East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1913-06-11
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WOMEN OF THE WHITE
HOUSE.
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W ''''NS ne piouShl Hp NlIe WITH
him to the White House. She had
died l9 years before, leaving to his
care two daughters, Martha and
Maria.
When Thomas jefferson went to
Paris as envoy from America after
the Revolution he took with him little
Martha, who was placed in a convent
Later Maria was sent to join her ia.
ther, much against her inclination.
Martha Jefferson at the age of 16
had grown to love the convent life.
and finally wrote to her father that
she desired to become nun. Jeffer-
son at once took both his daughters
from the convent and they were in
troduced to Partisan society. Martha
soon attracted the gaze of a young
kinsman, Thomas Randolph, and for
got her desire to spend her life in a
convent. jefferson, on account of the
youth of his daughter and her lover,
induced them to postpone for while
thoughts of marriage, and was soon
less daughters. 1t was not long be-
fore the famous old mansion was the
scOne of brilliant wedding and Mar
tha jefferson became Mrs. Thomas
Randolph. While jefferson was serv-
ing as vice president during the Ad-
ans administration Maria was mar
ried to another kinsman, John Eppes.
During the greater part of Jeffer-
sons two administrations there was,
properly speaking, no lady of the
White House. Maria Eppes died dur
4 ing her fathe : early years as presi-
dent and Marta Randolph preferred
| the quiet of her Virginia home to the
excitement of the capital. She did,
| however, spend one winter in Wash
! ngton and James Madison Randolph,
/ the first White House baby, was born
/ there
After jefferson retired from the
| presidency and took up mis- abode at
Monticello Martha Randolph came
with her II children to pres lie over
the famous mansion Her fathers
open-handei hospitality reduced his
fortune so rapidly that after his de IN
even Monticello had to be sold to s.
isfy his creditors Mrs Randolph
made plans to open school so tha
she could support her unmarried
daughters. but fortunately two state
legislatures appropriated enough
money for her sustenance and she re-
moved to Washington, where she lived
until her death in 1897
Washington, as may be seen from
the old print was only town when
jefferson was president. 1t had prob
ably no more than 5000 inhabitants
at any time during his administra-
tion, but jefferson did much to i'm
prove its appearance. When Abigail
Adams first reached Washington
Pennsylvania avenue, the highway
between the white house and the cap
itol, was deep moras covered with
struggling growth of alder brush.
Jefferson caused the thoroughfare to
be opened up and planted with shade
trees, fastened the completion of
the white house and added to the
capitol.
The president had no sooner en-
tered upon his first term than he be-
gan to put in practice his democratic
ideas which were so alien to the
minds of Washington and Adams. The
white house was crowded with guests
day and night; everyone was free to
enter and partake of the bountiful
hospitality which plunged Jefferson
into debt. The stately levees at
which Martha Washington and Abb
gail Adams had shone were abolish
ed, and full dress became the excep-
tion rather than the rule. The pres
ident himself set an example by re-
ceiving foreign ministers in slippers
and clothes that were obviously more
comfortable than fashionable. 1t was
perhaps, this free and easy, rough
hospitality that made Mrs. Randolph
reluctant to spend more than one
season at the white house.
Many brilliant men, however, sat
at Jefferson's long dining table and
discoursed wisely and systematically
as they slipped the choice wines set
before them. Thomas Moore, the Ir-
ish poet, made short visit here and
was impressed by the dignity of the
white house. He found, however,
that the president occupied but lit
tie corner of the great mansion and
"abandons the rest to a state of un-
cleanly desolation." Aaron Burr, the
vice president, was a conspicuous fig
ure in that early society, subtle,
courtly, already full of the grandiose
schemes that were to bring about his
disgrace. Gilbert Stuart had opened
studio at the neighboring town of
Georgetown and here the better
known women and men of the era
gathered to sit to the great painter
Baron Humboldt, the renowned trav-
eller, charmed the statesmen and
beauties of the young republic in the
spring Of 1904; Thomas Paine spent
winter at Washington, and shocked
the conservatives by his sparkling
conversation. Robert Fulton, who
was to launch his first steamboat
during Jefferson's administration.
was conducting experiments on the
nearby waters of Rock Creek. Henry
Clay, with eyes that could gaze an
eagle blind" was beginning his long
service OF 40 years.
Yet always. II must be borne in
mind, Washington was only village;
so limited in accommodations for
men whose names we have mention
ed were compelled to live in George
town. Not until 1904 were public