The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1912-12-14

This salon is indeed a room of wonders. Mod
eled after the state apartment OF Louis XIV II
differs from that only in color scheme. for JET
ferson chose red for the basic tone IN preferences
to the original green.
Much has been written of the simplicity of
Jefferson. To many Monticello signifies only q
fine example of Colonial America roominess and
comfort In fact, Jefferson furnished MS mansion
not with crude manufactures of the Colonies Dut
fitted his home with all the ornate richness OF
the finest palaces of continental Europe. And,
as in the decorating and furnishing of the build
ing, he was equally esthetic in his care for the
creature comfort of his guests.
Most of the things that were in Jenerson's
study have been lost track of. but Mr. Levy stu
has few and on one corner OF the floor there
remain thousands of ink stains made by Jener-
sons Tipping of the supernuous ink from his
quill.
OF the original articles there remain nat
writing table made by Jefferson upon which 1t is
said he made the first draft of the Declaration OF
Independence
When Jefferson died his relatives ana heirs de-
cded they could not AFFORD the grsaS expense Oh
keeping open the house as it then stood. Much
of the furniture and furnishings we've distributed
by will gift or purchase. Mrs. Martha Jefer-
son Randolph, daughter of the statesman and
executrx of his will. decided to continue her
home at Edge Hill. the Randolph estate, and
was anxious to dispose of Monticello The place
held it but short time and then offered 1t for
sale.
Commodore Uriah Phillips Levy, then a lieu
tenant in the navy, drove from New York city to
Monticello to inspect the property and concluded
a deal by which he acquired from Barclay the
Jefferson mansion and 21S acres of the original
estate 1t was run down from lack of attention
and there was little or the original inside fur
nishings left. Sentimental reasons prompted the
commodore to get back the things that had be
longed to the man who built the wonderful house
and for years he sought to regain the articles
that had been scattered about the country.
Then came the of the states. and the com
modore continuing his allegiance to the Union
was declared an "alien enemy" by the Confed
eracy the estate confiscated and the content:
advertised for sale at public auction Again thu
mansion was partly stripped of it's furnishings
and many pieces of furniture were sold at thu
confscation sale to families residing in the neigh
borhood Some of the articles were returne'
after the war.
After the war, however, when legal adjust
ment of the estate Of Commodore Levy was ha
and Jefferson NJ. Levy inherited the property, MI
Levy continued the labors of the commodore
restoring the home as Jefferson had planned an
left it.
A majority of the articles were recovered, bu
those pieces that had been taken from the cour
try were beyond reach and few of them were trace
With this as his nucleus, however. Jefferson
Levy made thorough search of family records an
documents well as getting information frol
living friends and relatives who had known tn
home when Jefferson lived and from that II!
he has since attempted to get in his many triT
abroad exact duplicates of the works Of ar
furniture and ornaments originally brought fro
France by Jefferson In this Mr. Levy has su
ceeded with considerable accuracy. fitting U
Monticello so exactly as 1t was originally TIL
+ Thomas jefferson might step into the home
spirit and find 1t familiar with objects intima
with his earthly residence.