Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1917-08-10
RED HlLL


of Campbell and Charlotte
counties, is a splendid colonial
mansion, green-blinded and with
brass-knOckered doorway that opens on
a formal bOx-hedged pathway flanked
by sun dial at the end of the walk.
IT is only one of hundreds of historic
homes in this beautiful state. but as
"Red HILL" the lcst horne and resting
place of Patrick Henry, 1t is beloved
by every Virgini IN and is also regard
ed as a shrine by all patriotic Ameri-
cans from coasc to coast
The Red Hill of yesterday consisted
of a 2,000-acre plantation, thus named
because of the red-brown soil. For two
years after Patrick Henry bought the
place he divided his time between it
and his Long Island plantation 20 miles
further up the river. Meantime, how
ever, he became so attached to Red
Hill that he decided to spend the re-
mainder of his days there, and accord
ingly removed there in 1906, making
no changes in the architecture of the
old revolutionary house except to add
a shed in order that he might hear the
patter of the rain on the ROOF, writes
Louise e. Dew, In Grit.
The Red Fill of today has been re-
Gently remodeled along colonial lines,
but adjacent to the house stands the
same little hip-roofed "cool5house" or
kitchen, always feature of the ante
bellum home, and over which presided
red-turbanned, white-haired "Aunt
Becky" and her kinky-headed miniOns.
all of whom loved and reverenced the
"marster" with all his kith and kin.
His Office and Tomb.
Nearby, stands the diminutive cot
fee" in which Patrick Henry transact
ed all the plantation affairs. Further
on, at the end of the old-fashioned gar
den inclOsed by a lockwood hedge 80
feet square, lie his remains marked by
an oblong slab of marble bearing the
Inscription Of his name, the date of his
birth and death. and the simple words
"His Name Is His Best Epitaph."
Under the adjoining slab rest the re-
meins of his wife, Dorothea cambridge,
to whom he left his estate for life as
follows:
81 do give to my said wife all my
lands at and adjoining my dwelling
place called Red Hill. to be
held during her life VII 20 slaves, her
choice of them all. 1T her death the
said lands are to be divided at her dis
Iretion."
From that day to this the home of
Patrick Henry has been jealousy
guarded by his descendants.
In the restoration of Red Hill the
colonial character of the building has
oeen preserved and added to without
an any way departing from the lines
which Patrick Henry knew and loved,
The woodwork inside the house is
white; tall mantels and big fireplnces
add to It's quaint character. The brass
locks represent part of the fee in the
famous Randolph case when Patrick
Henry saved the life of Richard, broth
err of that eccentric genius John Ran
dolph of Roanoke. The old-fashioned
garden has been restocbed with shrubs
from Mount Vernon and the landscap-
ing done by the brother of the gar
dener at Mount Vernon who was his In
structor.
Has Beautiful Location.
Red Hill is superbly situated On
the north it looks out upon the Blue
Ridge with the lofty peaks of the Otter
plainly visible although 60 miles dis
tant; on the south a serpentine stretch
OF the Stanton valley, varying in
width from quarter of a mile to q
mile, the banks of the river cleaning
with giant oaks and holly trees from
which the Spanish moss trails and gar
lands like fantastic Druldlcal boards.
1t was recently my privilege to visit
in Richmond, Va, at Rosecroft, the
home of Mrs. Elizabeth Henry Lyons,
great-granddaughter of Patrick Henry,
who inherited with her brothers Red
Hill, and to see there many relics of
her famous ancestor besides numerous
letters and documents yelIowed with
age and creased by times fingers.
There stands In bas-relief a day
spent in visiting the historic spots of
Richmond. One incident particularly
is recalled with peculiar significance
at this crisis in our world affairs. Rev
erently sitting I'm the cathedral-twilight
of old st. Johns church, in the very
pew where Patrick Henry stood when
he delivered his famous speech before
the second Virginia convention, March
20. 1775. l closed my eyes. picturing the
scene as 1t must have appeared that
day so long ago. There were all the
great men Of the day. including George
Washington, Jefferson and many 9th
ers, some Of whom had travelled Ions
distances to be present. filling the pewS
to overlooking. even to the window
lodges outside, and In their midst ar
orator delivering himself of words o.
fire, even as did st. Paul at Athens o.
old. Suddenly voice broke my reveri'