The Washington herald., 1908-07-05

Charlottesville possesses as many his
toricai associations as Boston. New York,
or Philadelphia. although little known 10
the world without simply because they
have had no chronicler, says Charles
Burr Todd. in the New York Evening
Post
A short distance away Is Monticello.
JeTerson's beautiful home: near AZ hand
is the University Of Virginia, which he
founded; down the main street. fronting
a little square. stands the courthouse Of
Albemarle County with It's lofty portico
supported by Greclan pillars. The mod
est courtroom has heard the oloquence OF
Jefferson. Madison. Monroe. William Writ.
and Patrick Henry.
L have known men who saw Presi-
dent Of the United States talking with
two ex-Presidents in our courthouse
square" said an old resident, and they
were soon Joined by an ex-Attorney Cen
eral Of the United States, an ex-Mlnister
10 England. and an ex-Mlnister to
France. and all residents Of the county
at the time"
To show the quality OF "reminiscences to
the following:
In the Revolution the site OF the pres
ent Redlands Clubhouse was occupied by
the Swan Tavern, which was the meeting
place Of the gentlemen Of that day. 1t
was kept by man named Jewett. His
son, John Jewett. a fox hunter and cross
country rider. happened TO be at Louisa
Court House some thirty-fve miles from
Charlottesville. when Tarlcton's Cavalry.
200 strong. passed there. galloping for
Charlottesville where jefferson. head and
front Of the rebellion in Virginia. lived.
and where the legislature Of Virginia was
then holding its sessions. having fed
hither from Richmond on the capture of
that city by tho British
''Tarleton had sworn TO crush every egg
IN that nest Of treason and sedltion. as
he called Charlottesville, and would have
done il. no doubt putting a different
aspect on the face OF subsequent history
had not John Jewett leaped to his horse.
once the British had passed. and galloped
across country, until he passed tho Brit
ish. and emerged upon the pike Nearing
Charlottesville. he met a friend also
mounted. and sent him 10 warn jefferson
at Monticello, while he swept in upon
the legislature
Flight of the SOIOns.
Fly for your lives" he shouted. The
British are on you and they swear they'll
hang the Virginia legislature in a body
The solons fed in confusion. jefferson
sent lis family 10 Blenheim, a neighbor-
ing plantation: told his two house ser
wants. John and Caesar to pack up and
conceal vaIuables and papers mounted
his horse and rode up Sneads Mountain.
which commanded view OF the town.
Seeing no redcoats. he started 20 ride
down, but after going a short distance.
found he had lost his sword He retraced
his steps, recovered II, and then CHANGING
a glance upon the town, saw Il was full
OF redcoats, whereupon be spurred his
horse over Carter Mountain and reioined
his family at Blenheim. The troopers
captured Monticello. and there are the
marks OF a horses hoofs on the oak floor
Of the great hall. where a British trooper
rode into 1t. John Jewett is buried some
where in the courthouse square. and
there is not even a stone to mark his
bAdNt. IL ilt ldQ AlNtu III boston, he
would have been immortalized in verse
and song and story
Judge r. 7. Duke. an author and trav-
eler. has several relics of Jefferson. He
has been counsel and executor Of estates
for the family for many years, and these
relics came to him by bequest in recog-
milton of his services.
Jefferson was an inventor and archi-
tect. a fact not generally known" he
says. He invented the mold board OF the
plough. and thereby conferred a boon on
mankind. I have seen the original draft
OF It done by his own hands In France
he saw the clumsy wooden plOughs which
the peasants used. and II occurred to him
that the sod should be turned over, and
on returning home he drew the proper
geometric curve OF least resistance. and
had his blacksmith make a mold from II.
He patented It in England France. and
and received a medal from the