Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-04

~. Here Thomas Lee Quit MS nome. here nc
brought his young wife, Hannah Ludwell Lee,
when their former home, Mount Pleasant, was
tragically burned by convict whom ne, as
county magistrate had condemned. Here were
born six famous sons and o daughter not UNI
worthy Of her brothers: Thomas, described by
John Adams as "the most popular man IN VIZ
ginia," and first Of the first to lead his
friends and neighbors into the Revolution;
Philip Luiwell husband Of Elizabeth Steptoe
and the beloved head Of the whole fam
lily; Richard Henry owner of Pecatone on the
river. the first baby born in STatford and
signer Of the Declaration Of independence;
Francis Lightfoot who signed 1t with him; VIII
liam Lee, the diplomat; Arthur, who went with
Franklin to France, and Alice Lee who mar
ried william Shipper Of Philadelphia and
rnothered q distinguished family Of her own.
It was Philip Luiwen Lees daughter Matilda,
known throughout romantic Colonial Virginia
as the Divine Matilda" who became the next
owner Of Stratford. And her ownership soon
merged by marriage with that Of her second
cousin, Henry Lee Of LeeSylvania most famous
of Revolutionary Lees-"Iight Horse Harry"
Lee. Light Horse Harry" Lees mother was
Lucy Gfymes, the "L0wland Beauty" the en-
viable subject Of George Washington's tender
early verse. His brother was Charles Lee Of
Gen. WaShington's cabinet. His son, born Of
q second marriage with Anne Carter after the
death Of young Matilda, was the last Lee child
to be born In Stratford Hall. SeYenty-five years
after the birth Of that first child, Richard
Henry-exacty rs years. In January, lso7-was
born Robert e. Lee.
GENERATION Of Virginia councillors, holders
Of the highest offices in the State, Of Ok
ford educated, scholarly soldiers, of signerS, Of
undaunted Revolutionaries; generations Of
tradition of hospitality and grace of life culmi-
mated in that birth.
There are other Lees In Virginia. But the
Lees Of Stratford form great family by them
selves. There are living today over 200 meSn-
bers of the lee Family Association" with
ramifcations accounting for probably some 800
more.
Among them is that Mr.. Casenove Lee Of
Washington whose vocation is to be an engi-
neer and whose avocation is to be an authority
upon Virginia antiquities, and who has recently
announced that when the Daughters OF the
Confederacy shall have completely ACQUIRED
Stratford, he viii present them with copies OF
the original portraits which once hung there,
and of the frames, the originals of which
both frames and portraits-remain IN his pos
session after all these years. in perfect preser-
vation.
The darby domineering face Of Richard Lee,
owner, Of Mount Pleasant In great wig SYM
bolic of his high oface is among these. Near
him is his beautiful WIFE, Letitia Corbin, painted
There is Thomas Lee, builder Of Strattord,
whose subtle cultivated, able and humorous
face rises above o coat Of garnet color, and
whose wife Hannah Ludlow, shows poiSe and
pride in every line of her distinguished portrait.
And there, most interesting perhaps OF AL, Is
the first Lee, "the emigrant," Richard Lee OF
Stratford Landing in England, son OF AL the
Lees Of Cotton Hall In Shropshire. Richard
Lee, "the emigrant," was man Of substance
in London as in Virginia; his wife, there next
to him, rises disdainfully from cleaning folds
of brown velvet, and Richard himself is as az
rogantly direct as when PepyS mentions him ~
having called at the naval Office.
Look upon the pictured face Of that FOUNDER
of the American line whom the family stu calls
''the emigrant," so stern, so darby powerful:
or upon the more temperamental face OF
Thomas Lee, the strength and sureness Of the
face Of Hannah Ludlow, mother OF the great
band Of brothers. Imagine them once more
upon the wan Of this great drawing room OF
Stratford, and feel how true it is that for those
who build home as wen as house some
thing Of the personality Of the builder remains
to make something else than brick and plaster.
And so it Is at Strattord.
Beauty Is hefe-strange beauty. Yet the first
emotion you feel IN gazing upon it is one Of
profound sorrow. 1t cannot be merely Of sor-
row that past careleSSneSS has let so much glory
depart. It Is 0 more human sorrow. 1t Is only
later, when you have heard the last Of STRAIT
ford's story, that you suspect another, deeper
cause.
Bricks made Of clay from nearby clffs-fve
different kinds of bricks, rich rose and darker
red, some with glazed ends-are beautifully
patterned to form the walls of high basement
and two upper stories.
The central portion is slightly recessed 30
that the two wings extend on either side to
form the letter H. Strange as 1t is in this
effect Of its facade, with the narrow staircase
running up from the ground to the second
story its chimneys are its most curious feature.
These are formed in two quartets, one chimney
In each wing, each double pair bound together
with a stone cornice.
This entrance which we Use today Is really