Evening star., 1941-04-27
Society Will
Observe 5Oth
Anniversary
Tudor Place Was
Scene of Second
National Meeting
By John Ciaset Proctor.

with a dinner at the Mayf1owel
Hotel.
The history of this fine body oi
women is certainly a creditable one
and its high place in patriotic work
has been justly earned through val
liable contributions to history, and
in the preservation of historic
shrines since the first society was
organized in Philadelphia on April
8. 1891. by some ladies of that city
who then began writing letters to
well-known women in other Colonial
States. asking them to unite with
the Pennsylvania Society in forming
a national society.
Soon the Old Line State respond
ed. and December 9 of the same year
the Maryland Society was incor-
porated, and during the early part
of 1892 three other societies were
organized, these being the New Jer-
sey Society on April 7, the Delaware
Society on May 10 and the District
Of Columbia Society on May 20.
At this time it was thought that
better results might be obtained II
the five societies then formed would
organize a national society, and this
was accomplished when the first
council convened in Wilmington,
Del, in May, 1892, and adjourned
over to January II, 1893, to meet at
historic Tudor place in the Capital
CITY. the five societies having de-
cided to consider the District OF
Columbia Society as the domiclle
society of the National Society.
First District Head.
At the adjourned meeting of the
first council at Tudor place, Mrs.
Beverly Kennon. the grandmother
of Armistead Peter, jr., the present
owner of this noted estate, was
elected as the first president Of the
District of Columbia Society, which
Office she held until her death in
1911, and during her incumbency all
the monthly meetings OF the local
society we're held in her home.
Mrs. Kennon was also hostess at
Tudor place to the first council OF
the National Society, Colonial
Danes of America, on January II,
1893. as before referred to, when
Mrs. Howard Townsend of New York
was elected national president, and
Mrs. Kennon served as a national
vice president from 1892 to 1896 and
as an honorary national vice presi-
dent from 1896 up to the time OF her
death.
Tudor place, which is north OF Q
street, between Thirty-flrst and
Thirty-second streets, is one OF the
foremost shrines of Washington, be-
cause of the family connection OF
President Washington and those
who erected the mansion and their
descendants, who have resided there
ever since, and also because OF It's
age and architecture, 1t having Deen
designed by Dr. William Thornton,
who planned the original Capitol.
Mrs. Kennon, who was so closely
connected with the Colonial Danes,
was the daughter of Martha Parke
Custis Peter, who was born at Mount
Vernon December 81, 1777, and who
was one of the four children born
to John Parke Custis, son of Mar
tha washington, and Eleanor Cal
vert-he being 10 and she 16 at the
time of their marriage.
The husband of Martha Parke
Gusts was Thomas Peter and it was
he who built Tudor place. In this
connection, William A. Gordon IS
quoted as having in effect said that
the wings of the house were built
first, and that the title to the prop
erty was passed to George Wash
ington Parke Gusts as trustee for
his sister, Mrs. Peter; that the be-
quest from Gen. Washington in IA
vor of Mrs. Peter was used upon the
central part of the mansion, and
that finally the title was vested in
the daughter, Britannia yelling
ton Peter Kennon, who, as before
stated, was the first president of
the District of Columbia Society,
Colonial Danes.
At Age of 80.
Back In 1895, when Mrs. Kennon
was &C years of age, she was visited
at hel home, Tudor place. by an un-
known scribe who visualized Mrs.
Kennon as tall, slender and with
silver hair.
"She moves" he said, with the
delicate poise of a Colonial belle
dancing the minuet. To see her in
the garden is to catch the thought
OF a dead poet. To pass her on
the street Is to draw breath Of
something absolutely fragrant as
q bride in her great-grandmother's
wedding veil, and to meet her in
her own house is to feel the warm
life she preserves shrouded in the
fine traceries of other days ex-
pand with the courteous cheer OF a
princely loving cup. Simple cor
diality, exquisitely balanced with
reserve, produces a graciousness OF
manner unknown to the present
generation. 1t is curious to know
how this venerable lady of Colonial
charm views the woman question
when she was asked, DO you
think a clever woman should sub
NIT to an inferior husband?' soft
surprise filled her mild eyes and she
said: 7 cannot fancy woman feel.
ing superior to her husband. I am
sure I do not know how a true
woman possibly could. I cannot un-
derstand that woman would moi
look up to her husband. If she
were his peer Intellectually I shoulc
think she would still look up to the
man who stands between her anc
the world, and is the father of hel
children, and I should suppose the
whole strength of her mind woulc
be directed, not to distinguishing
herself in the world, but to dis
tinguishing her husband.
"T dare say I am old fashioned
IN my notions, but I believe tina
women, by putting themselves for
ward in the world, do not elevate
but degrade themselves. 1t is
woman's part in life to live ant
serve where she loves. When sh
is ambitious and self-seeking sh
hardens the conscience of men and
l. L., Mt -