The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-01-11
NIRCINIA'S SACRED
SITES WELL CARED FOR
Annual Report of Mrs Taylor Eyson President Of the As
ISOLATION for the Preservation OF Virginia Antiquities
Repete With Information and of Interest
to Ali Lovers of Things Historic

last. an account OF which was publish
I'd at the time in The Virginian, Mrs.
j. Taylor Eilyson. president of the
Association. read her annual report.
The paper contained so much of
real interest to all who are Interested
+ in historic things that The virginian
publishes 1t in full today. 1t In as fol-
: lows,
} Text of Mira. EHysoRs Report.
Twenty seven years OF active service
is today the bright heritage of the AS
ISOLATION for the Prevention of Vir-
ginia Antiquities, and until the state
ment is successfully challenged.
( shall claim that this association is
/ the pioneer In the work for which 1t
was organized. We began In 1883,
and the association was chartered
February 1s. 1889. which charter was
amended Marcn 3, 1892. 1t may be OF
interest to quote here the second ar
Iticle of our constitution.
The object of this association shall
! be to acquire, restore and preserve
the ancient, historic grounds, build
lingG, monuments and tombs in the
Commonwealth of Virginia, and 20 re-
ceiye the same ygifts or purchase
as Is provided by the provisions of
our charter
! The claim of the association TO a
faithful adherence to the purposes
set forth in the above extract Is amply
justified in its possession of the John
Marshall house, this historic building.
7snatched. as It were, from the burn
ing" and In which for the fourth
time we are holding our annual meet
ing. BY the acquisition of this prop
erty, so long the residence OF Chief
I Justice Marshall. the great expounder
! of the Constitution OF the United
States. have we not created a link
which joins 1t to jamestown, where
the first Legislative Assembly ever
convened In America met in council
with elected deputies on July 30, 1919,
seventeen months before the Pilgrims
landed at Plymouth Rock.
Sir Frances Bacon said las In
the arts and sciences the first inven
ton is Of more consequence than i'm
provements afterwards, SO in king
ldoms the first foundation or planta
ton is Of more dignity and merit than
all that followeth."
Meetings Well Attended.
Our meetings throughout the year
have been well attended and full of
interest. engaging the serious thought.
Judgment and intelligent action of the
members who attended them.
4 The year has slipped away all to
quickly. leaving US with projects and
schemes originated. but none fully
matured and so not achieved. We
are pressing on. however, with an
ticipation and expectancy, for delay Is
dangerous. A day or night may be
too late. Was not the old weather.
beaten sycamore tree. whose ample
girth we and generation before us
encircled as we passed 1t on Franklin
Street between Sixth and Seventh,
brought down to the dust on a night
when there was no one abroad to pro-
test?
Trade and commerce demand build
ing sites, no matter what becomes of
structures In which history was made.
The association must have a unity Of
purpose to spend in order to save the
remnant that has been spared.
Il Is in the line of our work to try
to create a reverent and sentimental
attitude for the historic,
| have in mind an example of how
this has recently been done. In
Northampton one of our most his
t0ric counties, the iron skeleton OF an
ODD Jail stands exposed to view with
lis spiral stairway and cells Of wrought
ron, defying modern destruction. 1t
is denuded Of Its thick brick outer walls
which were wanted to grind up into
mortar for use In building new Jail.
Close at hand are three rare his
toric buildings with their gray walls
and peeked roofs, once desplsed as
/ defacing their surroundings. now re-
stored and priced by the community.
Many tourists hearing OF their an
{ tiquity and interesting history have
visited and admired them.
Possessions Well Cared For.
II is a matter of very great pride
= and satisfaction that all of. our pcs.
sessions have been well cared for dur
ing the year.
jamestown grows in historical in
terest, which is attested by the con-
I. slant streams of tourists who pour In
10 its sacred precincts. enjoying the
, quiet charm of their surroundings
while exploring its mysteries and list
ening to its traditional legends.
! What charming setting the in
terror of the old fort would make for
"a historical pageant. 1t has been hint
, ed that such prospect Is In view
when We make our Pilgrimage In
- May.
,, The John Marshall house has OPEN
/, ed it's hosptable doors to the educa-
tional and patriotic organizations,
, which have held their meetings in our
. city The house has received the care
full attention of Mrs. John Dunn and
, her committee, and under instruction
! from the association an upper room
has been set apart as a museum in
, which to exhibit the articles of his
: ttoric interest, which have been pre-
, scented from time TO time. Perhaps
r that which draws most attention Is
] the copy OF letter of John Rolfe
to Sir Thomas Dale, asking the hand
] of Pocahontas in marriage, which is
framed between glass, and hangs on
t the wall This was presented by Pro-
, fessor Benjamin l.. Bowling, of the
University OF Ilhrseis. The iriginal
, letter Is In the Bodleian Library, Ok
ford University, England The original
candle-lamp Of the Marshall house
. has been acquired by loan from Mrs.
Summeryille Knox. and hangs in its
old place in the hall, but must not
say more as | have already trespassed
upon the ground which the committee
report will cover.
message from the directress of the
fredericksburg branch of the assOcia-
ton brings the news that both the
Rising Sun Tavern and the Mary
) Washington House is in better condi-
ton than ever before and that gifts
of antiques have been added to the
already large collection These his
Il toric houses are entirely cared for by
, this branch. which. though small in