Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-29

his house.
Realizing that he was soon destined to become
a man of great wealth, he was now determined
to see that his daughter had proper educational
and social training. She was, therefore, placed
in the home of Luther Martin at Baltimore,
who, at that tirae, was the attorney general of
Maryland She attended school with his daugh-
tiers and ere long developed into a magnificent
young woman and a social favorite.
Davy Burns and Washington, by strange
coincidence passed on to the great beyond in
the same year-1799. Marcia inherited his
fortune 1t was not long, of course, until good
looking young men were attracted to the Burns
cottage seeking the hand and possibly the
fortune of the charming Marcia. Among these
numerous Suitors was the handsome John Peter
Van Ness, member of the House of Repre-
sentativeS from New York. John Peter was
born in the village of Client, N. Y, in ITO,
and was educated at Columbia. popular
critic of that period spokR of him as being
well bred, well read and well fed" 1t is said
that he was favorite political protege of Aaron
Burr, who was then the Vice President of the
United States. There is old story to the
effect that one evening Burr and his young
friend put on their best suits and made a
formal call on the popular Marcia, and that
from that time on Burr performed the cere-
monies of matchmaker. It is evident that ne
made a success of it. In 1902, when John
Peter was 80 and Marcia %, they presented
themselves before a minister and Solemnly
repeated the love, honor and obey words. John
Peter at once assumed control of the manage
ment of the Burns estate It was rumored In
New York at the time of the wedding that the
father of John, proud old Knickerbocker and
distinguished officer in the Revolutionary War,
started to raise a big row when he heard that
his son going to marry Washington girl
of humble birth. but that his anger turned to
quiet Joy when he became aware of the extent
of her possessions.
It is interesting to observe that william p.
Van Ness a brother of Marcia's husband,
served as q second to Aaron Burr in his un-
fortunate duel with Alexander Hamilton. He
Secreted Burr for a time in the Van Ness
home known as Undertook, where Wash
ington Irving resided and which later
became the home of Martin Van Buren,.
GETTING married to the first belle of WASH
ington did not make much of hit with
the New York political followers of Van Ness.
They we're outspoken in their belief that he
should have married one of the hometown
girls Rumors of his deep interest in WASH
ington affairs added fuel to their indignation.
Things came to crisis when he permitted
himself to be elected major of District Of
Columbia military company: His home folks
looked upon this as an act of downright dis
loyalty to the district which had sent him to
n
ton and presented a constitutional" protest to
Congress- which, after due hearing, resulted in
John Peter Van Ness being expelled from
that body. But this failed to worry the genial
John Peter. He was as debonaire as ever and
continued to love Marcia and enjoy the COM
Portable life of the National Capital and the
many other good things resulting from hand
some bank account.
Some years later, Gen" Van Ness. as he
became known, decided, that the original
of entertainment he enjoyed. With 100000 OF
Marcia,s fortune he erected big brick man
sion short distance from the old log house.
Some of the details of the new house were
copied from the White House. 1t was the only
residence in Washington, besides the White
House, that sported porte cochere Attached
to the new home was a conservatory filled with
rare plants. It was the first home in Wash
tngton to be equipped with hot and cold water.
The marble mantels, designed by Thorwaldsen
and imported from Italy, together with the
rich draperies and carpets, were thu talk of the
town for many years
No one in Washington entertained more
1avishly than the Van Ness family. Their an
nual dinner to the members of Congress was
always the biggest social event of the year.
Many authorities make the claim that more
men in public life, and their families, visited at
the Van Ness mansion than at any other
private home in Washington 1t in this
home that Ann, their only child, was born.
She was educated in a select boarding school in
Philadelphia. The reception given in her
honor upon her return home from school in
1920 is said to have been the most brilliant ever
staged up to that time.
Marcia Van Ness was not as much given to
worldly pleasure as was her popular husband.
she was very religious and sought to train her
daughter along similar lines by daily reading
to her from the Bible and talking to her about
the various characters of the Scriptures.
Within year after her return from school.
The dainty Ann was courted and won by