Oak Grove Farmhouse (Site)

These coordinates mark the exact spot where the house used stand until it was demolished in 1996. No remains are visible here.


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Here follows an excerpt from the 1970 Fairfax County Master Inventory of Historic Sites which contained entries from the Historic American Buildings Survey Inventory:

Oak Grove is one of the three remaining plantation houses in the Springfield-Franconia area (the others being Ashland and Belvale) and the only one built of brick. In 1873, when the estate was partitioned to the John Broders heirs, it consisted of about 500 acres (Deed Book Q-4, page 142). Erected on land once the property of Fitzhughs and Dulanys, the mansion house was constructed on a basic design of two stories with brick end chimneys, a center hall and four rooms. Apparently, additions were made to the north side of the house almost immediately, and other additions have been made through the years, including a two-story porch, a brick extension on the east side of the house and, recently, on the north end, a family room finished in redwood siding. John Broders is said by descendants to have built the house of bricks made on the place, probably about 1820. Most of the random width pine flooring is original, and well worn in the heavy traffic areas. The staircases are plain. There is one Adamesque wooden mantel in the living room, while the other five fireplaces in the house are plain in design. The walls are 14 inches thick and the plaster was made with animal hair. There were no window openings in the south wall of the living room, so the O'Connell's had two made when they purchased the house in 1936. The O'Connell's have been told that boxwood from the garden was sold to the Washington Cathedral in the 1920's. The room which is now the den was used as the Moor (sic.) and Garfield Post Offices in the 1880's.

A Broders and Moore family cemetery still exists adjacent to the Forestdale Elementary School, which was built on property once a part of the Oak Grove tract. Several large oaks over 200 years old and a holly tree over 100 years old grace the yard, which has been so skillfully planted and screened with botanical specimens that the property is an island of tranquility even though major traffic arteries, shopping areas, and schools exist within a few hundred feet of it. The parcel is adjacent to land which has recently been rezoned for the proposed Springfield regional shopping center.


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Here follows a history of the school as published on the Fairfax County Public Schools website:

What’s in a Name?
Forestdale Elementary School was built on land that was once part of Oak Grove, a historic property owned by the Broders family. Learn more about the history of our area and the origin of the name Forestdale in this video produced for Fairfax County Public Schools’ cable television channel Red Apple 21:

Forestdale Elementary School opened in 1964. The name "Forestdale" is a creative combination of the names of the two communities the school was originally built to serve, Springfield Forest and Loisdale Estates. Forestdale Elementary School was built on the site of the historic Oak Grove farm. In December 1822, John Hewitson Broders, a grocer living in Alexandria, Virginia married Elizabeth Compton. Three years later, they purchased 394 acres of land on the south side of what is now Franconia Road. There the couple built a house, which was later named Oak Grove. Their farm produced wheat, rye, corn, oats, and potatoes. John Broders died in February 1860, shortly before the start of the American Civil War.

During the war in July 1864, men under the command of Major John Mosby attacked a force of Union soldiers and camped on Oak Grove where Forestdale Elementary School stands today. Bullets from that engagement were found on the Forestdale school property as late as the 1970's.

Following the war, many changes came to Oak Grove. Elizabeth Broders passed away in 1872 and shortly thereafter, the estate was divided among the children. The Oak Grove house passed to her daughter, Rebecca, who had married William G. Moore in December 1877. William Moore was appointed postmaster by President Rutherford B. Hayes. It is believed Moore operated his post office called Moore out of a two-room addition to the Oak Grove farmhouse.

In 1881, the post office was moved to the Franconia railroad depot and the name was changed to Garfield in honor of President James Garfield. After William's death in 1907. Rebecca sold Oak Grove to their son, Dr. Samuel Moore.

Throughout the first half of the 20th century, Oak Grove farm was sold and resold several times. By the 1960's, the farm land around it had been transformed into suburban communities. In 1964, the Fairfax County School Board condemned more than six acres of the remaining ten-acre lot around Oak Grove to build Forestdale Elementary School.

The Oak Grove house stood northwest of Forestdale until 1996 when it was sold to developers who built the Sunrise Assisted Living community on the site. The family cemetery of Oak Grove still stands today. adjacent to Forestdale Elementary. Memorials to John and Elizabeth Broders and William and Rebecca Moore preserve the legacy of these historic Fairfax County families.


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Here follows an excerpt from Donald Hakenson's "This Forgotten Land" tour guide:

The Broders cemetery is adjacent to Forestdale Elementary School behind a walled embankment, bordered on two sides by the school parking lot and by a store parking lot on the other two sides. A cinderblock wall over four feet in height surrounds the cemetery. Buried in the Broders family cemetery is John Broders who built Oak Grove. Family legend has it that if you should be driving past the Broders cemetery, you might see the wraith of the Broders ghost. It has been reported that he rolls a keg of flaming whiskey through the cemetery and down to the creek.

A sign that was erected by a local Boy Scout Troop near the cemetery states:
This cemetery is the family cemetery of the Broders who built and developed Oak Grove Plantation in 1820 and owned it for almost a century. During the Civil War, when the plantation encompassed over one thousand acres in the Springfield-Franconia area, Colonel Mosby's men attacked a Union encampment located where Forestdale School is now. The oldest stone in the cemetery is 1827 and is that of John Broders Jr., the son of the first Broders to come to America. The Broders family was a mainstay of the community during the time they lived in the Springfield-Franconia area.

Shortly after this sign was posted, the 1827 headstone of John Broders disappeared. In November 2007 the headstone was finally returned to the cemetery. As for the Boy Scout sign it was removed for security reasons.

PRIVATE WILLIAM G. MOORE.
Buried in the cemetery is Private William G. Moore. Private Moore was born in Loudoun County on October 6, 1828 and enlisted in Captain Welby Carter's Cavalry Company (Militia) and was sent to Harpers Ferry, (West) Virginia to assist guarding John Brown and his co-conspirators. On April 27, 1861, before Virginia officially seceded from the Union, he enlisted with Captain Carter's Cavalry Company, (which would later become Company H, First Virginia Cavalry) at Union and was present for duty until he was captured on December 12, 1863 at Snickersville and was sent to Fort Delaware, Delaware. He was released on June 4, 1865 at age thirty-seven. He died at his home near Franconia on May 23, 1907, at the age of seventy.

CONFIRMING A FIGHT AT BRODERS FARM, JULY 30, 1864.
According to the Broders family, Mosby's men attacked a Union force encamped between the family cemetery and Oak Grove (where Forestdale Elementary School is now located). During the fighting the Broders family sought refuge in the house to evade the bullets. Several historians had tried to verify the family oral history but had been unable to do so.

There were only two Confederate guerilla units that operated behind enemy lines in the Lee District area during the period 1863-1865. One unit was Company H, Fifteenth Virginia Cavalry (known as the Chincapin Rangers). This unit was made up of men residing in Fairfax and Prince William Counties before the war. The other unit was the Forty-third Battalion Virginia Cavalry, or Mosby's Rangers. The Chincapin Rangers would join Mosby on many raids in Northern Virginia and would be incorporated into his command before the war would end.

Researching this incident the author found a report in the Union Operational Reports stating Lieutenant-Colonel H.H. Wells reported that a party of Confederate guerillas attacked his cavalry picket post near Springfield on July 30, 1864. Lieutenant-Colonel Wells sent out all the available men he had to re-enforce and pursue the attackers. Additionally, John Berfield, a long time relic hunter in the Lee and Mount Vernon Districts, stated he found Sharps carbine bullets where the Forestdale Elementary School stands today and across the street from the school in the mid 1970's. Berfield also said these were spent bullets and had been fired in anger.

Susan Hellman, a noted Fairfax County historian was involved in the verification of the Mosby fight. While she was transcribing the 1864 diary of Ebenezer E. Mason who lived on a farm at the foot of Woodlawn, next to the old Washington Grist Mill found an interesting entry. The diary described a rebel raid on the Broders farm on Saturday, July 30, 1864 that finally verified the Broders oral family history.

OAK GROVE PLANTATION
John Broders built the Oak Grove plantation house about 1820 on land that was once owned by the Fitzhugh and Dulany families. Approximately one hundred and seventy-six years later, to the dismay of local Franconians and many Fairfax County historians, the house was torn down on June 15, 1996. The demolition of the historic structure only took one hour. Franconia had lost one of its most treasured possessions.

HARRISON THE SPY.
On September 28, 1863, Laura Broders married Henry Thomas Harrison in Washington City. Henry Harrison held the rank of Second Lieutenant and was a scout and the mysterious spy of Lieutenant General James Longstreet. Lieutenant Harrison roamed at will between Union and Confederate lines depending upon his mission. He obviously spent time at Oak Grove, where Laura lived during the early years of the war. After the war, Harrison went to the gold region of the Montana Territory to seek his fortune, eventually losing contact with his wife and his two young daughters. On August 27, 1873, thinking Harrison dead, Laura, age thirty-two, remarried. The wedding was held at Oak Grove. She had five additional children with her second husband.

But Harrison was not dead. He returned to Fairfax County in November 1900, in an unsuccessful attempt to see his daughters, now grown and married. He left in two days, never to be heard from again. Laura lived to be seventy-seven years old.

Harrison whose identity and occupation was a mystery during the War Between the States remained an even greater mystery after the war. Family members finally found his final resting place in a cemetery in Kentucky.


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Here follows an excerpt from the Spring 2007 edition of the "Franconia Legacies" newsletter published by the Franconia Museum:

LAURA RUTH RISTON MEEK DOCUMENT
Shared by Mary Evelyn Smith

I, Laura Ruth Riston Meek, attended school at Franconia, Fairfax, Virginia where I was born and raised sixteen miles from Washington, D. C. and eight miles from Alexandria, Virginia. My father’s parents came from France. My father attended Old Columbia College. He studied to be a minister and was and lived a Christian life. He did a lot of work in home prayer meetings. It was hard to get around in those days. Papa lived nine years longer than Mama. He was sick only a short time. Kate had brother George bring Papa to her home where she could take care of him. He passed away December 23, 1926 and was buried at the Old Jerusalem Cemetery, beside Kate’s husband Thad. Thad’s father was a deacon of the Jerusalem Church for many years and Papa enjoyed going there. Roy and I visited Papa’s grave when we made a trip back East with our grandson Roy Rynard Meek, our son Vernon’s boy, in 1950. My mother’s family, the Broder’s, came from Wales and settled in London, England where my great grandfather Joseph Broders was born September 2, 1754. He and a friend named Gremisby were brought to the United States by General George Washington to work at Mount Vernon in about 1777. Great Grandfather was a good cabinet maker and Gremisby was a good metal worker. Mount Vernon was given to General Washington by his half brother, Lawrence Washington. This is where Washington retired after he served as President. Great Grandfather made most of the cabinets and Gremisby made the lock and keys from brass moldings. Great Grandfather trained horses and dogs for General Washington. He carried a falcon on his shoulder that he had trained to bring in birds and catch them in the air. He went with the gentry on their hunting trips. On one of his rides he met a young lady in attendance, a seamstress for Mrs. Washington, Mary Burke. In those days the fronts and cuffs of clothes were ruffled and embroidered, and Mary Burke was gifted with this work. One day Joseph rode close to Mary’s horse and lifted her sunbonnet from her head and said, “Darn, you are pretty.” He loved Mary, but was afraid of being rejected. He had started preaching what is now called the old school Baptist faith. He saw Mary Burke in the congregation and forgot his sermon. She made a face at him, so the ice was broken. They were married about 1780. They had nine children.

Great Grandfather rode a circuit of 100 miles carrying the mail and preaching on the way. He was at the tent meeting one time and because he was short, they gave him a barrel to stand on. So many were coming forward, he got to stomping and shouting so hard that the barrel head went through but he went right on preaching. He was a grand man and loved his work. Joseph had an estate of 100 acres, a part of Mary’s father’s land. He started breeding cattle and thorough-bred horses.

At the age of 77 Great Grandfather was riding his horse. The horse stepped on a rolling stone. Great Grandfather was thrown off the horse and knocked unconscious in a pool of water and drowned. My Great Grandmother passed away a few months later in 1817. She and Great Grandfather are laid to rest in the church cemetery he established near Middleburg, Virginia. Their son, John Hewiston Broders, is my grandfather. He was born March 1, 1797 in Virginia and was named for Sir John Hewitson, a cousin that lived in England. Sir John gave him a grant of 500 acres of land in Indiana. Grandfather was a farmer, business man, lawyer and doctor for the community. He sent to England for the bricks to build a four room house. He bought land from Robert Taylor in 1855. This land had recently been owned by Nicholas Fitzhugh and joined “Ravenworth.” Other tracks of land were bought in 1847 and 1853 amounting to over 700 acres, finally owning some 1000 acres. He later bought bricks made on the adjoining farm of Thomas Ogden and finished building a nine room two story home. The window shutters were green and had brick walks all around the house. There was a summer kitchen and a boxwood hedge around the front. There were large oak trees with ivy running over them. That is why Grandmother Broders called it “Oak Grove”; most large homes had names then. There was also a two story building and he used the upstairs for his office, downstairs for the store and post office. Aunt Rebecca’s (called Beckie) husband Uncle Will Moore was postmaster. Grandfather married Elizabeth Compton born June 3, 1801. Her grandfather, John Compson, Sr. was born 1726 and died 1797 in Fairfax County, Virginia. John Compton, Sr. married Elizabeth Hill. Her son, John Compton, Jr. born 1756 in Virginia married Ann Cross and after her death married Rhoda Cash, daughter of William Cash. They had six children, William, Rhoda, John, the 3rd, Albert, Elizah and Elizabeth, my grandmother. The Compton’s home called “Rose Hill”, was at Alexandria, Virginia. I really do not remember much else about my grandmother’s family.

Grandfather and Grandmother Broders had fourteen children; Lorinda, born 1823 died 1824, Elizabeth, born 1825 married Harrison Monroe, sons John H., Jr. born 1827 died 1827, Joseph born 1829 married Alferna Monroe, John born 1832 married Jenny (no last name), Rebecca born 1833 married William Moore, Virginia born 1835 married Mark Young, Rachel born 1837 died young, Mary Ann born 1838 never married, Lorinda (called Laura) born 1840 married George W. Riston, eighth daughter no date or name, Martha born 1844 (no other information), N. B. born on a Tuesday and died on Friday, no dates and Hannah born 1847 married Joseph Grehan.

Grandfather Broders gave each of his children quite a few acres of land. He also had a large number of slaves. My father’s parents, the Ristons, also had slaves before the Civil War. After the war, the slaves were freed. I don’t think we should ever have had slaves in a free country like America.

Grandfather John Hewiston Broders died on February 15, 1860 and Grandmother Elizabeth Compton Broders died on April 9, 1872 and both are buried in the family cemetery called “Oak Grove”, Fairfax, Virginia. Their epitaphs read, “Grieve not my wife and children, it is for you I toiled here. I am gone from trouble, care and pain. May Heaven be my eternal gain. John Hewiston Broders.” “Farewell my friends and children dear. All earthly love and mother’s care is lavished in silence from above to receive my hope, a savior’s love. Elizabeth Compton Broders.” These are the epitaphs to be inscribed on Roy’s and my tombstones.

Aunt Mollie (Mary Ann Broders) never married. She had a paper with President George Washington’s death in it. She took it to the Worlds Fair in Chicago, Illinois and had them display it there. When they returned it to her it was framed and draped in our flag. Mama’s brother Uncle Joe Broders and wife Alferna had a large retail and wholesale store in Alexandria. He was also president of the First National Bank. Their daughter Lillian married Charles Carlin. He served as congressman for two terms. They had three sons. Uncle Joe passed away quite awhile before we went back in 1942, as had all his children except the youngest girl, Mamie Broders Elliott. She lived in Chicago, Illinois.

Aunt Jenny and Uncle Mark Young built a house on the land Grandfather Broders had given Aunt Jenny. They also had a nice home in Washington, D. C. They had five children. Aunt Elizabeth Broders married Harrison Monroe and they had two girls that died young and two boys, John Monroe who married Effie Triplet, three children, Jenny, Mary and William. William Monroe married Ella McQueen and they had two sons—one died and the other son Eddie I was quite fond of. Aunt Elizabeth died at the early age of 29 years old leaving a three day old baby. Aunt Hannah Broders married Joseph Grehan. Their children were John, Willie, Hattie and Tot. Uncle John Broders married Jenny (maiden name I’ve forgotten). They had six children, John, Willie, Mary, Sally, Ova and Albert. Ova and I were about the same age and good friends besides being cousins. Albert was a doctor at the Mayo Clinic. When Albert and his wife visited Europe they had an audience with the Pope, through one of the doctors on Albert’s staff at Mayo’s.

When we were young, Sam Moore, Willie Broders, Johnny Grehan and myself and sisters and others would go to a tournament held at Alexandria. There was a game the men played “Knights of Old” with plumes on their hats and sashes draped around their shoulders. Sam, Willie and Johnny were three of the best riders and got to crown a queen nearly every time. The first dance was the coronation dance. They had beautiful music and famous men to make speeches. People came with baskets of food and there would be plenty to eat and dancing until late. When we were back at the old Broders home place in 1942 we tried to locate a very dear friend of mine, Bessie Buchanan, but couldn’t find her. I loved to hear her play “Tamachanti” on the piano, she played so well.

My mother, Lorinda (Laura) met her first husband, Henry Thomas Harrison (born about 1838 in Nashville, Tennessee during the Civil War. They were married September 26, 1863 in Washington, D. C. Aunt Beckie Broders and Aunt Mollie Broders were her attendants. Henry Thomas Harrison was the grandson of William Henry Harrison, the ninth President of the United States and his great grandfather, Benjamin Harrison was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. Mama and her husband went to Mexico when their daughter Elizabeth (Bessie) was about 15 months old. They hired a nurse for the baby and she taught Bessie to say Mama in Spanish. Henry thought it was so cute he had a breast pin made with “Mama” in Spanish on it for Mama. The weather and water there didn’t agree with Mama and Bessie, especially with Mama expecting their second child. They decided it would be better if she would return to her parent’s home in Virginia until the baby was born. Their second daughter Irene (Rena) was born in Virginia. Mama received several letters from Henry. He wrote and said he planned to go to the gold fields in California and wanted her and the girls to go with him. Mama wrote back and asked him to go ahead and find a place for them to live and she would come. She received a few more letters and then she quit hearing from him. The Harrisons hired a detective to search for him but no trace was ever found. The Harrisons were very good to Mama and sent her money to help take care of the two girls. It must have been hard for her to never know what happened to her first husband. Bessie and Rena were 10 and 8 years old when Mama married my father, George Washington Riston on August 27, 1873 by Rev. C. H. Ryland in Fairfax, Virginia. She had waited seven years before her brother John had her get a divorce.

I had such a lovely mother, although her life had lots of sorrow she never complained. Papa and Mama built a two story house near the Broders home place of “Oak Grove”. This may have been on the 169 acres given Mother by her father John H. Broders. All of their children were born here; Laura Ruth Riston on December 19, 1874 (called Ruth), George Whitfield on February 7, 1876 (only son and never married), Katherine July 30, 1877 (called Kate), Naomi Mullikin November 16, 1878 (called Noma), and Grace May June 5, 1880. Mama was staying with Grace when she fell and broke her hip. She died fourteen months later in 1917.

My grandfather, Thomas Riston was born in 1818 in France and married Mary Mullikin. They had four sons and one daughter, George Washington (my father) born March 25, 1838 at Prince George, Maryland, William Riston, no date, married Kathryn Kirby, Thomas Riston II, no date, Basil Riston, no date died at age 18 and Mary Riston. She married a Mr. Greenwell. He was a druggist. They lived in Baltimore, Maryland. They had a daughter named Anne. She had married a Mr. Alexander. She had a good job with the government in Washington, D. C. When she visited us I was quite small. She liked me and wanted me to go home with her. I never saw Aunt Mary, her mother.

Uncle William Riston and Aunt Kathryn lived at Warrenton, Virginia. Their daughter Cora married a mail carrier. They had two children, May and Charles. My papa thought Cora and I looked alike. Uncle William’s son John Riston lived at Riverside, Maryland. He was the editor of the college paper at Park College.

My grandfather Riston named Papa after General George Washington because General Washington was so loved by all the people. My father was loved by everyone. I had a letter from my sister telling me Papa preached the Sunday morning he was 80 years old. He read his text from the Bible and his sermon was on “John prepared the way for Jesus.” He was a member of the Mt. Rainer Church in Maryland. Grandfather Broders was a member of this church also. When they first started there were only five charter members. Papa first met with them in the town hall and when the membership increased they rented a lot and put up a temporary building. They bought a big corner lot and built a nice frame church. I have a picture of the new church. It was built on the corner and the old church is still used for Sunday school. When the corner stone was sealed, his name and all charter members and the history of the church ministers were placed inside. It was sealed by the Masonic Lodge of Mt. Rainer and a beautiful service was given.

Papa didn’t believe in slavery and he wouldn’t join the north side and fight against his brothers. Papa was put in prison for 17 months. He was one of three men that took a message to President Lincoln during the war, after his release from prison. Papa was an Episcopalian minister first, but decided he liked the Baptist belief better so became a primitive Baptist preacher. I can remember going to the Jerusalem Church and hearing Papa preach.

As a young girl I can remember hooking up the buggy and driving to Alexandria, sometimes to sell eggs and buy groceries of maybe catching a boat and going to Washington, D. C. and visiting relatives and going shopping. Alexandria had cobblestone streets and Washington had streetcars drawn by horses on Pennsylvania Avenue. When President Grover Cleveland was inaugurated, our neighbor, Colonel Boice, a former state senator, gave us tickets to the grandstand so we could watch the parade going down Pennsylvania Avenue. It was grand!

Mama and my eldest half-sister Bessie made all the bed clothes and everything we wore. Mama loved to knit and make us things. She had her spinning wheel and loom. My other half-sister Rena was also a good seamstress. That was one reason I never learned to do much sewing. After my sisters and I were married, we would write letters called round robin. One would write about her family and send to one sister, she would add to the letter and send to the next sister, until each of the sisters had written. I got lots of the letters as I was the one farthest from home.

This is a letter, in part, from George W. Riston to Laura Ruth Riston Meek, his daughter.
Rixton X Roads
February 17, 1905
My Dear Child,
It has been a long time since I heard from you, only as I have heard through Kate. I hope you are all well. George is looking real well again. He with myself often speak of you and the dear little ones and Roy. So Roy is into the grocery business again. I hope he will like it. I wish he could get on sometime this year to see us. How are the children getting on, well I trust. You will soon have quite a family, which I trust will prove a blessing to you and Roy. How is little Riston growing, finely, I know. Kate and Thad are getting on nicely, little Charles Thadus is growing finely. Kate makes a good mother. Kate and Thad expect to move into the old Hopkins homestead the first of March. The other children have prevailed on Thad to take the old home, which he has consented to do. His brother will expect to build on his part in the spring. Kate will have a lovely home. I have spent many happy moments in the Hopkins home, as it used to be Baptist Headquarters. Thad’s father was an excellent man and was a deacon of Jerusalem Baptist Church and one of my dearest friends. The children all say that I come next to their father. I have just written a letter to Naomi and Fount, they were well when I last heard from them. Grace and Sylvester went down and spent last week at their Aunt Beckie’s. They were well.

Roy Calvin Meek of Berryville, Carroll County, Arkansas and Laura Ruth Riston of Fairfax County, Virginia were united in holy matrimony at Annandale M. E. Church, Virginia, on the first day of July in the year of our Lord 1896, in the presence of my sister, Naomi Mullikin Riston and my mother’s sister, Aunt Mary Ann Broders (we called her Aunt Mollie) by Reverend George H. Williams, minister of M. E. Church of Fairfax County. Reverend George Williams married a cousin of mine after his first wife died. His daughter Lena, by his first wife, and I were good friends.

After our marriage, for our honeymoon, Roy wanted to spend it on the Potomac River at Mr. and Mrs. VanNigh’s, friends of his. They were only about four miles from Mt. Vernon, home of our first President, George Washington. First in war, First in peace and First in the heart of his countrymen. We boarded with the VanNighs’ for awhile. The VanNighs’ had a row boat and told Roy to use it. We would row across to Grand View, a resort, and enjoy all the amusements, but the most fun was riding the chute.

We promised each other we had married for life and would always share each other’s sorrows and pleasures. Our first child, a son, was born on my father’s birthday, March 25, 1897. Roy named him for an old dear friend of his, Clarence Lewis. Our first child, a son, was born on my father’s birthday, March 25, 1897. Roy named him for an old dear friend of his, Clarence Lewis. When Clarence was about three months old, Roy got a month’s vacation and wanted to take us back to meet his folks in Berryville, Arkansas. I fell in love with them and with Arkansas too. After Roy’s vacation was over and he had to go back to his job in the Government Printing Office in Washington, D. C., Roy’s mother wanted Clarence and me to stay for a longer visit. I stayed nearly two months, but I was homesick for my Roy, and he was writing for me to come home. (This is from part of a letter I read of Mama’s from Papa after her death on May 1st 1959.) “Please have Pa to get someone with a buggy to come to the house for your trunk and take you and Clarence to Eureka Springs to take the train east and buy your ticket to Kansas City. There you will have to change trains but your trunks will be shipped straight through. When you change trains be sure and don’t forget Clarence. (I thought this was such a neat letter, I gave it to Clarence. I hope his children saved it.) Laura Louise (Lolly) was our second child, born in Washington, D. C. on January 25, 1899. She was named for my mother, Laura and Roy’s mother, Louisa.

Our darling, Callie Ruth was our third child. She was born September 21, 1900 and lived only eight days. She was born at my grandmother’s home place, “Oak Grove” Fairfax County, Virginia and laid to rest in the family cemetery there. We named her Callie for Toy’s middle name Calvin and Ruth for me. Aunt Beckie and Uncle Will Moore owned the old home place as they had stayed with Grandma Broders and taken care of her until her death. I had gone there because Lolly wasn’t well and the weather in Washington was very hot. Roy rode his bicycle 16 miles on weekends to see me. Lenora Elizabeth was our fourth child. She was born September 5, 1901 in Washington, D.C. and was named Elizabeth.

GAP IN PAGES HERE

Precious Roy and I, on August the first, 1942 left our apartment (we lived over our furniture store) at 1105 South Peoria, Tulsa, Oklahoma at 9:00 a.m. with Rena and Ralph Stone. They had given up their little son, Ralph David Stone. He was two years and one month old. He passed away August 25, 1938. We thought the trip would do them good. They really enjoyed meeting all the kinfolks and visiting the many government buildings. We also took in Mt. Vernon, George Washington’s home. We visited the U. S. Capital and went to the top of the Washington Monument. We made our headquarters at my half-sister’s Rena Harrison Riggs Beattie. Her name is Irene, but we call her Rena. We visited kinfolks at Trenton, Ohio, my sister Naomi, my brother George Whitfield Riston at Gardner, Kansas, kinfolks in Washington, D. C., Fairfax, Virginia and Mt. Rainer, Maryland and Effingham, Illinois.

Our first visit was to Coffyville, Kansas where our son Riston and wife Viola Bean Meek and our son Arden had gone to work on a defense job. Later Arden went to the South Pacific. We certainly enjoyed our visit with them. From there we went to Gardner, Kansas where my brother, George Whitfield Riston, was working for a Dr. Piles. He was looking after some oil wells Dr. Piles had. They were both from Washington, D.C. This was the first time my daughter Rena had met my brother George. (He was my only brother.) After a nice visit there, we went to see my half sister Elizabeth called Bessie and her husband Benjamin Franklin Kagay, Jr (called Frank). He was named for his father and grandfather Judge B. J. Kagay. Frank was the founder of the Effingham Illinois Guarantee and Savings Loan Association. He served from 1893 until his death in 1929. His son B. F. (Ben) Kagay, Jr. 2nd succeeded his father and was secretary of the association until 1932, when his mother was elected and continued as active secretary until now. We all enjoyed our visit so much with them. Ben’s wife had gone to visit her family so we didn’t get to meet her and their children. We also didn’t get to visit their daughter Pearl and husband William McCollum and their three children. They lived about 30 miles from Bessie at Louisville, Illinois.

Bessie and I enjoyed talking of by-gone days when we would hook up the horse to the buggy and go to Alexandria, Virginia, (our nearest town) 8 miles away, to go to the wharf by the Potomac River and buy fish from the fishermen. The Potomac River at one time was real deep and was used as a seaport. There was lots of big fish and sea creatures, and many people made their living fishing. We bought shad and herring. These would be put in a barrel in a nice brine. The shad were a large fish. One fish baked with dressing, like chicken dressing, would make a nice meal. I use corn bread with my light bread for dressing. When Clarence was four years old I fixed him and my papa, George W. Riston, a birthday dinner as both of their birthdays were on March 25th. I had baked shad and dressing as Papa was very fond of the shad.

After a lovely visit with Bessie, Frank and Ben Kagay, we started the next morning for Toronto, Ohio to visit my sister, Naomi (Noma) and her husband Fount Beattie. She was married to my half sister Rena Beattie’s husband Robert Beattie’s brother. (Half sister and own sister had married brothers.) Noma and Fount had two children living. The oldest son Edward had died several years ago. He was a doctor and his wife, Helena, a nurse. She was nursing at Alexandria, Virginia where they had their home. Her two children Ann and Margot were visiting with their grandparents, Noma and Fount during their vacation while we were there. Their son F. C. Beattie (Buzz) was away on his honeymoon. Their daughter Ruth (named for me) and her husband Frank Wellington lived just a short distance from them. We visited in their new home. Fount is superintendent of the Edison Ohio Power Plant by the Ohio River near their home. We got a splendid view of the plant from their home. I hadn’t seen Noma for thirty-five years and she hardly knew me at first. Roy and I had made a trip back to Virginia in 1922 but Naomi and Fount had gone on a trip. The last time we had seen each other was in 1907 when we had a grocery store, and our son Arthur Carroll Meek was born.

From Noma’s we left to visit dear Old Virginia, the state of my birth. We drove to Fairfax, Virginia Court House and to visit Kate and children. They lived about five miles from the court house. What a surprise we gave Kate! She hadn’t seen Roy or me for 20 years, and had never met our daughter Rena. Sister Kate’s husband Thadeus Hopkins (called Thad) worked for the Southern Railroad. He was waiting for a train to pass and stepped right in front of another train and was killed instantly in 1922, leaving her with seven children to raise. When we were on our trip in 1942 all three of the oldest sons had been called to service, but William (Billy) was still with his mother on the farm. The oldest daughter Naomi was married to Elton Posey who is an auto mechanic. They have four children. John was with the Coast Guard and Amos, her youngest son was expecting to sail for England right away. Charles, the oldest son, was married and lived in Atlanta, Georgia. He was home on vacation so we got to see him. He was given a job with the Southern Railroad after his father was killed. He had no children. Kate had given John and Billy some of the farm so they would be near her. They rented extra land to farm. After the war John was a guard at the prison. Minnie married and has no children. She lives in Washington, D. C. and works for the Washington Post morning newspaper in the ad department. Amos, her youngest, got a job in the Post Office at Fairfax, Virginia after his return from the Army and was stationed in England.

Kate and I had a wonderful visit talking over our childhood days. We were always very close as Rena and Bessie, our half sisters, were very much older than us. We left Kate’s for my half sister Rena and husband Robert Beattie. Robert was a railway mail clerk until he retired. They have a lovely home in Washington, D. C. Rena had ten children. One, Hal Riggs, by her first husband Jack Riggs who died about five years after they were married, had nine children by Robert Beattie. Two sons, Robert and Dixon, were priests. Hal had passed away in 1940. I had stayed with Rena after Jack Riggs, her first husband died and that was where I was living when I met my dearest Roy, on New Year’s Eve 1896. I think it was love at first sight for both of us. The Fletchers, friends of Rena’s brought Roy and his friend, Frank Montgomery with them to visit. They were rooming with the Fletchers’ while working at the Government Printing Office. They had got their jobs through their congressman. Roy and I were married six months later.

Rena had married Robert Beattie in 1893 and had one daughter Irene who was such a lovely child. She died when she was only five or six years old. I felt very close to my sister Rena. She was always so good to me. Rena and I remember how Mama, Bessie and Rena had made all their quilts and spreads and most of the clothes we wore. Mama had a spinning wheel and loom. She was a wonderful seamstress as was Rena.

We did lots of visiting while in Washington. Went to see my cousin Sam Moore who had had a stroke and was in very bad health. He is the one that had married Ruth Thomas, a friend of mine. Rena, our daughter and husband Ralph went on some beautiful drives around Washington, D.C. Saw the Lincoln Memorial and went to the top of the Washington Monument, visited Arcturus, Virginia where we spent our honeymoon. It had been a small village but now a town. I’ll never forget those two weeks on our honeymoon, never was I happier.

Cousin Jack Moore had passed away, but we saw his wife, Mattie Pickett Kirby Moore. I didn’t see their two daughters Rebecca and Margaret. Uncle John Broders had passed on and all of his family but two sons. Willie married Nellie Temple. Willie was in bad health. They had two daughters. We visited with cousin Tot Grehan. She was the daughter of Aunt Hannah Broders and her husband Grehan. (Tot came to visit us at our farm in Arkansas in 1951.)

Our last visit was with my youngest sister Grace and her husband Vester Cassell. After dinner we drove out to Mt. Rainer, Maryland to see her daughter Josephine. They lived at 3962 32nd Street. We met her husband William Baldwin. We certainly liked him. They had a lovely family, seven children. We came back to Grace’s. She lives at 721 Handin, N. E., Washington, D. C. We spent the night. Rena and Ralph went sightseeing and shopping. Grace asked me if I remembered Elder Smoot, I certainly did. I was at church one Sunday and he came over to where I was and said “You have on a pretty dress Ruth” and took me up in his arms and kissed me. My dress was red cloth trimmed in black velvet ribbon. I think I was about 6 or 7. The old Backlick Church was at Springfield Station, Virginia. This church was destroyed during the Civil War, and the one we went to had been built later. Grace, Vester and their son Robert were getting ready to go on vacation to a camp.

We left Grace after a wonderful visit and drove around some beautiful drives. We visited the Lincoln Memorial, which made you think of the one it honors. We saw lots of old Civil War relics and lots of interesting things I can’t remember. I think Rena and Ralph enjoyed every minute of it and so did we.

After the nice visits with my sister Grace and Vester and family and sister Kate and her family we visited Annandale Church where Roy and I were married. It had changed. It had been remodeled. We took pictures in front of the church. We looked around at the house in Annandale, Virginia where the ones I loved had lived. Noma gave me a picture of Papa and Mama that I can’t find.

After visiting all the sisters and brother, George, our two sons, Riston and Arden, nieces, nephews and cousins, we left sister Rena and Robert Beattie the next morning. We were happy over the delightful time we had visiting them all. We noticed that the War and Navy buildings had begun to look in fine shape.

I was so sorry the old Broders home had been sold. It looked different than when we went back in 1922. The boxwood hedge that was in the front yard was gone as were the brick walks. We had all loved this home of our grandparents, and our great grandmother had spent her last days there. There was the family cemetery near the house and our little daughter Callie Ruth Meek is buried there. The cemetery was not sold, it is to stay in the family forever. After the grandparents death, the home had gone to Aunt Beckie Broders and her husband Uncle Will Moore. They were to look after Grandmother as long as she lived, but any of the family could come and be welcome there. After Aunt Beckie and Uncle Will’s death, there was a sale just for the Broders’ family to buy the furniture and part of the land. Grandfather Broders had given each of his children land before his death. I understand he owned about 1000 acres at one time, and had many slaves.

It is now 1956, fourteen years since we made the trip back to the place of my childhood. Roy and I moved to the farm, the home Roy bought to retire on from his hardware business. The home is about a mile from our nearest town of Marble, Madison County, Arkansas. What a great sorrow I have suffered. The giving up of my precious Roy. The love of my heart and father of our sixteen children. He was helping some men clear some dead trees above the spring, about a quarter of a mile from the house, and a tree fell on him, killing him instantly. His death was such a shock, I thought I couldn’t stand it. It has been so lonesome without him. Roy died on September 30, 1952. With God’s help I’ve made it and the children are all so good to me. They have all asked me to live with them, but I have this home and as long as I’m able, I want to remain here. Roy was such a wonderful man. I trust I’ll meet him some day in our heavenly home, and all our children will be there.

Calvin has a house in Tulsa and had me come spend the winter there. I did enjoy it but he wouldn’t take any rent. He and Ella Mae have been very kind as have all the rest of our children. Roy had two hardware stores in Tulsa. Calvin bought the one at 1st and Lansing and Ivan the one at 11th and Peoria. Ivan is paying it out by the month to me for his half, and the other half of the store pays out to his brothers and sisters. Ann Meek (Ivan’s daughter) is going to type this for me while I’m in Tulsa spending the winter with my children.