Evening star., 1918-10-06

letter from his friend, w. E. H.
Merritt. Mr.. Merritt says:
Seferring to your interesting story
In today's paper. David Burnes. his wife
and minor son are buried in Rock
Creek Church cemetery. The graves
are marked by three large and an
Client slabs level with the ground.
One is marked to the memory Of David
Burnes. esq, Of Washington, who died
In 1900. The second is marked with
the name of Anne Burnes, wife Cor
consort) of David Burnes, died 1907.
The third is marked with the name
Of James--I think-James Burnes.
son of David Burnes, twenty years
old. have forgotten the date of his
death as carved on the stone. Until
l. saw these three gravestones | did
not know that David Burnes had any
those days the death Of boy twenty
years old would not give rise to any
special notice in the few newspapers
then existing unless some particular
circumstance made the death mat
ter of unusual interest. AS you said
then devoted to other matters. 1t is
likely that In a few years the memory
Of the dead boy passed completely
away. In the many accounts l have
read of David Burnes, his daughter
and the formation OF haard the CITY cit resd oI
of but the one child. 1t was sur
prise to me this summer to find these
graves. and one OF them a son OF
David. ] had often wondered why no
mention was made of the resting place
Of David Eurnss, who Of all the orig
thai nrnnyintnras was most In notice
ana SO much written Of"
The records of Rock Creek ceme-
terry will probably show that the re-
mains of these members OF the Burnes
family were removed there from an
and that this removal was
directed by Marcia Van Ness. The
Ham bier has not come upon any facts
bearing on the funeral OF David
Burnes but in the Nationa1 ssH1 ,hsra inteliis
a notice that Mrs Anne Burnes;
widow of the late David Burnes, died
ON sWedne sday. January 2S. ct the
age of sixty-seven, years. and that
on THURSDAY evening her rem remains. at;nr :
and friends. were deposited In the
family graveyard about fivo miles
from this place" 'te'' 80
**
Some time ago, while pursuing the
subject of David Burnes, his daugh-
ter Marcia and her husband, Gen.
gohn P. Van Ness, the Rambler ex-
emined the Inventory Of the household
and personal effects Of the general
returned on April 20. 1s46. by Cor
nslius p. Van Ness. administrator.
and Benjamin Ogle Tayloe and James
a ~, nd ur M Ru{ {H0 0T0 q
orphang Court Of the District Of Co.
lumbia. The personal property was
appraised at $51,02S.95. From this
inventory ono may dray picture of
the interior fittings OF the great
occupied by the Pan-American build
ing and its gardens. a house which
very many Washington people re-
member as ruin. Here follows a
list of the generals wearing apparel:
Thirteen linen shirts. see: eight flannel
$50: six undervests, ss; eleyeh pairs Of hose
at II cents per pair; one suit Of clothes, $40;
several old suits Of clothes. $40; seven pairs
two clo.ks. s26; ono surtout. SO; one gold
pencil. $40; one silver pencil. 81; watch, chains
and seal: tg0d). $780, snur box. s25; spec
The furniture is inventoried under the
headings: Southwest chamber and
dressing room adjoining, northwest
dressing room. housekeeper's room, east
chamber drawing room, hall. library,
parlor. wine cellar. kitchen and stable.
The David Burnes cottage, which was
torn down in 1894. is mentioned in the
inventory as "the old house." The con-
tents Of the drawing room are set down
as: One carpet, $50; chandelier, SIS;
cabinet. etc.. 800; pier tables, $50; one
dozen chairs and cushions, $50; sofa and
cushions to match, $46; mahogany sofa,
$40: center table and cover, SO; piano,
$40; two marble vases, 81: two marble
fender and andirons. SIS; shovel. tongs
and marble stand, 81. In the parlor the
sppraisors found the carpet and border
worth $120: one bookcase, $85; one book
case (smaller), $50; one bookstand, $40;
one case and stand, SO; one center ta-
BILE. SIS; one chandelier, SIS; one convex
mirror. SIS; mantel lamp and vases. $40;
IS; one dozen other chairs,
$24; fender. IS; shovelA Atongs, ETC., SIS;
andirons. $40; cabinet case, medals, etc,
s65; portraits Of Mrs. Rlount and Mr.
Middleton. $100; large and small paint
ings and engravings, $23; music STOOL
81 S.. lamp sl0' and three rocking chairs
The contents Of the wine cellar seem
to be disappointing. Down there the
appraisers listed one bookcase, $5; two
paper cases. SIS; nine demijohns, $6.75;
long table and drawers, $40; fender. SO;
seven casks sour wine. $l2; forty-one
bottles of wine. $40.
On Gen. Van Ness farm. wherever
that was, were listed 33 common
sheep, at $1.50 each; sundry hogs,
mules, old horses, 1 pair of working
oxen, ] small bull, worth $40; year
ling calves. cows (small and thin),
$56; cows with calves, $50; 8 hcifers,
OF