Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-06-11
AT OLD RAVEysWORTH.
One of the Historic Lee Homes OF
Virginia.
CWashington Post)

or less prominently these latter days OF
war, and It's sad aftermath. the mind
turns occasionally to the remembrance
that in the governments gain Of Airing
ton by confscation after the war OF the
rebellion the family Of General Robert j..
Lee lost their home and pairlmonial in
heritance. As a matter Of fact Arlington
never actually belonged to the COnfede-
rate general, IL was his wife's estate for
as long as she lived. but Il was TO their
eldest son, George Washington Custis
Lee. known now generally as General
Gusts Lee that Arlington was willed by
his grandfather. George Washington
Parke Gusts, and to him it was that the
government subsequently made financial
restitution.
Had 1t not been for the fortunes OF
war, therefore. G. neral Gusts Lee woull
now in all probability 10 making his resi-
denca at Arlington instead of at Ravens
worth, which is his present home. Raw
ellsworth is. however. most interest
ing place, and for many years mas Deeh
connected with the Lee family. y beau
tiful place il Is, too, though much less I'M
posing and pretentioGs than Arlington. /,
is but fifteen miles from Washington IN
Fairfax county, Va, lying In southwest
direction and on what Il known as inc
BraddOck road. and alleged 10 De one %,
in pursuing his f9trful western .vulhey'
This was the home OF General W. II. l..
Lee the second son Of the Confederate
commander and for a time congressman
from the Eigth District Of Virginia and
he came TO it BY Inheritance about ten
years after the war making II ms nome
until the time of his death, which oe-
Cured eiSht years ago. II is now the
home Of his widow. ana OF her TWO sons,
Robert L.. Lee and Boiling Lee, and, as
A st Int
while the two daughters Of General RO-
| bert f.. Lee make it their abiding pace
| during the summer, when at home from
the extensive foreign travelling they pur-
! sue.
Ravensworth is an old place. and came
| to the Lees by inheritance from tne fltz-
| hughs, whose family estate II DecdIht
carly In the eighteenth century. Its hist
| owner was William Bitzhush, known as
| the Baron OF Ravonsworth. and his son
was William Henry F1tzhuSh' nEIISo
| phlanthrOpist of his time. and Tor whom
| General W. II. e. Lee was named; Inc
| latter family connection, which INKS inc
| names and fortunes OF f1tzhughs anu
| Lees Ohere was, however, as the NAME
| Indicate an carierD Is Interesting. Mary
| Lee Fitzhugh became the wife or GeOISc
Washington Parke GUSTS, the GRANDSON
| OF Martha Washington, and adopted son
| Of General Washington, and General H.
| r.. Lee married Mary Randolph Cusus'
| the only daughter of this union. II was
| through this marriage that the estate OF
Arlington. the family home OF me Gus,
| tses, became the residence Of General
| Lee. and also that RaVensworth was III
| herited by his son.
Ravensworth is one of the few places
| in Virginia that have been preserved III
all the dignity of their ante-peliun Re-
| gime. This favorable condition Oh aHaI2
| is at once evidenced on ones arrival
within the gates of the estate. IL IS APP
parent in the weii-kept grounds "hlGH
cover in all about twenty-five acres; III
the stately peafOwl that noisly greet
one but lend an unusual elegance 10 inc
| lawns OF country manor; IN the Trim
box-edged, fancifuIly shaped flower-beds,
| Immediately gardened in real ola Engllsh
style and again i'm the splendid stretches
of tree-shaded lawns that sweep away
from both north and south sides OF the
house making TWO fronts, another IT
ginia fancy in homc-buildlng. Inc sOulh-
ern 'front.' which is that away from lhe
public road, is the family side. Here IN
the allurng warmth Of the new summer
stand upon the lawn the tropical sntuoS
and flowers that have been lOstereu uu-
ring the cold season in the conservatory
at the sunny end OF the house, ana mere
are The wide pilared NeranddS tnat eN-
tend the entire length Of upper and lower
stories. We feel ourselves III Ola virginia
as we stroll through picturesque a'eys
Of trees and shrubbery, left, happiy, III
q GREAT measure To natures own luNu-
rio1,s manner OF identifying, TO the family
graveyard. The latter, the last resting
place of the early owners OF the estate
and their families, is incloslnS ny lItlIh
stone wal, entirely covered with virginia
crceper. But four of the graves are no, ~,
ed bv stones. and these commemorate re-
specfively William FitzhuSh, porn sep
tember 4. 17i: died December 49, l6V5, ana
William Henry Fitzhugh, born March =
1880: died May q. 1S), and their WiVes'
Anne Fitzhugh and Anna Maria tlLLnush'
TYPICAL VIRGINIA MANSION.
The house, large, square structure Oh
frame. contains the typical Virginia az
rangement Of great hallWay Iui'lir7
across IT'S entire width, WIN tne ne, 10. ~,
high-ceilinged and altogether hdnusoine-
living rooms on the first floor. HanSnS
i'm this hall are llfe-siZe paintings OIL WI,
liam FftZhugh and his wife, the anceslr'i
heads OF the house. me tguItl,IVnt
The hall. indeed the entire furnishing OF
this perhaps az harmOulously SUSTAINED
representative Virginia mansion as any
now existing, IS In perfect harmony WIN
the style. age. and architecture OF eic
house Everything IN the Wooo,"G,tth -.
the hall is Of mahogany the elsht- u%N
clock in the corner, the claWteet tdDie,
the large settce-and all. including inc
quaint old brass hanging lamp, are OF Co
lonial design. 1870
room. occupying the entire width OF the
house and Is lighted by two large VIM
dows at either end. 1t is prettiiy tur-
nlshed in an attractively light scheme or
white yellow, and blue. II contains III
Vulnerable mementos Of the travels of the
Misses Lee and other artistic buc-a-Didc
and some more than ordinarily interes,
ing pictures. one Is an excellent ianu-
scane I'm oil OF NeWburgh- On- Hudson hy
Weir. Another is fine engraving OF
the dashing "Light-HOrse Harry Lee
the notable Revolutionary general Gov
ernor OF Virginia and father or Genera
Robert T.. Lee; another is an excellent
4 4 nj
water-color, and on either side or the
doorway are small landscapes showing
decided merit, but especially interesting
as being the work Of Mrs. II. r.. Lee
The dining room. across the hall, Is by
far the most interesting room IN the
house being the repository of all that Is
of the greatest historic value in II. us
walls are the family portrait gallery, ana
its sideboard and china closet contain a
particularly fine collection of family Sill
Yer and china. The room Is well pro-
portioned, being about q feet square, and
with correspondingly high ceilings III
has four large windows two at either
side. and IL is wainscoted to the height
OF feet in dark polished walnut, which
wood also compOSes the floor, ana all
the substantial woodwork of the room.
The square mahogany table has the brass
feet of the colonial period, and the
heavy square, leather-coVered chairs
accord with il, while the sldebOard Is
massive piece Of great beauty.
FANNY PORTRAIT GALLERY.
Occupying the chief position on the
south wall is portrait In oil or Generai
II IL. Lee. 1t is by Elder. OF Richmond,
who executed the most important OF the
ee portraits-that hanging In the Senate
chamber at Richmond. that in the Uni
yersity of Virginia, and the one in he
Council chamber OF the city OF savannah.
A nortrait of Mrs r. f.. Lee hangs near
he Generals: IL Is by like. and shows a
strong Intellectual, refined. and benevo-
iant face. Mrs. Lees likeness 10 her
reat-grandmother, Martha Washington
- ~. strilsiua A likeness of General W. II.
y Lee, a good portrait In oils, hangs
near, and on either side are those OF his