Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-12-02

| any story OF Kenmore, one
of the all too few American shrines
preserved to the present day and closely
linked with the name and memory OF
George Washington, because it was the
home of his only sister, Betty, who
married Col. Fielding Lewis.
Washington was youth of 20 years
when the house was built for his sister,
then bride, by her husband, who
planned 1t with all the dignity and
spaciousneSS of what was intended to
be family ancestral estate. In this
planning George Washington took an
active part, surveying the ground upon
which it was to stand, making sug-
gestions as to its construction, and
with his own hands setting out many Of
the trees and shrubs on the lawn. 1t
stood not many hundred yards from
the home of Mary Ball Washington,
mother of George and Betty, on the
same estate in Fredericksburg, the
mother not wishing to be widely sepa-
rated from her only daughter. Indeed,
in the later years of her life Mary Ball
| Washington spent much of her time
under her daughters roof and was often
visited there by her later illustrious son.
Kenmore was built in 1852, and for
more than a quarter Of century was
the home of Col Fielding Lewis and his
of the family to satisfy debts incurred
by Col. Lewis because of his patriotism
during the Revolutionary War. In July,
TITS, the Virginia Assembly appointed
| Col. Lewis "chief commissioner of a
mandatory of small arms" and di-
rected that 1t be established in Fred
ericksburg, SO that 1t could be near the
iron works of Ger. SpottsWood. This
was the first small-arms factory to be
established for the benefit of the Colo
nists.
1t was in running order early in 1776
and continued to operate throughout
the war, although this was made pos
sible only by the patriotism OF Col
Lewis. The funds to keep 1t going were
advanced by him from his own re-
sources-"f7, 900, all the money hap
pen to have on hand"-he once said,
and when those were exhausted he Dor
rowed by mortgaging Kenmore. He
was heavily in debt on this account
when he died the day the Battle Of
yorktown was being fought, in 1881,
and did not live to know Of the victory
won by the new Republic to which he
had given his services, his counsel and
his fortune. His estate was never re-
imbursed, and Kenmore was sold to
satisfy creditors, passing out Of his
family line.
In these days of pictorial instruction
| it is interesting to note that at Ken
more may be seen a beautiful bit of re-
lief work in Stucco Superimposed above
the large mantel in the great ROOM"
which was designed by George Wash
ington and placed in this Important
position for the instruction and admo-
milton of his nephew, son Of Betty
Lewis. In the foreground Is worked out
in fascinating design the fable of the
fox, the crow and the piece Of cheese,
this tale having been chosen by WASH
ington to teach his nephew to beware
Of flattererS.
In the background at the left stands
a house of dignif1ed design, while at the
right in the background rise the Spire
of church and the tower of fortress.
Washington's belief that the home, the
church and national defense were the
bulwarks of the Nation, beliefs he
wished permanently to impress on the
mind of his nephew. An oval wreath
of beautifully wrought flowers surrounds
this pictorial representation, and the
whole forms the center of the large OBJ
long plaque, with its wide craved frame
of self material filling the space above
above the mantel.
Until 1922, although it had passed
out of the hands of the Lewis family,
Kenmore had been occupied by those
who loved it and it's historic associa-
tons, but in that year plans were made
to stake the beautiful grounds off into
building lots and dismaatle the house
preparatory to making 1t over into an
apartment dwelling. This meditated
action aroused the women of Fred
ericksburg, and under the leadership
of Mrs. v. M. Fleming and her daughter,
Mrs. H. H. Smith, a drive was opened
in Fredericksburg May Z, 1922, the
172d anniversary of the marriage Of Col.
Lewis and Betty Washington
Calvin Coolidge, then the Vice Presi-
dent of the United States, made the
address that opened the drive, saying
among other things: kenmore should
be saved for its own sake; 1t must be
saved for patriotic America"