The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1896-03-13

the memory of his countrymen than
John James Audubon, Americas most
celebrated ornithologist and naturalist.
Inc nome OF Audubon stands on the
south bank of Phpnixville. The house
once occupied by the naturalist was
built just 1876 years ago, and is now
owned by Harry Wetherill, of Philadel-
phla, who spends his summers there. 1t
is renowned in the region thereabouts
as the "Mill Grove House." 1t stands
on a knoll of rising ground overlooking
the surrounding country, and the view
to be had is unsurpassed in beauty. The
old house is of stone, and the walls are
remarkably thick and substantial, and
look as if they would stand another one
hundred and thirty-six years. They
are covered with growth ofivy, which
has formed its tendrills around the
easements. There are several ancient
pine trees standing around the house.
Beneath these old pines Audubon used
to sit for hours, watching the birds
build their nests, or fly to and fro in
quest of food for their nestlings. In the
shade of these tall pines the world-fam-
ed naturalist did some of the best work
of his life
The hills slope away from the house
on all sides, and in the summertime,
when the fields are green and the scat
tering trees are in leaf, no more beauti-
full spot could be found. In Audubon's
time it was more picturesque than now,
for the woodlands axe had spoiled many
a noble tree.
The old house itself has been chang
ed somewhat, but the owner in making
his Improvements has been careful to
preserve its original appearance as
much as possible. The changes have
mostly been wrought within, to add
comfort and convenience, which the
builders had neglected. There is still
to be seen the old chimney corner,
where Audubon sat by his tallow can
die on winter nights and wrote or read.
The ceilings are very low. The fire.
places have been preserved, and on cold
winter nights the oak logs are blazing
on the hearth.
When Audubon occupied the house
it was vertible museum, filled from
cellar to garret with stuffed birds and
animals and all sorts of birds eggs,
from the egg of the condor to those OF
the tiny humming bird. The walls
were decorated with drawings of birds
and animals. The house contained the
noblest collection of birds and animals
to be found at that time on the Ameri-
can Continent, and the best work in the
field of ornithology was performed in
the old house by the most eminent of
Americas naturalists, for it was here
that Audubon passed his best working
days.
Audubon, from his own confession,
loved Nature above everything else.
There is little wonder, too, that the nat
uralist chafed when business drove him
back into the busy world. The wild
birds that nested in the groves, the busy
bees at work among the flowers, the
squirrels that gathered their winters
store, and the brooks that run through
the green meadows, had more attrac-
tion for him than the noisy streets, the
hum of business and the sound of .jing-
ling coin in the till.
The land upon which the Audubon
house stands was part of the original
grant of 1000 acres to William Penn.
The land lies between the Perkiomen
creek and the Schuylkill river farms.
The purchase of the property by Au-
dubon's father included an old grist
mill, one of the oldest in the State,
which still remains.
The first mention made of the mill
was in deed of transfer recorded No
vember 10th, l776, when the property
was transferred from Rowland Evans
to John Penn. Copper was discovered
on the property, when the owner, with
number of others, including Stephen
Girard, formed mining company. But
the enterprise proved unsuccessful, and
in a short time was given up after con-
siderable money had been sunk in the
venture.
The great naturalist was born in
louisiana, Of French parentage, in 1880.
When a mere lad he was sent to Paris
and studied art under David, the great
painter. Whed he returned to Amer
lea his father gave him the Perkiomen
farm. In a short time after his return
from France he married Lucy Bake
well. Their eldest son was born on
the Perkiomen farm.
In 1928 a fire destroyed most of his
drawings, which represented years of
toll and study. He mourned two days
over his loss, and then went to work
more bravely than ever to repair the
loss wrought by fire. In two years
his masterpiece, ''The Birds of Ameri-
ca,,' was ready for the press. Birds
of America is colossal work and con-
tanned nearly five hundred oolored
plates of birds, life size, and four large
octave volumes of carefully prepared
letter press. The original subscription
price was $1,000 per set.