Historic Gardens of Virginia 



days. That was "Aunt" Elinor and her room — where every 

 skater was privileged to go to repair skates or, in colder weather, 

 to get warm. She was Mrs. Anderson's sempstress, a fine example 

 of the best of the colored race, dying from a broken heart a few 

 weeks after the death of her mistress. 



A pretty story has always been told of the courtship of General 

 Anderson and his first wife, Sally Archer, the daughter of Dr. 

 Robert Archer, surgeon in the "old army," as the United States 

 Army has always been spoken of by those who were in it before 

 1 86 1, and who left it then or before. His home was in Norfolk; 

 his summer home, Olivera, was where the town of Phoebus now is, 

 but he was stationed at Fortress Monroe. He had several daugh- 

 ters. Coming into his home one day he announced that a handsome 

 young lieutenant, who had just graduated second in his class, en- 

 gineers, at West Point, had been detailed there to build a fort on the 

 Rip Raps, and that whoever guessed his first name might have him. 

 Sally, not quite seventeen, said, in her gentle, soft voice, "Joseph"; 

 and, in reality, in a few months she became the wife of this young 

 lieutenant, was the mother of his children and his devoted com- 

 panion for forty-four years! 



But, to the garden and house ! The latter was a typical Colonial 

 house of grey stucco, the spacious front porch with its Corin- 

 thian columns surmounted by the Greek pediment. Through the 

 porch passed not only the best of the town, but also "the stranger 

 within its gates" — for this home was known during its whole ex- 

 istence for its unbounded hospitality, here and abroad. General 

 Lee's frequent visits there during the War Between the States 

 brought happiness to all, the children included. His love for, and 

 recognition of them, was ever present. One of the daughters of 

 the house tells how he always drew her, a little girl, to his side on 

 the sofa in the family sitting-room, raised her hand and kissed it 

 with the affection of a father, the deference of a gallant! 



On their return from Europe in September, 1871, Mr. and Mrs. 

 Jefferson Davis and their family came directly here, and Mrs. 



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