Evening star., 1951-02-04
In Soldiers Home
Early RecoIIectons of the Historic Grounds
And the Anderson and Corcorun Cottages
By John CIoaett Proctor

mead. The prior owner OF the
Hardwood property. which lies in
the southern partsof the grounds,
was the Rev. John Breckenridge.
This celebrated divine is worthy
Of more than passing notice, for
he was the pioneer Presbyterian
clergyman of this city. having
been called and ordained pastor
of the first Presbyterian Church
here in 1795, and later ordained
as the pastor of the second church
of that denomination here.
Mr.. Corcoran purchased this
property in 1852 from the Brack-
enridge heirs and later sold it to
the home for $225, 900, almost the
entire amount being paid in Vir-
ginia State bonds, which had been
for some years unproductive.
Rev. Breckenridge came into pos
session of the land by having
married Eleanor White. daughter
of James White, who was a large
property holder in this vicinity.
The Old Corcoran Cottage
The old Corcoran cottage is
still standing a little to the south
west of the dairy buildings. 1t
was built about the time Mr..
Corcoran purchased the property
and at the time he sold it, it was
occupied by his niece, a Mrs.
Thorn. It is a frame building and
was patterned after the Swiss style
Of architecture. During the Civil
War 1t was occupied by the
surgeon in charge Of Hardwood
Hospital, the hospital building
standing close by in the clearing
Immediately east of the dairy
house. Secretary Of War McCrary
of President Hayes cabinet oc-
cupied the cottage one summer
with his family. 1t is now known
as the farmhouse Of the home.
The Breckenridge graveyard
lies a little 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 being inscribed:
In memory of the Reverend
John Breckenridge. who died May
End. 1874, aged seventy-f1ve years.
He was the first Presbyterian
minister in Washington. fully sup
piled the congregation at Bladens-
burg for near 40 years. The Rock
vile Academy was reared under
his superintendence. He sleeps
after a prudent. useful, pious life,
beside his wife-the orphan asy-
lum in Washington, her unassum-
ing labor of love-"
Lincoln's Summer Home
The most historic shrine in the
home grounds is the Anderson
cottage. This was formerly the
summer residence of the WASH
ington banker. George w. Riggs,
who originally owned here about
200 acres. but before the transfer
to the home was made he had
purchased the farm of Charles
Scrivener. adjoining, and this also
was included in the first transfer
creating the nucleus of the pres
ent Soldiers Home Grounds. MIR.
Riggs received $4,000 for his
holdings. Besides the summer
home Of Mr.. Riggs there was then
large and substantial brick
dwelling. with two cottages, a
brick stable and outbuildings.
The Anderson cottage is best
known as having been the summer
residence of President Lincoln,
and, after his Woodley lane, and
lived there in warm weather dur
ing his administrations. Since
then no President" has occupied
the cottage.
| Llncoln's occupancy of the An
derson cottage, however, is what
has given to it the greatest his
toric value, for it was here, in
July. 1862, that he prepared the
original draft of the emancipa-
ton proclamation, which he is
sued following the Battle of Antie-
tam.