Evening star., 1921-04-24

pom LODGE, PHOTOGRAPHED BY 7
took from his pocket a piece of chalk
and rubbed 1T over the stone. Again
he swept the slab with the whisk.
The chalk filled the carved markings
in the stone and most of the letters
background. And this is what the
old stone told:
Here lieth the body Of Colo. Rich
ard Blackburn. who departed this
Life July the 18th, 1857. in the send
year OF his age. He was born in
Rippon in England. from whence he
came to Virginia. where he acquired
a reputable character. Intro lin
scription Clipped and eroded). Pre-
ferred by the Governor to the Emil
nent Stations and Command in the
(eroded. but the word is most likely
Colony as well as by the People
who made lhim a. Representative in
Collonoy. where he discharged his
duty with Honour to Himself as
well as to his Constituents who re-
posed in him this Important Trust
He was a man of Consumate Pru-
dence, Frugality and Indefatigable
Fortune in (word illegible) years
He was followed to the grave by
his inseperable friend the Honoura-
BILE William Fairfax and other Cen
tlemen of Distinction together with
his Disconsolate Relatives who
useful man. To them and to the
Country This monument is dedicated
to his memory by his friend John
Baylis (s).'
NEXT to this stone lies similar
one. but there is no inscription on
it. Not a word. not a name, not a
date. It. no doubt, covers the grave
of the wife. or the widow of Richard
Blackburn. These are the only
Blackburn graves in the woods of
oak and pine at the south tip of
the. ridge, which can be identified.
Back from the tip of the ridge and
nearer the old house is a newer
number of graves are there. Those
who became owners of Ripon Lodge
after the property had passed out
of the Blackburn family, rest there
One stone is inscribed: Sacred to
the Memory of George Atkinson, who
departed this life at Rippon Lodge.
Prince William County, Va, on the
30th of January, 1874, in the 59th
year of his age. A native of Clifton,
Nottinghamshire, England" Another
stone, standing within an iron picket
fence, is inscribed: I'm Memory OF
George r. Atkinson. born December
23, 1850. died September 26, 1901. An
Honest Man is the Noblest Work of
Cod"
Some of the descendants of George
Atkinson Of Clifton, England, and
Ripon. Va. live near Ripon. at a
pretty place called Edgewood. once
a part of the Ripon Lodge property.
Sallie, the oldest child of George
Atkinson. married DR.. Milton Ish Gf
the Rambler can read his notes) of
Loudoun county, and DIR. Ish built
Edgewood. The daughter of Sallie
Atkinson and DR.. 1sh. Mrs. l. Z.
Strother is the owner of Edgewood.
The Rambler stopped there for water
and talked long with Mr.. and Mrs.
Strother. other friends, and particu-
larly with Miss l.. S. Chamberlin.
teacher of the school at Wood
had a weakness for school teachers,
actresses, trained nurses. cashiers.
telephone operators, StenographerS,
heiresses and other classifications of
ladies, but there is no news in that)
Before we leave Ripon Lodge let us
spelling of the name. On the tomb
stones it is "Rippon Lodge" In many
of the old records which the Rambler
has seen it is Rippon Lodge and in
others it is Ripon Lodge. In the epi-
taph of Col. Richard Blackburn. who
named the place. 1T is "Rippon," and
it is inscribed that he was born in
Rippon. England. That epitaph was
evidently written by John RayIiss.
who dedicated the memorial to Col.
Blackburn. Turning to the Encyclo-
pedia Britannica. you will find what
follows, and much more il you want:
''Ripon. cathedral city and mu-
nicipal borough in the Ripon par
liamentary division of the West Rid
ing Yorkshire. England, pa miles
N. n. w. from London on the North
eastern railway. Population G90).
$3.50. 1t is pleasantly situated at the
of the streams Laver and
Skell. with the River Ure. which is
crossed by a fine bridge of nine
arches. The cathedral was founded on
the ruins of St. Wilfrid's Abbey about
$50"
There is a line of earls of Ripon in
England and there is city named
Ripon in Fond du Lac county, Wis.
For these reasons the Rambler spells
the old Virginia home "Ripon Lodge"
Here is a little note of interest
The site of the city of Ripon in Wis
consin was purchased in 1888 by John
Scott Horner. who was born in Virginia
in 1902, was secretary and acting gov
ernor Of Michigan territory in 1885
and the first secretary of Wisconsin
territory in 1861. The village Of
Ripon was established in 1S49, and
Gov. John Scott Horner named il
"Ripon' after the village of his an
cesfors in Yorkshire ENGLAND This
governor. John Scott Horner. who
the city of Ripon. Wis, was
a relative of the Blackburns Of
Ripon Lodge.
Richard Blackburn was born at
Ripon. Yorkshire. and so< also was
his wife, whose maiden name was
Mary Watts. who was related to the |
noted hymnologist, DR.. Watts. These |
good people were living in Prince
county in 1884. Col. Richard