The Savannah morning news., 1900-08-12

age which the sale of his lands to the
government would bring to the planter.
testy Davy exclaimed: II suppose you
shink that people here are going TO take
every grist that comes from you as pure
grain; but what would you have been
II you hadn't married the Widow Gus
lisp
After many interviews and arguments
even the patience of Washington gave
out, and he finally said: MIR. Burns, l
have been authorized 90 select the loca-
ton of the national capital / have Sc
lected your farm as part of it, and the
government is going to take 1t. Under
these circumstances l trust you will into
an amicable arrangement" That settled
1t, and the Burns land netted an i'm
mense fortune for the planter and his
family. After the plain, hard-headed
farmer had become millionaire, his only
daughter, Marcia Burns, blossomed into
the fairest belle end richest heiress in
all the country round. married John p.
Van Ness, a member Of Congress from
New York-a Revolutionary officer. a sup
porter of Aaron Burr against the Clinton
Livingston feud-handsome. elegant and
popular. Close by the original four-room
home of the Burns, they built an elegant
brick mansion, the most unique of all our
historic houses, at enormous expense,
with marble rlantels wrought in Italy.
panelling of costly woods. set tiles inlaid
with mosaics about it's silver door-knobs
and a great portico modelled after that
of the Presidents house and every bit
as stately and imposing. Here. for a
few years Mr. and Mrs. Van Ness enter
tanned she aristocracy of our infant re-
public; until their only daughter grew 10
the age OF Is and married Arthur Middle
ton of South Carolina. But in less than
one little year this youthful bride heress
of untold wealth., was laid in her grave
with babe in her arms. About this
time Gen. Van Ness died. and Maria
Burns, widowed and childless, renowned
the pomps and vanities-of the world. left
her stately mansion and went back 10
the cottage In which she was born and
where her parents had lived and died. Her
great fortune was given entirely 10 char
NV. and among other good works the City
Orphan Asylum of Washington owes its
origin and endowment to her.
.
Not far from this locality is another
landmark-the old yellow stone mansion,
built in 1902, in which Gen. Alfred Pleas
onton. the famous cavalry commander,
was born. II was his father who. when
the British made their attack, hustled
about lively and carted off twenty-five
two-horse wagonloads Of the treasures OF
Washington and hid them safely I'm a
barn in Leesburg. We. He secured the
most important public documents up 10
that early date. smashed the glass ana
removed from the frames Gen. Washing
toms first commission and the Declara-
ton of Independence. and performed other
prompt and timely deeds chat placed pos
Verify greatly in his debt. The British
looted the Plessonton house, but did not
greatly damage 1t. THE insidious tooth
OF time" however. has since been busy
lipon it, The yellow stone il crumbling
I'm places and charitable ivy. climbing
over cannot hide The black stains where
the rains Of hundred years have trick
led.
-Four squares away stands the house
which Edward Everett built, and where
he resided when Secretary of State un-
der President Fillmore. The next occu-
nant was Jefferson Davis. while Secre-
tary of War in the administration OF Pres
ident Pierce Later, Jacob Thompson.
Secretary OF the Interior under Buchanan,
lived here during his Term OF Office and
gave notable entertainments. During the
civil War II was occupied by the quar-
termaster's department of the army;
and aNerward by Henry A. Wise,
n s. A.. who married Edward Evcreti's
daughter. A near neighbor to this was
che old mansion OF William Writ; but
like many OF It's time. Il ia not to be found
when one looks for Il to-day, modern
structure having taken is place.
The well known Porter mansion on u.
street was built in 1926. by Richard Rush.
while Secretary Of the Treasury. Thu
upper story ard ball room nre more recent
additions. Hamilton Fish lived here,
years before ne was Secretary of STATE In
Grants cabinet. Lord Lyons British AM
bassador for eight years, took IL as lega-