On the eve of solstice, we enjoyed a lovely stroll through a historic site in Northern Virginia’s Prince William County along the Potomac River, Rippon Lodge.
Originally built in 1747 by Richard Blackburn, who named it after his birthplace of Rippon in North Yorkshire, England.
After his death ten years later, his son Thomas inherited the property.
THOMAS BLACKBURN
Thomas Blackburn held distinguished positions of service, beginning with Justice of the Peace in 1764 to 1770.
From 1774 to 1775, his neighbors voted for him to represent Prince William County in the House of Burgesses and the first four Virginia Conventions which formed when the burgesses were tyrannically dissolved by the royal governor.
In 1776, Blackburn served in the Second Virginia Regiment which was comprised of men from Prince William, Fairfax, and Loudon counties.
While fighting at the Battle of Germantown on October 4, 1777, injuries led to the end of his military service.
From home Blackburn found another way to serve…by supplying the Continental Army.
DAUGHTER MARRIES BUSHROD WASHINGTON
The youngest of his daughters, Julia Ann, married Supreme Court Justice Bushrod Washington who had inherited Mount Vernon from his Uncle George Washington after he and his wife’s passing.
Residing at Mount Vernon, Bushrod and Julia Ann inherited Rippon Landing after Thomas Blackburn passed in 1807.
NIECE MARRIES JOHN AUGUSTINE WASHINGTON II
Since they had no children, Mount Vernon passed to another Washington nephew, John Augustine Washington II who married another Blackburn girl, Jane Charlotte, apparently a close relation to this family.
CHANGE IN OWNERSHIP
By 1811, the descendants could no longer maintain the property, so Blackburn’s son-in-law, Bushrod Washington, sold the property.
BLACKBURN DESCENDaNT
Changing owners a few more times, the house was rebought by a Blackburn descendant, Wade H. Ellis in 1924.
While working for the US Department of Justice and maintaining his private legal practice in Washington DC, Ellis restored and enlarged Rippon Lodge in the Colonial Revival style, which was popular in the 1930s.
Without children of their own, the house was later sold to Admiral Richard Blackburn Black, who worked to have the home designated in the National Register of Historic Places in 1970.
OPEN FOR TOURS
In 2007, Prince William County acquired the property which is today open for viewing and tours.
As the sun set and fireflies began to flit above the ground, the old gardens beckoned.
I found an old sunken garden…
These elaborate gardens were created by the Ellis family when they lived here in the 20th century.
Since Dessie Ellis was a member of the Virginia Garden Club, this property was often part of the annual spring tour.
Then I explored a marvelously lengthy twisty turny path through giant English boxwoods…
…that led me to old foundations and the 18th century cemetery.
The view across from the front of the manor house used to overlook Rippon Landing at Neabsco Creek which empties into the Potomac River.
Benjamin Latrobe who designed the US Capitol visited here in 1796 while en route to Mount Vernon.
Latrobe sketched scenes of the manor house overlooking the creek which can be viewed on the historical markers on the walking tour.
Then we drove to Rippon Landing which is just across from the Rippon Lodge site.
At Rippon Landing, the Blackburns owned their own port.
While many shipbuilding operations ran along the area, Leesylvania lies to the near south on the Potomac, home of the infamous Lee family.
In fact, Thomas Blackburn represented Prince William County as burgess with Henry Lee II of Leesylvania.
