The Colorado statesman., 1922-03-18
WILLIAMSBURG IS
HISTORIC PLACE
WHERE PAST AND PRESENT
ARE SuBTLY BLENDED.
WREN DESIGNED COURTHOUSE
Interesting Memorial Tablets In Bru-
ton Church-Wythe House, the
"Powder Horn" and the College of
William and Mary.
BY EDWARD 3. CLARK

BY EDWARD 3. CLARK
Washington.-A majority of the
presidents Of the United States have
received degrees from the old college
of William and Mary, Virginia In
stitution founded In the early days at
Williamsburg. Williamsburg is not far
from Washington, so far as time and
distance are concerned. Members of
congress and other government Off
cials occasionally go there, lured by
the historic associations of the old
place, by the sights to be seen and by
the general restfulness of its surround.
ings.
1t Is only three miles across coun-
try from jamestown island, where the
first settlement In Virginia was made,
to Williamsburg. jamestown Is large
ly memory. while Williamsburg Is both
memory and reality. The past and the
present are met in Its streets and
there Is subtle blending of the two in
to mld-tlme atmosphere. Happily,
the Virginians have held to the love of
the old things. 1t is worth something
to know that the main street still is
known as Duke of Gloucester street.
1t is fine thoroughfare and on 1t
stands a courthouse designed by Sir
Christopher Wren, the architect of
Saint Paul's cathedral In London, Eng
land, and many of that city's churches.
Bruton church, in which is the font
used at the baptism of POcahontas at
jamestown, also stands facing Duke
of Gloucester street. 1t is an appeal
ing structure. The building is clad
with the Ivy of England, which grows
and thrives In this latitude. A church.
yard, as quiet as that of the "Elegy,"
lies without its walls. 1t Is supposed
that the church was named by one of
the early secretaries of the colony
who was born in Bruton, England.
Some Bruton Church Tablets.
In the churchyard Is a tomb with
this inscription:
"Under this marble lieth the body
of Thomas Ludwell, Esqr., Secretary
of Virginia, who was born at Bruton.
in the County OF Somerset, in the
Kingdom of England, and departed
this life in the year 1878"
Close to the north door of the
church are the graves Of two children
of Mrs Martha Custis, who, when
widowed became the wife of George
Washington. 1t Is not the intention to
make neurology Of this writing. but
1t Is barely possible that two inscrip-
tions, which appear on tablets inside
the Bruton church, extolling the vir-
Al hox Twin in
terest Here is one of them:
"Near this marble lyes ye Honble.
Danel Paeke, Of ye County of Essex,
Esqr., who was one of his masters
Ceunsellers and sometime Secretary of
the COLONY of Virga. He dyed ye 9th
of March, Ammo 1879. His other feleci-
tyes were crowned by his happy mar
ridg with Rebecka, the daughter Of
George Evelyn. of the County Of Sur
ry, Esqr. She died ye 2nd of Janu-
ary, Ammo 1872, at Long Dltton, in ye
county of Surry, and left behind her
most hopeful progeny"
The other tablet bears this:
"MDCCLII. Inscribed to the memory
of Doctor William Cooke, an English
physician, born Of reputable parents
MDCLXXI, at Sudbury in Suffolk, and
educated at Queens College, Cambridge.
He was learned and polite, of undis-
puted skill in his profession and un-
bounded generosity in his practice,
which multitudes yet alive can testify.
He was many years of the Council.
and Secretary of State for the Colony.
In the reign of Queen Anne, and of
King George, he died suddenly, sitting
Judge upon the bench of the General
Court, in the capitol, MDCCXX. His
Hon. friend Alexr. Spottswood, Esqr.,
then Gown, with the principal gentle
men of the country, attended his fu-
neral, and weeping, saw the corpse in
tered at the west side of the alter in
this church."
Wythe House and "Powder Horn"
Almost within the shadow of Bruton
church stands the Wythe house, for
some time the headquarters of George
Washington during the siege of York
town, which, with its historic men,
ories, lies only a few miles away. The
seeds of history were sown thick here
abouts.
Just back of the church and at
point easily reached from Duke of
Gloucester street stands the old Pow
der Horn" built by Governor Spotts-
wood In 1714. This magazine, put up
by the British governor, was used aft
erward by Washington to store pow
der which subsequently was rammed
into cannon to hurl shot at CORVALLIS
behind the breakwaters of Yorktown.
The Virginia Society for the Preser-
walton of Antiquities has restored
the Powder Horn, and It is now a mu-
scum for relics of the past.
If loyal Williamsburger lends his
sightseeing aid you will not be al
lowed to leave the "oldest incorpor-
ated city In America" until you have