The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-04-21

ItnlI, Showing Circular stuirrny.
brick walls. and many goodly fruit
trees and grape vines on trel!iscs and
latuccd arbors vic with the ,owcrs
in making the garden :, place or de-
light, In one corner century old
magnolia tree cit was PLANTED in 1901
makes juno fragrant
While to-day this ancient mansion is
La house where arc gathered objects
Tor the spreading OF knowledge and
many specimens for tne SCIENTIFIC
study Of the physical and industrial
development of man. and OF his pas.
times. of his art and his literature stlllI
! II is Il house of memories of even the
more precious thinge ot man in his
Individual and family life. Here the
many children of John Wickham grew
to manhood ana won.unhood. here
they frolicked as babes and played as
Older children: here the daughters of
! inc mousse were wooed and won and
pledged their troths fhc sounds OF
mothers voices arc sill echoed by
these old walls. The dear dead have
dreamed withiu these walls. III more
recent years well remembered aud
highly esteemed citizen Of Richmond
gathered his cultured family and
friends about him here: ana another
family OF children knew IL as their
! h"m" In the quiet Of the night one
often hears the ring Of lone gone
laughter over the result Of SOM. boyisi
prank.
The cries Of newborn babes. the stu
lied sobs OF hearthrokcn men and wo-
men; the scund OF silver laughter or
! boy and maid; the quiet measured tones
lcttcr@-3re all OF the Substance OF.
| this old house
once. not 50 worry Ions ySo a rare
poet one who has come to Know the
I drcam-wor.d az this old house. one
who Understands the things o: the
Shirt, requested OF ms friend, tho GU
rator that he be allowed 10 plant a
bunch Of forget me nots in The garden
soon, again. the sign and symbol OF his
love VIII bloom.
Many Changes Made.
About 1889 or lSi0 the house with
its garden ana outbuItuiugs ia Ss,d by
sale, from the Wickhams TO John T.
| Ballard. Mr.. Ballard in turn sold the
house TO James j.. Brooks, from whom
Mann s Valentine. the second. pro-
cured II by purchase IN 1872. Many
/ changes have been made from time
TO time in the decorations IN the
! house. however. before the time OF its
purchase By Mr. Valentine. The old
high mante!s nave given place to
beautiful specimens OF Florcntine mar
| Bile; chandeliers, in many designs, now
swing from the ceilings of the rooms
the many light windows are replaced
| By single Daned sashcs. and the walls
| OF drawing room and dining room are
frescoed in the work OF a later period
II Will be o. interest TO many persons
10 know that during the Var Between
. hr 4. ..,.t
OF the Honorable c. c. Mcnmingcr
Secretary of the Treasury OF the Con.
! federate States.
/ During the carly part OF tho nine
! tecnth century we fild the first Mann
| Satcrwhite Valentine. a son Of Jacob
! Valentine, OF High Hill, King William
! county, resident OF Richmond He
| was substantial merchant and
man greatly Interested in the progress
| OF the capital OF mis- native state. Mr..
| valentine was man who possessed Il
| discriminating artistic sense. and col
! 1ected many Interesting and notable
paintings. lie was possessed OF line
| library, and was widely read in all
matters pertaining TO science and art
II is not surprising that he gave to-
Virginia such distinguished sons as
| Mann :. Valentine, the second, founder
OF the Valentine Museum. Edward V.
Valentine, the sculptor, and NNiniam
| Winston Valentine. the artist and
philologist. Born into an atmosphere
of scholarship, meeting on every hand
an appreciation Of the very best in
science and art and letters. these men
were greatly encouraged in undertake
, Ing the collection OF rare archaeology
cal. historical ana artistic objects
Years of student DAYS spent by them
on the Continent We're productive of
much interesting material Tor their
family museum. After a dist nEaish.
cd career as n writer and traveller,
William Winston Valentine died un.
married. Edward V. Valentine, the
sculptor. has TO children. To Mann S
Valentine. the second, and his wife,
Ann Maria Gray, We're born nine chill
drcn. seven of whom were sons. Among
these children the varied gifts of the
iuther were we'll distributed. Not the
least remarkable and charming gift
OF the second Mann S. Valentine was
his real understanding OF human ma
turc, and IL consequent profound in |
terest in the welfare and needs of the
people at large. MI his life long he
Lad possessed those opportunities
Which culture affords for most whole
some and satisfying living, and II was
his desire that the people WHOM, no
loved should be given every oppor-
tunity for the very best education. He
conceived the idea OF n public museum
for Richmond, and at his death, by a
codicil to his will. brIuca thcd his resi-
dencc ami grounds his furnltur:, books,
manuscripts, autographs. pictures
! curios. icwclry and china for cstab-
fishing in The city OF Richmond an
institute to he known as tho Valentine
Museum, This was not all--he pro-
vided literally by other means for the
maintenance OF tho Institution. Ha
appointed his brother, Edward v. VAL