Evening star., 1923-05-07
Denies Credit to jefferson
District Woman Says He Didn't
Write Declaration.
To the Editor Of The Star:

To the Editor Of The Star:
L have waited thinking that some
one would come forward and say what
I am about to write. but now I feel
| must tell what my great-great-
grandmother, Margaret Maffitt Whann,
stated many years ago. She said the
Declaration of Independence was
written by Richard Henry Lee and not
by Thomas Jefferson, as people gen.
orally suppose. When it became time
to send the document Mr.. Lee was
i'll, so 1T was sent by Mr.. Jefferson.
think II people could only examine
the writing of the document they
would be convinced that what say is
true. The writing in the body of the
instrument Is totally different from
MT. Jefferson's signature. The decla-
ration was drawn up and framed by
the members of the convention of
1875. AS number of my ancestors
were members of that convention, /
90 not think l should Sit quietly by
ana allow some one else to have the
credit that belongs to those men.
i do not believe that Jefferson was
member of that convention. I have
never heard it SO stated. Mr. Jeffer-
son lived in Georgetown, on Jefferson
street directly below the canal on
the east side of the street going south
from NJ. The Rev William Maffitt, Mrs
Whann's brother, was chaplain for a
time in the national House of Repre-
sentatives. Mr.. Maff1tt married Mrs.
Turberville, daughter of Richard
Henry Lee. the son Of Thomas Lee of
Stafford. Westmoreland county, Va.
Richard Henry Lee died at Chanttlly.
the home of his daughter, June l9.
1894.
William Maffit built ChantiIly and
lived there in 1868, when his step
daughter, Cornelia Turberville. grew
up and married Mr.. Stuart. Mr.. Maffitt.
having lost his wife, moved to his
! torlc old Fairfax, Va. and built Sa-
Iona Hall, a substantial square brick
structure, situated upon a slight en-
! inence. 1t was within these walls
that President and Mrs. Madison took
refuge when fleeing from British vio-
lcnce-it was there our Declaration
Of Independence found security for
a time. Mrs. Madison was a relative
of the Lees and her name will ever
live i'll loving remembrance in the
hearts of her countrymen. When the
capital was besieged and every mo-
ment they expected the buildings to
be burned to the ground this noble
woman. regardless of life, refused TO
leave the White House until she had
taken from its frame the Declaration
Of Independence. Mrs. Maffitt was tho
widow Of Charles Beale Carter, the
half-uncle of Gen. Robert T. Lee. c. S.
n. Their home was a { Shirley, on the
James river. Their daughter, Susan
Carter, married Rev. Thomas Bloom
er Balch. who lies buried in Oak
Hill cemetery. Mr.. Balch was a noted
parsonage of Georgetown.
| believe credit should be given
where credit is due. The members
of the convention of 1916, like the
twelve immortal judges of Frederick,
Md, were the first to stand forth
for our Independence. and ! think it
is Il disgrace that these men have
never had any recognition of what
they did. they certainly take prece-
d"nce of the signers. Col. Benjamin
Mackall of Calvert, Md, was one of
the first Ave judges of the court of
appeals of Maryland and was a mem
ber of that convention.
SALLY SoMERVELL MACKALL.