Evening star., 1946-12-08

Reviving Homes
Of Other Days
By VINCENT DWYER

~ VlN$ENt UWfEk
TO-DAY IN THE shadow Of the Blue Ridge
Mountains, a man is revitalizing country
side once owned by George washington, his
brothers and their descendants.
Raymond ]. Funkhouser, West Virginia In
dustrialist turned farmer. wants to make the
area an important stock grazing center and show
place. He has acquired 16 farms, many OF great
historical interest, and gradually Is restoring
their former charm and usefulness.
The natural beauty OF the rolling land, with
the mountains as backdrop, hrst attracted Mr..
Funkhouscr. just as 1t had the young wash
ington when he surveyed II for Lord Fairfax In
the mid-l8th century. The fact that the lime
stone soil supports grass especially favorable to
growth Of horses and cattle was an added attrac-
tion.
Washington acquired 35.68S acres In the
vicinity. His youngest brother Charles built
home there which he called Happy Retreat. In
1857 he gave part Of his lands as the site Of
Charles Town
For Samuel another brother, George de-
signed Harewood-the only Washington home In
the vicinity that Mr. Funkhouser does not own.
His two chief possessions are Claymont Court,
34-room mansion with Is fireplaces, where he
lives with his wife. and Blakeley. smaller place
of some 20 rooms, which his son Justin occupies.
Around these cluster Is other estates.
Claymont and Blakeley. built about 1920 by
two grand nephews Of George Washington. sit
on knolls separated by spring fed stream. Local
legend has 1t that the two Washingtons-
Augustine II and Bushrod Corbin, who married
Blackburn ssters-never visited each others
homes, but rode horses down to the stream to
transact business
When Mr. Funkhouser bought Claymont in
l943 II had been unoccupied for Is years. He had
the house and grounds thoroughly reconditioned,
and built fitting barn and sales arena for the
1000 head OF Herefords with which he stocked
the surrounding pasture land.
At Blakeley. also recondtioned. stables and
corrals for thoroughbreds were erected.
MIR and Mrs. Taylor Fithian. son-in-law and
daughter OF Mr.. Funkhouser, live at nearby
Locust Hill. II was there that Confederate
force surprised Union general, bullet-gouged
holes in the rear wall bearing mute testimony to
the ensuing struggle. Renovation left the wall
untouched. as provided In the deed.
One Of the oldest homes of the group Is
Cedar Lawn built. local historians say, in 1850
for Thornton Washington, Samnel's oldest son.
It was rebuilt In 1924 by Augustine Washington,
Thorntons son, after fire destroyed it. Now
occupied by tenant farmers. 1t will not be recon-
ditioned until labor and materials are easier to
obtain.
This difficulty also has slowed restoration
work at Happy Retreat which Is not part of the
farm group, but sits on lonely hill overlooking
Charles Town Charles Washington and his
wife are burled there under the front lawn.
Sulgrave and Tuscawilla, two more Of the
farm group. were the scene OF an attack by Gen.
Early on Sheridan's forces in 1864. Tuscawilla
now is devoted to farming, while Sulgrave is an
experimental dairy.
Karakul. as Its name implies, is assigned to
sheep raising, while Orchard bears apples Cattle
Craze at Romance and Cool Spring Porkside Is
exclusively hog haven. Others in the list of
farms include West Blakeley. Willow Grainland
and Morning Star.
To the entire group Mr. Funkhouser has
given the name O'Sullivan Farms. after the
OSullivan Rubber Co., which he owns along with
some IA other enterprises.