179 
the writer was supplied with a photograph of the Playmakers’ 
Building (Fig. 15) and certain historical data concerning it. 
s with those in Brook- 
— 
On comparing the North Carolina capita 
lyn, they were seen to be practically identical, and it seemed certain 
that they must have been designed by the same man. Through 
Dr. Coker, it was learned that the architect of the North Carolina 
building was Alexander J. Davis, of New York City, whose work 
there was authorized by the University in 1850.% 
For a time all efforts to ascertain who was the architect of the 
Litchfield Mansion or the designer of its capitals were fruitless. 
Finally, the writer turned to the fountain head of all information 
concerning Long Island history, Miss Emma Toedteberg, librarian 
of the Long Island Historical Society. Miss Toedteberg “ hap- 
pened” to know that Mr. Joseph B. Davis, son of Alexander J. 
Davis, was living in White Plains, New York. From him it was 
learned that Mr. Alexander J. Davis was the architect of the Litch- 
field Mansion, thus confirming our inference that the mansion and 
the Playmakers’ Building were the work of the same man. The 
mansion was commenced in April, 1855. The drawings and much 
of the data connected with it form a part of the “ Davis Collec- 
tion” at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Mr. Davis was the 
architect of several of the older state capitols, and did architectural 
work for prominent citizens in twenty-three states. 
The only other capital of the “ American Order” that has come 
to the attention of the writer is the tobacco capital at Monticello, 
the home of Thomas Jefferson. This design is similar to, but not 
identical with, the one of Latrobe mentioned above. Ceracci’s bust 
of Jefferson, at Monticello, stands on a pedestal with this capital. 
The tobacco leaf is also employed in the “ rosettes” of the frieze 
in the small dining room at Monticello. Since Jefferson was an 
architect of recognized ability, it might be inferred that he was 
the designer of this capital, and that this design, therefore, ante- 
dated that of Latrobe, since Jefferson died in 1826. However, 
among the drawings in the collection of Thomas Jefferson Cool- 
idge, Jr., there is one (No. 149y) which is a sketch for a pedestal 
—v 
3 Battle, Kemp Plummer. History of the University of North Carolina. 
Vol. I, p. 617. 1907-12. 
