Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1914-02-25


in historic interest to Mount
Vernon and Monticello. This
interest lies largely in the fact that it
was the home of Martha Jefferson
Randolph (the daughter Of Thomas
Jefferson) and her husband, Governor
Thomas Mann Randolph, one of Vir-
ginia's ablest governors, writes Alma
Turner Phelps in Town and Country.
The original grant was patented from
the crown of England by William Ran
dolph early in 1900 and contained 1000
acres. Edgehill crowns hilltop and
pestles in a grove of magnificent old
trees that stretch out on either side
of the porch like great arms and frame
wonderful view over the Piedmont
valley, looking across to Carriers
mountain, upon the summit of which
stands Monticello Qtalian for little
mountain), the home Of Thomas Jeffer-
son, which can be plainly seen on
clear day.
"Punch Bowl Tract"
Adjoining this tract of land Peter
Jeffarson, the father of Thomas Jeffer
son, obtained patent for thousand
acres and named it Shadwell for the
parish in England where his wife was
born. Not having good building site
for his house and wishing to be near
ais friend and neighbor, William Ran
dolph gave him AGO acres of his estate.
Edgehill. The purchase price as named
In the deed was Henry Weather
bourne'S largest punch bowl of arrack
punch" For that reason this particu-
lar place is still known as the punch
sowl tract"
William Randolph's son, Thomas
Mann, settled at Edgehill in 1867 and
soon after he married Martha Jeffer-
sen. Thomas Jefferson speaks of his
son-in-iaw in an old letter as "a man
Of science, sense and virtue, in whom
have nothing more to WISH" and feel
Ing as he did, he wished to have his
daughter and son live near his home
An extract from an old letter, written
by Jefferson in 1871, says: II hope
Randolph's idea of settling near Mon
ticello will gain strength and no other
settlement in the meantime be decided
xpon. l wish some expedient be de-
Vised for settling him at Edgehill"
Thomas Jefferson is said to have
planned Edgehill and it was built by
The same workmen as the buildings of
Che University of Virginia.
The estate obtained it's name from a
field near the village of Edgehin, in
Warwickshire, England, where the
Cavaliers under Charles l. first crossed
swords with the Roundheads The
Randolphs come to this country from
Warwickshire in 1861, soon after this
event. 1t is said that the view from
the present Edgehill much resembles
that of its English namesake. The JEFF
Persons and the Randolphs were very
neighDorly, Jefferson spending much
Of his time at the Randolph home.
Old Tulip Trees.
There is a quaint old cottage imme-
diately back of Edgehill. 1t is said
that it stood originally on the site
of the present mansion and had been
removed back. Between the two
houses there are several huge, mis-
shapen old tulip trees, towering over
head and leaning in a threatening
manner. This is the explanation: The
cottage was moved over the trees
when they were mere twigs. Mrs.
Randolph loved trees and was a we'll
known horticulturist The old-fash-
toned garden still remains, where peo-
MES, English violets and lilies of the
valley bloom luxuriantly. The old for
mai garden is at the side of the house,
as is also the vegetable garden, which
is bordered by Towering shrubs. On
every side are evidences of out-of-door
life which characterizes the southern
home.
Edgehill is we'll arranged; large
drawing room and library on one side
Of the hall, which runs the entire
length of the house; on the other side
the morning room and dining room.
The morning room is particularly at
tractive, for In this room Is the ex-
suisite Italian carved marble mantel-