Evening star., 1941-08-03
By John CIagen Proctor.

OSSupiCu Wy IliCSCg q I1l D.
1t is frame building and was patterned
after the Swiss style of architecture.
During the Civil War it was occupied by
the surgeon in charge of Harewood
Hospital, the hospital building standing
close by in the clearing Immediately
east of the dairy house. Secretary of
War McCrary of President Hayes cab
met occupied the cottage one summer
with his family. 1t is now known as
the farmhouse of the home.
The Breckenridge graveyard lies lit
tie to the west of the Corcoran cottage
and here rests all that is mortal of Rev.
John Breckenridge, his wife Eleanor and
his daughter. Two tall headstones tell
of their virtues, the taller of the two be-
ing inscribed:
I'm memory of the Reverend John
Breckenridge, who died May End, 1874,
aged seventy-five years.
He was the first Presbyterian minister
In Washington, fully supplied the con-
gregation at Bladensburg for nearly
forty years. The Rockville Academy was
reared under his superintendent. He
sleeps after prudent, useful pious life,
beside his wife-the Orphan Asylum in
Washington, her unassuming labour of
love.
His name shall perish from the dust
and he shall have no name in the street;
He shall neither have son nor nephew
among his people, nor any remaining in
his dwellings, Job, xviii ch,
"Oh, that my words were now written
that they were craven with an iron
pen and lead in the rock forever. -
For I know that my Redeemer iveth
and that He shall stand at the latter
day upon the earth: and though after
my skin worms destroy this body, yet in
my flesh shall see God Job, xix ch."
The inscription on the other stone
reads:
IN memory of Eleanor, wife of Rev'd.
John Breckenridge, who died September
81, 1917, the 50 of her age & % of her
marriage"
No stone marks the grave of the
daughter, Mary, which lies at her left.
Favorite Shrine.
The most historic shrine in the Home
grounds is the Anderson cottage. This
was the early summer residence Of the
Washington banker George w. Riggs,
before mentioned, who originally owned
about 200 acres of this tract, but before
the transfer of the property was made
for its present use, he had purchased the
farm of Charles Scrivener, adjoining,
and this also was included in the first
transfer creating the nucleus of the
present Soldiers Home grounds. Mr..
Riggs received $4,000 Besides the
summer home OF Mr. Riggs there was
then a large and substantial brick dwell
ing, with two cottages, brick stable and
outbuildings.
The Anderson cottage is best known
as having been the summer residence of
President Lincoln, and, after his death,
Andrew Johnson refrained from using it.
However, Gen. Grant used it OCCASION
ally, and President Hayes made it his
permanent summer home moving into
it early every spring in order to escape,
as far as possible, the heat of the city.
Garfield did not occupy the cottage, but
President Arthur, who filled out his term,
used it during his administration and
enjoyed it to the fullest extent. He was
the last to use it, for when Cleveland be-
came president he purchased a country
estate on Woodley lane and lived there
in warm weather during his two terms.
Since then no President has occupied the
cottage.
Buchanan occupied the Anderson cot
tage during part of his administration,
from 1857 to 1861, yet this statement is
questioned, and the assertion comes from
authentic source that 1t was the Gov
ernors house, to the west of the cottage,
that was used by Lincoln's predecessor
instead.
Used BY Presidents.
The statement is also made by Martha
j. Lamb in Harper's New Monthly Maya
zine for March, 1878, that the Anderson
cottage was occupied at times by Presi-
dent Pierce during his administration
1853-1857, and this would seem plausible,
for it is doubtful if the Governors house
was erected at that time.
Lincolns occupancy of the Anderson
cottage, however, is what has given to it
the greatest historic value, for it was
here, in July, 1862, that he prepared the
original draft of the emancipation pro-
clamation, which he issued following the
Battle of Antietam.
The accuracy of this statement is
vouched for by Mr.. Lincoln in his own
words, when he says: "I put the draft
of the proclamation aside, waiting for q
victory. Well, the next news We had was
Of Pope's disaster ct Bull Run. Things