A Visit with Cousin Sarah and Family

We left Front Royal this morning around 9 (early for us) doing something we never do.  Since it was only 36 miles to Charles Town, WV where my cousin Sarah and her family live part of the time on the family farm, I followed Ron in the car so we would not have to unhook and then rehook up the car after our visit.  Lazy I guess, but it seemed easier this way.  The farm is a ways out in the country and on a narrow gravel road, so we left the RV in the parking lot of the Casino in town.

Charles Town  is another one of those old towns with lots of old houses and buildings in the historic downtown area as well as out in the country.  Sarah and her family live in Washington, D.C. during the week but come out to the farm on the weekends to get away from all the hustle and bustle.

The farm is about 7 miles from town and off a narrow country road with old farm houses, cultivated fields, cattle, etc.  We arrived to see a very old farm house with several out buildings including an old barn.  As it turns out the farm belonged to Sarah's husband Rob's family and when his parents died, he and his brother Charlie inherited the property.

 The left side of the house dates to 1798 and the section to the right of the front door was added by Rob's grandfather in the 1930's when he tore down the small old log house.  Between that portion and the old kitchen is a newer structure tying it to the kitchen and used by the family as their dining room.   The kitchen of the house was a separate building at one time and dates to 1765 and still has the old fireplace and equipment to hang pots over the fire.

In the backyard are a number of out buildings including a part of the old dairy, the smoke house and the barn.

These old steps are located in the front of the house and were used to help ladies to get up on their horses.

The house also includes old antique family furnishings making it an even more interesting place to visit.

 Recently, the house experienced a sagging in the ceiling over the front hallway and it was discovered that the attic was loaded with great deal of old magazines and some old heavy furnishings which caused too much weight on the ceiling.  The lath and plaster ceiling was exposed waiting for repair and it appeared just as what we have seen shown to us at some old houses we have visited.

We sat outside in the shade and then returned inside for a lovely lunch which Sarah and her daughter Clare had prepared for us.  After lunch we looked at some old family photos of Sarah and my grandparents, great grandparents, etc. which she had never seen.  What fun talking about our family and learning about Rob's family history in the house.  Too soon, it was time for us to depart and drive on to Gettysburg where we will be staying for a week.

Here is a photo of the family group on the front steps.  From left to right:  Charlie, Rob's brother; Rob; Sarah; daughter Clare and Kathy.