FARMINGTON 



ARiMINGTON, the home of Mrs. Warner Wood, 

 situated three miles west of the University of Vir- 

 ginia, has long been noted as one of the rnost 

 beautiful places in Virginia. The charm of its 

 hospitality, the beautiful paintings, and other 

 objects of art in the house, and its unsurpassed 

 landscape view are known throughout the United States. 



The history of Farmington is quite interesting and reads like 

 a romance. The tract of land on which the house is situated 

 originally consisted of about four thousand four hundred acres, 

 and was first patented and owned by Michael Holland, in 1744. 

 In 1745, Holland sold his patent to Charles Lewis, of Goochland 

 County, and he, in turn, sold the place to Francis Jourdone, in 1758. 



In 1760, Jourdone (now spelled Jerdone) began the erection 

 of the present stately dwelling, which commands such a beautiful 

 view of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The massive brick walls range 

 in thickness from two feet on the sides to three feet on the gable 

 end, and show the quality of the material used. Even now, after 

 more than one hundred years, they look as if the builder intended 

 them to stand, as the pyramids, for all time. In 1785, Jerdone 

 sold the estate to George Divers, who is said to have been a great 

 friend of Thomas Jefferson. 



Being a man of considerable wealth, and holding Mr. Jefferson 

 in high esteem, Mr. Divers asked the Sage of Monticello to design 

 for him a fine home. Jefferson's design is seen in the octagonal 

 front of the present residence, which was begun in 1803, and which 

 is said to have been inspired by the country house seen by him while 

 abroad. The tradition is that one day Jefferson drove out to 

 Farmington and, finding that his plans were not being carried out 

 as he designed them, he dismissed all the workmen, thus ending for 



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