Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1925-10-09
DUNMORE MT. AIRY
FAMOUS ESTATE
Once Part of 5000-Acre Plantation
just South of Mt. jackson


From what information there i
available, Mt. Airy, the beautifu
home of Mr.. and Mrs. Daniel Kelle
her of Seattle, Wash. was built il
1893 by William Steenberger. on lant
bought by him from his father-in
law, Col. Tavenner Beale. In 1899
Mr.. Steenberger in attempting to cor
ner the cattle market, failed. and was
compelled to sell the place. John q
Meem of Lynchburg, a merchant and
banker being the purchaser. Mr..
Meem bought Mt. Airy as a home
for his children, he continuing to live
in Lynehburg and only visiting the
place from time to time. The orig
inal tract of land contained about
5000 acres. on which was another
very good house called Rude's Hill.
During the four years of the Civil
War. the estate was occupied by
either the Confederate or Federal
troops, many skirmishes taking place
on its bottom lands while the house
Rude's Hill was headquarters for the
general in command of either forces.
Gen. Stonewall jackson made it his
headquarters. as did Gen. Butterfield
and others.
Upon Mr.. Mems death in 1870.
he left Mt. Airy proper to his son
and namesake, Capt John G. Meem.
Jr., while to another son, Gen. Gill
bert S. Meem he left land upon which
was built 'Strathmore, fine old
mid-Victorean mansion of brick.
Rude's Hill was left to the two chill
dren of his oldest son, DR.. Andrew
Russell Meem, surgeon in charge of
the Confederate hospitals in the Val
ley of Virginia, who died during the
war. DR.. Mems son, Thomas Jor-
dan Meem, died without marrying.
while his daughter, Leila Russell
Meem became the wife of William
Daingerfield Peaehy of Williamsburg.
Va, and she and her family lived
upon the land until 1882, when they
sold it to Mr.. Michael Long, whose
son, Mr.. Lee Long now owns it, and
moved to Washington, D. c., to live.
Capt. John G. Meem sold Mt. Airy
to the Hal Dulaney estate in 1884!
and for 25 years. while it was so
owned, it was managed by Mr.. Alex
ander Carter of Fauquier County.
Va. Gen. Gilbert Meem sold "Strath
more" in 1888 to Mr.. John WissIer.
whose family held it for many years.
until quite recently when it was pur-
chased by Mr.. B. B. Jones, the own
er of Audley, in Clarke County.
raiser of thoroughbred horses and
man who devotes much money and
time to the education of young girls
and boys who wish to go beyond a
high school course Mr.. and Mrs.
Kelleher purchased Mt Airy from the
Hal Dulaney heirs in 1909. since
which time they have constantly i'm
proved it, so that now it is one of
the most beautiful and imposing es-
tates in the Commonwealth of Vir-
ginia. AS there is another famous
Mt Airy in Virginia, near Fredericks-
burg. owned by the Tayloe family,
and there was frequent confusion as
TO the two places, Mrs. Kelleher add
ed the name of "Dunmore'' to that
of Mt. Airy and the place is now
known as "Dunmore Mt Airy" Dun
more having been the name of this
county before it was changed to Shen-
andoah
Mr.. and Mrs. Kelleher spend six
weeks each spring and fall at Dun
more Mt Airy, journeying 5000 miles
each way to pass their time in their
beloved Virginia. Mrs. Kelleher is
the only daughter of Gen. Gilbert
Meem who, upon selling Strathmore,
moved to Seattle to make his home
Mr.. Kelleher is a lawyer and banker,
originally from Massachusetts, who
has many interests in the great north
west.
The farm proper is managed by ].
Lawrence Meem, " NJ. l. graduate
and a civil engineer by profession,
the youngest son of the late Captain
John G. Meem. He and his family
occupy Grove House, a charming
home recently built for him in Dun
more Mt Airy. There are eight ten
ant houses on the place besides fine
cattle barns, hay sheds, COW stable,
a work horse stable and one for rid
ing horses. The bottom land, known
as Mems Bottoms, consisting of 500
acres. is famous throughout the State
for its fertility and in its rich soil
was grown, under exceptionally IA
vorable conditions, a record crop of
wheat--66 bushels to the acre.
SHENANDOAH SCHOOL BOARD