Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1900-03-15
Frank Stockton's New Home in West
Virginia.
BY CLIFFORD HOWARD.

From the Ladies' Home Journal.
Prior to the early summer of 1899
Mr.. Stockton lived for about ten years
at "The Holt" country home near
Morristown, New Jersey.
He would probably still be living
there were it not for the discovery
that progressive Morristown showed
signs of coming out into the country
also, and that his rural residence was
alphabetically undergoing gradual
evolution which promised before long
to make of it a suburban villa, sur
rounded with buildings and enlivened
by the merry buzz Of the trolley cars.
Desiring the solitude of rural life,
and asking only for the artless environ
ments of Nature, he accordingly sought
another home-some place wherein he
might revel in the seclusion of woods
and gardens and farreaching meadows.
And such place he has found in
"Claymont. 1t is the fulfllmsnt of
his ideal: garden spot, shut in from
the world amid the hills of the beau
tiful and historic valley Of the Shen-
andoah, "a few miles distant from quaint
old Charlestown, in West Virginia.
A hundred and fifty acres Of forest,
fields and orchards; of widespreading
lawns and terraced gardens, and in
their midst a stately mansion of Colo
NAL architecture,
Standing on gentle eminence, the
house overlooks the landscape, in
which few other dwellings are visible,
and no highway nor road passes within
sight of it. 1t stands back more than
three.quarters Of mile from the en-
trance to the grounds, and is reached
by winding driveway through a
woods of oak and tangled vines, with
here and there mass of rock or some
boulder adding to the picture Of ro-
mantle wilderness.
Besides the attractiveness Of its stu
alton and its surroundings, "Clay-
mont" is rich in historical associations,
for the land was originally owned by
George Washington; and although he
never lived there, he frequently visited
the spot; and the house, which was
built by one of his family, was mod
eled after plans that he had himself
designed.
Bushrod Washington, son of the
Generals nephew-to whom the prop
ertv was lsft-built the house in 1920.
Seventeen years later it was almost
entirely destroyed by fire, but he ina
mediately rebuilt it, and he and his
descendants continued to occupy the
home for upwards of fifty years, when
it passed out of the Washington fam
lily, and after few changes Of owner
ship came into the possession Of Mr..
Stockton.
In its outward appearance the house
has changed but little, if at all, since
the time of the WashingtOns and
while interior changes have been made,
its general style and character remain
unaltered. The house is an old Vlr-
ginia home Of Colonial type with mod
ern improvements.
1t is long, rectangular brick build
ing, with a smaller two-stOried house
at each end, each separated from the
main building by brick-walled court
yard thirty feet square. One Of these
outbuildingsis used for servants quar-
ters, while the other is designed as an
apartment for guests, "For my bache-
lor friends, explains Mr.. Stockton, sin
case the house happens to be filed
they can enjoy their cigars and do as
they please.
The house, with its appurtenant
buildings and their connecting court
yard walls, presents an imposing front
age-covering fully two hundred and
fifty feet. All of the brickwOrk is Of
light yellow color, giving to the place
a tone of brightness and cheerfulness,
and assuring the visitor, as he catches
his first glimpse of the mansion through
the woodland vista Of the driveway,
that welcome and hospitality await
him.
The road through the woods ap-
proaches the north front of the house.
where portico midway Of the build
ing marks the entrance. a fight Of
marble steps leads up to the porticO,
with its tile flooring, and its tall, gray
pillars that support the roof and incl
dentally lend their aid to the climb
ing rose vines that cluster about the
balustrade and seek to reach beyond.
A wide doorway opens into the hall,
a spacious apartment running parallel