Evening star., 1949-11-27

Old Court Records Restored.
Mrs. Withers has flair for the
organization and classification Of
records. This is supplemented by
her background as regent of the
Susan Riviere Hetzel OAR
Chapter, as chairman Of State
OAR committees. as onetime
president of the State Regents
Club and as genealogist. Under
her dictatorship, the Washington
group has financed the restoration
of valuable courthouse records.
These include Culpeper County
deeds Q749-1753 the Northamp-
ton Court order book, 1647-167s
with the Accomac County rec
ords. the Northampton ones con-
stitute the oldest continuous
courthouse records in the United
States); Richmond County Q708-
IT'D and Goochland County rec
ords Q748-175O. Nearby resto-
ration projects for the near fu-
ture are the old records of Lou
doun and Prince William Coun-
ties.
Official headquarters of the par
ent association is the John Mar
shall House at Ninth and Marshall
streets in Richmond, which has
been intrusted to it's care and
custody.
The society originated in March,
1888, when high wind blew down
the chimneys of King Powhatan's S
home near Gloucester. The moth
er of Miss Mary Jeffrey Gait felt
strongly something" should be
done about preventing the passing
of Virginia antiquities. Finally
she persuaded her daughter and
a group of friends to espouse the
cause. After a conference with
the Ladies of the Mount Vernon
Association as to how a group of
women, Statewide in number but
with national objectives, might
best proceed, the movement got
under way as the Association for
the Preservation of Virginia An
tiquities, the APVA as it is is ia
miliarly known.
Powder Magazine Restored.
The Old Powder Magazine
known as the Powder Horn, built
in TIA. and now leased to Co.
lonial Williamsburg, Inc, was the
first historic property purchased
by the newly organized society
In 1928, it gave to Colonial Will
liamsburg, Inc. the land upon
which had stood the foundations
of the Colonial Capitol at VIII
Iamsburg. Upon it now stands
the restored Capitol, visited an
nually by thousands.
The association shares the pres
ervation Of the original site of
jamestown in cooperation with
the National Park Service. It is
also in possession of the Thomas
Rolfe property in Surry, Va, orig
inally given by the great Chief
Powhatan to his daughter Poca-
hontas and his son-in-law, John
Rolfe, from whom it passed to
their son. Thomas Rolfe.
In Fredericksburg it owns the
only house still standing that was
occupied by Mary, the mother of
Washington 1772 was the date
of purchase by George Washing
ton for his mother). It has also
acquired the Rising Sun Tavern,
home of Charles. brother of Wash
ington.
Even Congress has recognized
the efforts of the Association for
the Preservation Of Virginia An
tiquities. for in 1880 it decided to
it, for care and custody, the old
Cape Henry Lighthouse, built in
1871 upon a site made available
for it by the State Of Virginia in
1889. 1t was the first lighthouse
in this country built by the United
States Government.
Authority on Folk Music.
Mrs. Withers' fathers uncle,
the Rev. James A. Harold, was
an assistant rector of st. Johns
Episcopal Church on Lafayette
Square. He was also rector of
st. James Church and was closely
associated with the organization
of st. Thomas Church.
An alumnus Of the Peabody
Conservatory Of Music in Balti-
more. Emily Withers Is an au-
thority on the folk songs Of the
GROSSLY