got his brain. \ son Of Chic
Justice Henderson has called oul
attention to the strong resemblance
between the family portrait of Chic
Justice Henderson and the picture o
Andrew Johnson. The monumen
paid for by the State of North Caro-
lima marks the worthy tailor Johnson ;:
grave at Raleigh, but heavy stone
which was pointed out to US with th'
request that we should remember tn,
spot :. in case future generations shoult
care to mark the grave Of the dlstln
guished Chief Justice,' is the onl.
headstone to show where the father o
Andrew Johnson rests. Mrs. Joh1
Williams was the sister of ludg
Richard Henderson, the father of Chic
Justice Henderson. Henderson ant
Hendersonville, \. c., Henderson
Ky. and various other towns in tn
South were named for Judge Hender
son and his numerous descendants
nearly all of whom have attained
either local or national distinction
The Hon. Archibald Henderson was
brother of Chief Justice Henderso
and grandfather of Hon. John Steel
Henderson now member of Congres
from North Carolina and Chairma
of the Committee on Postoftice AM
/ Post X O3dS