Evening star., 1920-02-22
The Rambler Makes a journey Into Virginia

OOdTu Ok OmCGIo VIZ ''S
Washington reported to the secretary
of War october 25, 1852
The iwo forts At the Chain bridge VIZ,
Forts Marcy and Ethan Allen. form no part OF
the defenses Of Washington, strictly speaking
but are OF the utmost importance as tete-de'
pont 10 the Chain bridge over which u 10 In
dispensable to secure n debouch. tn" positioa
is strong aud well occupied. The lines OF
rife trenches which connect the works with
each other and with the banks Of the river
afford. with the auxiliary batteries full view
and defense Of the numerous rnvines and have
all the artificial strength which the position
needs. The heights from which the works
can be commanded and the approaches to them
are under fire Of the heavy guns OF Batteries
Cameron, Parrott, Kemble ana Vermont and
Forts Alexander and franklin.
On the right Of the road west of the
fort ruins Is an old frame house.
which was the home of the Wagga-
man family. The head of the family
In that house, which was standing
there before the civil war, was John
Waggaman. and among his sons were
Thomas E. Waggaman. Samuel and
Pierpont. There We're other children
in the family, but these are the ones
the Rambler is able to recall. Further
on Is the old house of Rokeby. the
home Of Basil CAN'T during 9he civil
war and the home Of some of his de.
scendants today. A little further
along the pike and ON the left-hand
side Is the cottage home Of the Ram
bler's old friend, James Faulkner, who
was born In 1886. On cold winter days
the Rambler has warmed himself by
the fire In that cottage and on days in
summer he has rested in the garden,
where roses and many other flowers
bloom
Still further west on the nike a lane.
which is also highly improved road.
str1kes on to the right. 1t is the lane
which leads TO the Letter place on the
river. house which because of its
size and splendor is one of the IA
nous mansions in the environs of
Washington. Beyond that and before
you come to Langley another lane
suikes on toward the river No for
tune has been spent on the betterment
OF this lane. 1t is good enough a. a
ROAD when the weather is dry and has
oeen dry Tor several days. but in other
hinos OF weather 1t should be walked
over with high and heavy boots. 1t
IS not road to be trified with in
dancing pumps. But it is the lane
oroao and peaceful vale in the rug
tract which takes its name from q
broad aand peaceful vale in the rug.
ged hills that lie back of tn. b,ufr.
a'o"s 'he Potomac. The old hall of
harmony Valley was burned about ten
years ago and modern house stands
on the site, and here dwells James
keid. grandson Of the founder Of u.r-
mony Valley.
Inc hrst OF the Reid family to set
! lie here was Robert Nelson Reid horn
IN Fairfax county. He was offered
all the land lying between tn. Letter
pace and Great Falls at So an acre
re PICKED out what he considered the
most tillable and most fertile tract
chopped down oaks, hewed logs and
oullt himself house. He named the
place Harmony Valley. His children
were Samuel Reid, Sanford who mar.
rled Miss Cockerill and lived at
Dranesville; David. who married
Miss Sewell and lived in a log house
at Langley; Menry Marshall Reid.
and Horatio. who married a Miss Nell
son and lived In the big log house Of
Harmony Valley, dying there in 1856.
Another son was Richard s. Reid.
born In the old log house. His first
wife was Miss Ball and his second
was Elizabeth Payne.
Ihere were ten children by the sec
ond marriage, and these were Mary
Eta, deceased, who married man
named smith and removed to An
napolis; Virginia, who married John
p. Hurst Of Fairfax, both dead: viii
nam j.. who moved to Colorado in
the early SOS. and died unmarried two
years ago; Martha. who died single:
Frances 3. who married James Corn
Wen OF washington. both dead: James
L., who married Miss Alice Robertson
OF Washington. and who live in the
new house at Harmony Valley; John
f.. who married Mrs. Simpson. widow
and VINO live on an adjoining farm
part OF the original tract Of Harmony
Valley. and Isaac. Lewis Flether Reid
and Charles Richard, who died young.
The children Of James Reid and Alice
Robertson are Lawrence M. and Ethel
Irene, the latter marrying Thomas +.
wagner. who lives on Pimmit run.
and they have one interesting child,