Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-07-18
PART of last Sundays ramble
was devoted to the story Of an
interesting woman. the grand

M was devoted to the story Of an
~ interesting woman. the grand
q q daughter OF C o m m 9
Thomas Catesby Jones. who lives alone
In q little cottage near Walkers
Chapel. a few hundred yards off the
road which leads from Chain bridge to
Falls Church.
Continuing along the road from Walk
ers Chapel and in the direction Of Falls
Church. you come, after a walk of per-
haps half a mile, to a fine old home,
which should be of interest to all
Washington people whose memory goes
back to the time when omnibuses lum-
bered through the unpaved streets of
the capital. That was, of course, be-
fore the introduction of horse car lines.
The Washington traction magnate of
those days was Gilbert Vanderwerken.
and the Vanderwerken bus lines were
as well known then as the electric
traction railways are now. The walk
along the road named and in the di
rection indicated will bring you to the
home of Gilbert Vanderwerken. He
lived there for many years and he and
his wife died there. Their youngest
daughter lives there today.
Where a cedar-lined lane strikes off
from the road you have been travelling
you will notice on the right. set far
hack from the public ways, and in
wide grove of magnificent oaks and
giant chestnuts, large frame house
with deep and comfortable porches.
brick chimney rises from the middle
of the roof. A barn and other farm
outbuildings are grouped at the rear of
che house. Stand clear of the trees and
you will overlook a broad tract of
country, green fields and greener
woods. You can trace the valley
through which the Potomac flows and
the successive ridges in Maryland fade
from hazy purple to a misty blue. East
ward you can see the ridge along which
Nebraska avenue runs and number
of familiar landmarks. The American
University buildings and the Tenley-
town water tower stand plainly out.
The rural letter box at the entrance
to the grove is marked George e.
Truett." and on one of the doors of the
old house among the trees is a nickel
doorplate, inscribed &c, Vanderwer-
ken" Mrs. Truett was Miss Ella Van
derwerken. the youngest of large
family.
In the big parlor, near an antique
piano. hangs a portrait of Mr.. Wander
werken, made when he was at the ma
ture period of his life. He was a dis
Notwithstanding man. He is shown
smooth shaven with a high collar such
as some elderly men with double chins
wear today and around the collar is a
stock. Above and on the other side
of the old little piano is a portrait of
tie and motherly. In the parlor are
various pieces of antique furniture,
mixed in with new pieces introduced by
q later generation.
In, hA mi in
any table with number of leaves. 1t
Is the table which has Served the Van
derwerken family for many years. The
omnibus traction magnate and his wife
ate OF that table when they were
young people and before so great
measure of prosperity as was theirs in
later years had come to them. The pol
ish long ago wore off that old mahog-
have II done over" She would rather
that 1t would not look like new.
Against one of the wallis of the room
is a mahogany sideboard which, like
many. many years. 1t is more inter-
esting without its varnish than many
sideboards are which reflect the cut glass
and silver that rest on them.
-
On one of the interior doors of the
house-the one between the dining
room and the parlor. If the Rambler's
memory is faithful, Is cut in large,
rude. uneven letters the word 'Hospi-
toll" This house was used as hospital
during the civil war and that bit of
vandal carving. esteemed as a relic
now, was done by some soldier pa
tient- The people living in the house
would not have that word "Hospitol"
planed away or its spelling changed
Mrs. Truett has garnet full of civil
war muskets. bayonets, sabers and a