Evening star., 1952-06-08
Colonial Estates
Being Preserved
Jefferson County Boasts
Many Woshinqton Homes

one of this city's successful physi-
clans. DR.. Washington himself
was our host on the Saturday
afternoon we viewed the drawing
room, where in 1894, Dolly Payne
Todd was married to James Madi-
son, with Light Horse Harry Lee,
Madison's good friend, dashing upI
on horseback just in the nick of
time for the ceremony. AS early
as 1760, Gen. Washington writes
in his diary of stopping at BRO.
Samuel's headquarters" possibly
the older field stone building still
standing. as the main house was
built about ITO. These visits were
undoubtedly made during George
Washington's trips to this region
to inspect "the progress of the
Canal" in which he was inter-
ested, as well as to ascertain how
his kinfolk were faring. The
mantel at Hardwood House is the
twin Of the one which Lafayette
presented to Mount Vernon and
was his gift to Samuel Washing
ton, when he was his guest.
"Blakely," birthplace of the last
Washington to own Mount YER
non, John Augustine Washington
II. was later the home of dashing
Colonel" Dick Washington. a
colorful figure in the Virginia
State militia aroused by the John
Brown raid in Harper's Ferry.
Happy Retreat" left to Charles
Washington by his half-brother
Lawrence's will. is in happy state
Of preservation.s
It was Charles Washington, full
brother of George, who planned
the town of Charles Town, named
for him, upon 80 acres of land,
which he donated. and with
friends divided into streets, he
called after various members OF
his family connections, ais you may
see for yourself today. Like
"Blakely," Happy Retreat" is now
in the possession of Mr.. Raymond
j. Funkhouser and members of his
family, whose interest in the
Washington homes and holdings
in Jefferson County is a highly
commendable, historic and civic
one that is of immeasurable i'm
portance in maintaining them for
posterity.
History was very real and mean
ingful, more grim too, when we
we're Augustine and Frances Todd S
luncheon guests in her Charles
Town house that stands upon the
site Of the scaffold upon which
John Brown, leader of the Har-
pers' Ferry raid, was executed
December 2, 1859. The revolving
table in the library of this spacious
home, is the one, upon which his
indictment was signed by the
prosecuting attorney. Nearby is
one of the sharp. steel-pointed
pixies that was shipped in as a
dormant fruit tree to be used by
the John Brown forces in the raid.
Upon one Of the walls hangs a
commission signed by John
Brown, Commander in Chief" and
dated October Is. 1882" In it, he
appoints William H. Leeman"
and commissions" him a captain
by virtue of his self-constituted II
office. 1t is "Attested by N. Bogey. 4
Sec. of War"
Frances Washington Packette
Todd's grandfather. Col. John
Thomas Gibson. was in charge of
he Virginia Militia which held the
line until it was relieved by Col.
Robert E. Lee. afterwards Gen.
Lee, with a force of United States
Marines. His lieutenant was j.
E. B. Stuart, also destined for
ater fame.
In the old carriage house in the |
ear Of the Todd's Charles Town
house is the chaise used by Lord
Fairfax. With a complete set of
harness, it is very like the one in
which Thomas Jefferson drove
rom Virginia to Philadelphia,
where he was to write the Declara-
ion of independence. only the
fairfax chaise seems to be in far
letter condition. 49,,