The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-06-16
HISTORIC PRIZE


 The Table on Which was Written the Declaration of Independence--Stam
 ford Claims It.
 Stamford claims the table on which the Declaration of Independence was written by it's author, Thomas Jeffer- son,
 At the home of Harold A. Parsons, of the firm of Parsons & Belden, in Sec ond street. says the Telegram, may be found this piece of celebrated furniture. It is of solid mahogany of queer and in- tricate construction.It has antique legs, and is perhaps more in general appear ance that of desk than of table. The main part above the drawer is covered with green baize, the actual material on which was laid the paper on which the famous patriot wrote the national document so highly prized by all Americans.
 Above the main part of the desk are the two lifting diagonal boards, unlike anything ever seen in modern table or desk. These are apparently for the purpose of furnishing a place for wri- ting while standing at the desk table.
 The fact that this is the actual table used by Thomas Jefferson is well au- thenticated and five hundred dollars has been offered for the table by the Historical society of Pennsylvania, which owns and has in Carpenters hall of Philadelphia the table on which the document was signed. This table owned by Mrs. Parsons is the one used | by Thomas Jefferson. in his library and l is the one beyond a shadow of doubt on which he composed the Declaration of l Independence.
 Mrs. Parsons father is James Paxson, now residing in Boston. The family came from Pennsylvania. His mother was Elizabeth Paxson who died in | Bristol, Penn. in 1SS3 Her father was l Dr. James Gallaher, famous old time physician of Philadelphia. He bought | the table at the auction sale of the es- | tate of Thomas Jefferson. Mrs. Harold A. Parsons, the present
 owner of the table, is the last of nine 1 generations born in the old Paxson ! homestead in Brooksf1eld, Penn. Dr. Gallaher was her great grandfather. His youngest daughter, Miss Margaret l ta (great aunt to Mrs Parsons) died about six years ago, aged ninety years She could just remember her father Dr. Gallaher, bringing the table home 1 and stating what great historic interest l it possessed. Later on she frequently heard him tell of the composition of l the great national document on this ta- l ble Certain provisions in his will pre- vent the table being sold. It must be kept in the family and handed down as | an heirloom.
 1 Mrs. Parsons comes from a family that for many generations has been very fond of collecting choice antique l furniture, hence the beautiful home of
 Mir. and Mrs. Parsons is furnished with very choice antiquated furniture. | Very noticeable among these are the | parlor and dining room sets of solid an- | tique mahogany. The Chippendale side | board is over one hundred and twenty | five years old and very beautiful, being l inlaid in the skillful old-time manner in
 holly ebony and beautiful green tint | ed wood. This came from Fredericks- I burg, Va, and is very valuable intrin- l sically as well as age.
 The dining table, also of massive ma hogany, Is very beautiful and unlike
 anything seen nowadays. It is circular i and can be extended to over fifteen feet l long.
 Among the antique bric-a-b brac is a mortar and Destle, the former from a solid knot of mahogany from John Rod- man, of the island of Barbadoes, in l 1884.
 The sideboard contains many choice