MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL MEETING
OF
THE MONTICELLO ASSOCIATION
MAY 4, 1980
A summer-like morning made us doubly glad to be with family and friends again in the Monticello graveyard. Garden flowers, brought from near and far, were put on the graves, with three young gentlemen doing those honors for Mr. Jefferson's grave. Our President, William Roane Ruffin, III, read the names of six descendants of Thomas Jefferson (three of them Association members) and two Associate members of the Association who had been reported as having died since we were here in 1979. These are: Lowell Carey Bankhead; Elizabeth Westcott Eddy; Edna Bellamy Eppes Lattimore; Randolph Eppes Lockett; Harry Benjamin Munday, Jr.; Izaetta Randolph Slaughter Munday; William Nichols Ruffin; and Evelyn Morman Meech Slaughter. (For details, see DEATHS, page 17.) Mr. Ruffin then said this prayer:
"Heavenly Father, we thank thee for this beautiful day, and the privilege of being here in this serene, hallowed place. We thank thee for the privilege of having been descended from the truly great man in whose memory we are gathered here today. May we always remember that with this privilege comes the responsibility of upholding the honor of his name by living our own lives in honor, dignity, and good taste. We ask these things in the name of Jesus Christ, who taught us to say 'Our Father, who are in heaven, Amen'." We were then told to follow lead cars to the Keswick Hunt Club for lunch and the Annual Meeting.
When lunch was over, the meeting was called to order by our President.
Bill then welcomed all present to the 1980 meeting of the Monticello Association, and thanked Anne Barnes and Ena Whitmore for their plans and labor which made possible yesterday's reception and today's luncheon. Guests were then introduced. Some of our members had come from as far away as Florida, Missouri, and Texas. Moncure Taylor, III, came only from Richmond today but he was on leave from duty with the U.S. Army at Schweinfurt, West Germany. His leave had been timed to include this family gathering. Attention was called to the plats of the graveyard at each place, kindly reproduced by Eugene Johnstone. An opportunity was offered for corrections or questions concerning the minutes of the 1979 Annual Meeting, as published in the last Annual Report. It was moved, seconded, and passed that these minutes be accepted as published, and their reading be omitted.
The secretary promised that a tabulation of members would be made as of June 15, 1980. On that date there were 593 regular (dues-paying) members, of which 399 were adults and 194 juniors; 164 associate and 5 honorary members. The total of 762, is very close to last years total of 758.
The Secretary commented on the rising costs of publishing and mailing the Annual Report. Each page adds between $16 and $20 to the printing cost. For this reason, the Executive Committee has decided to publish the full membership-address list once every five years instead of every other year. Changes, additions, and deletions will be published each year. It was asked that you be meticulous about reporting changes in address because the post office will forward mail for only one year, Annual Reports are expensive to mail, a charge is made when a new address is supplied, and the Association must pay return postage when there is no forwarding address or when you have not provided for forwarding postage. Reports that are returned will not be remailed until they can be included with the following year's report.
The most important piece of mail that reached the Secretary this year was the copy of the Deed of Exchange, admitted to record on January 14, 1980, at 12: 20 o'clock P.M. in the Clerk's Office of the Circuit Court of Albemarle. This meant that the long discussed, and then long awaited, exchange of land between the Thomas Jefferson Memorial Foundation and the Monticello Association was an accomplished fact, and that the Foundation now holds title to Parcel A (on the plat) and the Association to Parcel B. Our indebtedness was acknowledged to Virginius R. Shackelford, Jr., for having worked through the legal maze leading to this exchange, and to Sidney Ruffin for his earlier studies concerning extension of the graveyard.
The Secretary concluded by remarking that of the four Eppes descendants who came from Florida for the meeting, one has belonged to the Association for many years and sent us news of her family, but been unable to attend a meeting; the other three joined just before lunch.
Bob McMurdo gave the financial report for 1979 in round numbers. The complete report, together with that of the Trust Fund, appears on page 14 .He reported further that the last copy of Collected Papers. ..,1965, has been sold; that dues and contributions, as of May 1st, are running about the same as last year; and that we acquired eight life members in 1979, and one so far this year. (See page 13 for a full list of life members. )
Bob then presented the following budget for January I -December 31,1981 : President, $50; Secretary, $1,200; Treasurer, $200; Custodian, $1,200; Historian, $100; Membership, $100; Insurance, $200; and
Collected Papers (contingency), $1,000. This budget of $4,050 was approved by a motion which was seconded and passed.
Stimulated by a letter from Carey Bankhead to the Treasurer and by the concern of the Executive Committee, Moncure Taylor undertook to determine what sort of returns we are receiving from the trust Fund. He interviewed Mr. Louis V. Howard, Trust Officer of the First & Merchants National Bank, and John H. Randolph, Jr. (The bank and J.H.R., Jr. are the Trustees for the Monticello Association's Trust Fund.) Moncure informed us that currently our investment is in two funds: A. The Common Discretionary # 1, maintained over the years in stocks and bonds, and which is currently yielding an estimated 13 percent return on the investment, despite depressed markets. B. An Institutional Assets Fund, which was begun on November 20, 1979, which is in variable notes and certificates, and which is currently yielding in excess of 14 percent return on the in- vestment. Moncure feels that Mr. Howard is thoroughly capable and is genuinely interested in our account. Mr. Howard said that the investment method could be changed at our request to suit whatever objectives we might state, that the funds are convertible to cash in 30 days or less, and that the earned cash is reinvested in both funds.
Bob Coolidge has concerned himself with updating the genealogical records and attempting to fill the gaps in those records so that they will be ready for Collected Papers II. He has been going through the several boxes of files that were turned over to him by previous historians and hopes to prepare an inventory for publication in a future Annual Report. He has the further problem of deciding what to give to the Alderman Library (see Annual Report for 1979, page 14, under the President's Report). Already in that library are letters given by Harold Jefferson Coolidge who would like his nephew, Bob, to edit and publish some of them.
Bob told of finding the letter from Charlotte Blackburn Shepherd which he then read and which appears on page 22. Two first cousins of Mrs. Shepherd, Olivia and John Byrd Taylor, offered recollections of her and of her brother, Dr. Richard Blackburn. In closing his report, Bob recommended to us the Autumn 1979 issue (vol. XXIX no.2) of Virginia Cavalcade, published by the Virginia State Library, Richmond, V A 23219. It contains several articles of special interest to our family, two of which are: "The Monticello Scandals: History and Fiction," by Virginius Dabney and Jon Kukla; and "The Hemings Family at Monticello," by James A. Bear, Jr.
Jane Rotch characterized her report as "cheerful" in that there had been no burials and no damaging storms since the last Annual Meeting. She reiterated the fact of the land exchange, and said that the square granite markers with "M.G.A." cut on them are being moved to reflect the new boundary lines.
Jane then announced the plans for three weekend "Fence Work Parties" scheduled for Summer 1980, and said that Moncure Taylor would outline his plan for preserving the old fence (see below). Before calling on Moncure, Jane spoke of the size of the graveyard, present and future, as follows: "In the last 16 years, since June, 1964, we have had 25 burials -at uneven intervals, reaching a peak with six in 1947, four in 1978, but none in 1979 or three other years. The remaining spaces in the fenced area can be described in round numbers as follows: There remain about 30 unassigned good spaces and 10 to 14 'doubtful' spaces. Doubtful in this case usually means that there is a potential conflict with tree roots, trunks, or stumps, or with a previous gravestone that is out of the regular alignment. Then there are about 50 more spaces for which family members already have made requests." She added further that Parcel C, the fencing of which would be discussed later, measures approximately 40 feet by 91 feet, directly adjoins the back (south) fence, and will yield a theoretical total of 80 more grave sites. A more conservative figure would be 72 new sites if a 10 percent reduction be allowed for avoiding trees, etc.
Jane then stated that she wished to go on record as being strongly in favor of extending the fence to include Parcel C. She assured us that the additional routine maintenance (grass cutting and leaf raking) would pose no difficulty for the Foundation's groundsmen, and that the land, though slightly sloping, is suitable for grave sites.
Jane then outlined instructions for finding her or an acting custodian if, after several tries, there was no answer to the Rotch phone (xxx). First, try to reach Mrs. H. Bruce (Ena) Whitmore, usually the acting custodian, at xxx. This failing, call the Custodian's Office at the T .J .M. Foundation at xxx. Those office hours are 9 to 5, March I to November 1, and 9 to 4:30, November I to March I. That office always knows when Jane Rotch is out of town for any length of time and who has been asked to act as custodian in her absence.
Jane noted further that the local firm that has handled arrangements for many family funerals is: Hill and Wood Funeral Service, 1st and Market Sts., Charlottesville, VA 22901, tel. 804-296-6148. The local branch of a firm that has put up many recent gravestones at Monticello is: W. A. Hart- man Memorials, 1301 E. Market St., Charlottesville, VA 22901, tel. 804- 293-2570 or 804-293-3852. [Info likely outdated - wm]
Stating that Moncure had done extensive research into appropriate materials and machinery to help with the task of fence preservation, Jane asked him to speak. Moncure said that unless checked, the rust problem will become more severe and easily could cost thousands of dollars for repair in future years. He recommended a relatively new coating system proven effective by use since 1965. A small volunteer work force, supplied with equipment that Moncure and Jane and Frank Walker would provide, could do most of the fence in two weekends of two days each. On day one, the surface would be prepared for the application, on day two, of a chemical that neutralizes rust. When this has been applied, the fence is safe until day three, when a primer would be applied, to be followed on day four by a top coating of enamel. Volunteers were signed up for the first weekend in June, August, and September (the last to serve as a rain date). (Ed. note: So, hopefully, when you receive this report the fence will be in good shape.) The total expense has been estimated at $500 to $600, to come out of the Custodian's funds. Care will be taken to protect gravestones, tourists, and workers from debris, etc., during work-in- progress periods.
Carey Bankhead read the following list of nominees for Associate membership:
Gloria Geary Coolidge- wife of Thomas Jefferson Coolidge, IV
Howard Lynn Douglas -husband of Elizabeth Evans Ruffin Douglas
Mary Lou Neurohr Ruffin -wife of William Roane Ruffin, IV
Ian Rowell Denmead Williams -stepson of Griselda Higginson Williams
There being no nominations from the floor, it was moved, seconded, and passed that those four be elected. Howard Douglas and Mary Lou Ruffin were present; we look forward to meeting the other two another year.
COLLECTED PAPERS VOL. II, REPORT
George Green Shackelford announced that he hopes to have a brochure ready for mailing with this year's Annual Report. Material for the volume is coming in and George has set 1983 as the target date for publication.
Jaquelin Lamond presented the following slate for reelection to serve until May 3, 1981: President, William Roane Ruffin, III; Vice President, Moncure Robinson Taylor, II; Secretary, Martha Jefferson Taylor Stedman; Treasurer, Robert Montague McMurdo; Historian, Robert Titus Coolidge. When there was no response to a request for nominations from the floor , it was moved, seconded, and passed that the slate be accepted and that the Secretary be instructed to cast an unanimous ballot for that slate. It was so ordered.
There being no old business, Mr. Ruffin immediately gave an account of the most important subject discussed at the Executive Committee meeting on May 3, at which a total of eleven committee chairmen and elected officers was present. The matter of fencing in more land for the graveyard had received considerable attention during the past year with the result that there was a proposal from a contractor, Mr. R. E. Lee, ready for study by the Executive Committee last October. Since then, certain items have been removed from that proposal, including one removed yesterday when Mr. Bear agreed that the T.J.M. Foundation would be responsible for removing the part of the brick walk that goes through Parcel C. Now that the land exchange defines the permanent boundary of the graveyard, the Executive Committee concluded that it is vital at this time to enclose Parcel C. This will give us 3742.24 square feet more burial space. Jane Rotch had already pointed out the need for more space. Bill reminded us that the primary reasons for the existence of the Trust Fund are ". ..first for improvements to the Monticello Graveyard, secondly for maintenance thereof, and finally for the general expenses of the Monticello Association." ( See Article 11 of Trust Agreement, page 33, Annual Report for 1953.) Bill then read the letter from the R. E. Lee Construction Co., of Charlottesville, describing step by step what must be done to fence in Parcel C, and the cost of each step. There is almost enough in the Trust Fund to pay for the job, for which the cost will be a little under $16,000 if we award the contract before June 1st. The Executive Committee is convinced that it would be to our disadvantage to ask for competitive bidding on the job for reasons too numerous to detail here. When there were no questions from the floor, Colston Taylor moved that the Executive Committee be empowered to contract for the new fence enclosing Parcel C as shown on a plat of a survey made by Kurt M. Gloeckner dated January 27, 1975 and revised June 12, 1975. The motion was seconded by Jaquelin Lamond, and passed unanimously. The President then asked for a motion to empower the Executive Committee to use the Trust Fund to finance the fence. Sidney Ruffin's original motion, empowering the committee to use the entire fund was altered because of suggestions from John Byrd Taylor (that no more of the fund be used than necessary) and Campbell Gillespie (that a token amount sufficient to maintain the original Trust Agreement always be left on deposit). In its final form Sidney's motion was:
"WHEREAS, under date of February 14, 1953, the Monticello Association, as Grantor, entered into a Trust Agreement with the First and Merchants National Bank of Richmond and Robert H. Kean (John H. Randolph, Jr., Successor), as Trustees; and
"WHEREAS, from time to time the Grantor has deposited with the Trustees certain securities and cash to be administered in accordance with the terms and provisions of the Trust Agreement, the income therefrom to be used for improvements to the Monticello Graveyard, the maintenance thereof or for the general expenses of he Monticello Association; and
"WHEREAS, the Grantor reserved to itself the right to revoke and annul the Trust Agreement, in whole or in part, by adoption of a resolution at a meeting of the members of the Monticello Association; and
"WHEREAS, it is the desire of the Grantor to revoke and annul, in part, the Trust Agreement and to apply the funds held thereunder toward the cost of expanding the fence at the Monticello Graveyard.
"NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED AND IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED:
"THAT the Trust Agreement dated February 14, 1953 between the Grantor and the Trustees be and hereby is revoked and annulled in part in the manner hereinafter provided; and
"THAT the Trustees be so notified by the filing with them of a copy of this resolution, certified by the Secretary of the Grantor; and
"THAT from time to time, as moneys are required to pay the cost of expanding the fence at the Monticello Graveyard, the Chairman of the Finance Committee of the Grantor be and hereby is authorized to file a request with the Trustees, in form attached hereto and hereby approved, for funds currently held by the Trustees under the Trust Agreement; and
"THAT upon receipt of such funds, the Chairman of the Finance Committee shall transfer the same to, and for deposit by, the Treasurer of the Grantor in the appropriate accounts of the Grantor; and
"THAT the Trustees be, and hereby are, authorized to honor each request as so filed and deliver appropriate funds to the Chairman of the Finance Committee of the Grantor in accordance with the request from time to time as so filed; and
"THAT the Trustees shall be under no responsibility or duty with respect to the disposition of any funds withdrawn and delivered in accordance with the Trust Agreement or these resolutions."
John Byrd Taylor seconded Sidney Ruffin's motion. Jane Rotch pled that those who have a special interest in the graveyard because of close family buried there, and who are financially able so to do, be moved to help finance the fence project, and reestablish the Trust Fund. When the question was called, the motion passed unanimously. John Byrd Taylor then proposed a motion that the President appoint a committee to find the additional money that is now needed for the fence and to continue with efforts to reestablish the Trust Fund for future needs. John withdrew this motion when Bill announced that such a committee had been appointed already to consist of Sidney Matthews Ruffin, Chairman; Harold Jefferson Coolidge, Lowell Carey Bankhead, Jr.; and William Mann Randolph, III. Roger Coolidge then asked whether contributions to the Trust Fund were tax exempt. He was referred to page seven of the last several Annual Reports, which gives the information for claiming tax exemption. Mr. Coolidge then asked whether making a contribution would allow the donor the selection of a specific burial spot. Custodian Jane replied that we cannot "buy or sell" spaces. She is glad to keep a record of individual desires and to abide by those desires whenever possible. The only promise ever made is to bury spouses side by each. Colston Taylor, as Chairman of the Interment Committee reiterated Jane's remarks, adding that we should remember that we are a family and that burial anywhere in the graveyard should be satisfactory. George Esser, as a former Chairman of Interments, concurred with Jane and Colston and added that if we had pursued the policy of promising specific sites we would have had to move the fence fifteen years ago.
Bill then asked for a motion to remove from the By-laws Section 8 (C) which reads: "A Committee on Trees and Planting. ..." Sections (D), (E), and (F) become sections (C), (D), and (E). There is no need for this committee because the Custodian (who was always a member ex officio) makes the plans and decisions concerning trees and planting. The motion was made, seconded, and passed.
Bill announced with regret the resignation of Jaquelin Lamond from the chairmanship of the nominating committee after six full years of service, and said that his list of appointments would be ready for publication in the Annual Report. They are: Custodian, Jane R. Whitehill Rotch; Interment, E. Colston Taylor, Jr., Chairman, M. Elizabeth Butler Moore, and Mildred L. Taylor Farmer; Hospitality, Anne Rafferty Barnes; Membership, L. Carey Bankhead, Jr., Chairman, Angus S. Lamond, Jr., Anne C. Williston Nowlin, William M. Platt, 111, and John H. Works, Jr.; Nominating, W. Leigh Taylor, Chairman, Catharine C. Mackay-Smith, and Gerald Morgan, Jr.; Finance, Moncure R. Taylor, II; Collected Paper. ..,George G. Shackelford, Chairman,Robert T. Coolidge, Sidney M. Ruffin, Olivia A. Taylor, and Martha I. Taylor Stedman (Ex-Officio).
Bill concluded the President's report with announcements that the next Executive Committee meeting will be on October 25th, and the 1981 Annual Meeting on May 3rd.
Jaquelin Lamond then moved that it be resolved that written thanks be sent to Virginius R. Shackelford, Jr., for the successful completion of the land exchange. This resolution was seconded and passed and the Secretary ordered to write such a letter.
The meeting was then adjourned at a little after three o'clock.
Respectfully submitted,
Martha J. Taylor Stedman, Secretary
AN INTERESTING LETTER FROM THE ARCHIVES*
This letter, written on both sides of a sheet of notepaper in a large hand, is one of a number of similar items in the Association's archives. The Historian read it aloud at the Annual Meeting, after the Executive Committee had agreed that it should be read and then published in the Annual Report.
The recipient of the letter was Jefferson Randolph Kean, "Randy" to his friends, who became the first President of the Monticello Graveyard Association shortly after this letter was written. He was at that time a Lieutenant-Colonel in the Army Medical Corps, stationed at the Surgeon- General's office in Washington. His mother was Jane Nicholas Randolph, daughter of Jefferson's grandson, Thomas Jefferson Randolph. He was President unti11920, then Historian from 1920 to 1937 and 1938 to 1948. His son "Bob" and grandson "Randy" are both active members of the Association. (See biography in Collected Papers. ..,1965. PP. 186-188.) The writer of the letter, Charlotte Blackburn Shepherd ( 12232) was a great-grandchi1d of T. J. Randolph, and her mother's sister was Cornelia Taylor, who became the first Vice-President of the Association. When Mrs. Shepherd wrote this letter, she had been married to Thomas Shepherd for three years and lived near Luray, Virginia, in the Shenandoah Valley. She had four sons, two of whom, twins, were born just before she died in 1917. We have no birth dates for the other two, only their names: John Blackburn Shepherd, who had a son, James; Arnold Page Shepherd, who had a son, Richard. Only one of the twins survived and was adopted, and his name was changed to Blackburn Edward Williams. Olivia Taylor, who is Charlotte's first cousin, says that the latter's descendants just disappeared.
Her brother, Richard Blackburn , was buried at Monticello along with his wife and son, and left two daughters, Mrs. George F. Fowler and Mrs. Walter Thomas Nobles, who had a daughter, Charlotte Ruth Nobles, born in 1949. The Blackburns ended their lives in Orange Cove (not Orange Grove as in Burke's), near Fresno, California, which might be the home of the daughters. There has evidently been no contact with them since 1949, but Mrs. Fowler's ashes were sent without prior notice or comment to Jane Rotch in 1977 for burial at Monticello!
In the context of the history of the Association, the letter was written just a few months before the first meeting of the Monticello Graveyard Association (as it was then called) on Apri114, 1913. There were 13 people present at that meeting, all descendants of T. J. Randolph. The last survivor of this group, Caroline Randolph Joslin, died in 1971. Before that meeting, Col. Kean sent out requests for subscriptions, and ballot sheets for the election of officers. These are referred to in the first sentence of the letter. The money and the ballots were counted on March 7 ( see Collected Papers, pp. 21 and 27). It was perhaps at this time the name which she gives the Association in her letter ("The Descendants" Association for the Care of Jefferson's Grave", which presumably was the one used in the circular she received) was changed to "The Monticello Graveyard Association."
*Background and footnotes prepared by Robert Tytus Coolidge, Historian.
THE TEXT OF THE LETTER FOLLOWS:
"Pass Creek Farm"
January the 26th.1
My deal Cousin Randolph,2
Enclosed please find the ballot sheet and a small contribution, for "The Descendants Association for the Care of Jefferson's Grave."3 I wish that my contribution could be more substantial but maybe it will help on the cause a little bit. I think your idea excellent and hope it will meet with success. I am afraid that we (the descendants of Jefferson) don't realize -until we stop to think -how great the honor is to be descended from so great a man. Mrs. Littleton evidently thinks so also!4 I doubt whether you have Richard's address or not so I am enclosing one of his P. P. C. cards.5 He is very much like the Irishman's flea!6 Please give my love to your family and cousin Patty and her family. 7 If you visit these regions you must look us up. We live 3 miles from Luray and are just starting in the Chicken and Squab business and have our hands pretty full. With warmest regards for you. Believe me to be -Very Cordially yours, Charlotte Blackburn Shepherd.
FOOTNOTES
1 The envelope is postmarked "LURA Y JAN 27 1913 8 PM" and "WASHINGTON D.C. JAN 28 -13 8 AM." Mail service was better then! The return address on the back reads: "Mrs. T. M. Shepherd, Luray, Page Co. Va. Route No. I."
2 The address on the envelope reads "Jefferson Randolph Kean, Lieut. Col. Med. Corps, U.S.A. , War Department, Washington, D.C."
3 This name was changed before the first meeting of the Association.
4 This lady is not a descendant of Jefferson, and I have no information about her .
5 P.P.C. means "Pour Prendre Conge':' or "To take one's leave." The card, enclosed with the letter, gives the name and address of her brother, Dr. Richard Scott Blackburn, Argentine Quebracho Company, Tartagal, Provincia de Santa Fe, Republica Argentina. According to the Annual Report for 1929, he was still then living in Argentina, but the 1932 Report gives his address in California. On the back of the card is a rather gruesome cartoon showing a man being dragged behind a horse ridden by a gaucho, with New York in the background and leaving behind a sack labelled "civilization."
6 I don't know this story, but it would seem to refer to his peripatetic habits.
7 This is his sister, Mrs. John Speed Morris.
ASCENDANT DESCENDANTS CLIMB JEFFERSON*
Bob Coolidge writes that several Jefferson descendants have been climbers but thinks that he and his son Christopher Randolph are the first to record their climb of Mt. Jefferson, which at 5715 feet is the third highest peak in the northeastern United States. Only Mt. Washington and Mt. Adams, neighboring peaks in the Presidential Range, are higher. The towns of Jefferson and Randolph are nearby, as is Mt. Randolph. A number of descendants have spent their summers in New Hampshire on the shores and islands of Squam Lake for the past hundred years, beginning with Joseph Randolph Coolidge (a great-grandson) and his five sons. It probably would not have occurred to Bob to make this climb had it not been for the Jefferson connection, but having made it, he strongly recommends the climb to any descendant who is visiting New Hampshire and who is reasonably fit. However, he advises starting earlier than they did, packing at least one heavy sweater, and rain gear for wind protection even if there is no rain, and not to climb if the weather is bad or apt to become so. The trip should take four and a half-hours. About half the climb is in forest or scrub; the rest mostly rock.
Bob and Christopher began their climb at 12:30 on July 2, 1979, at the foot of Caps Ridge Trail in Jefferson Notch. Although it had been raining for two days, they risked climbing in threatening weather because it was their last day in the area. After an hour they reached the first view- point, a large rock at the edge of the forest, where they stopped for lunch. They could see two rocky outcroppings (caps) over which the trail would pass and a high point beyond; not the summit, periodically obscured by clouds. The ridge to be climbed rose from two alpine-like meadows with heather-like vegetation and small flowers. Their climb up "The Ridge of the Caps" was slow and strenuous (for Bob). Near the top of the ridge they entered the clouds without having sighted the summit. Painted blazes and cairns used as trail markers were the only guides except for signs indicating branches of the trail, in opposite directions, to Mt. Adams and Mt. Washington. In Bob's words: "The temperature was just above freezing and the wind, unobstructed by higher elevations, was blowing strongly from the east over the summit towards us, sweeping the damp fog into our faces. My son warned me of the danger of hypothermia, of which I, as a scuba diver, was well aware. The rest of the climb was on virtually level ground, and we only knew we had reached the summit when we encountered a sign saying so." They could not see a grassy plateau to the south of the peak, called Monticello Lawn. They could see only each other.
After a brief rest and some food they started down after four o'clock, having taken over an hour longer than planned to reach the summit. The down trip, usually quicker, was more difficult in zero visibility because of the ease of getting lost and of more care required at steep places. The clouds had closed in lower so that they had to feel their way until well down the ridge, but Christopher's mountain experience and unerring sense of direction got them safely out of the clouds. The rest of the trip was less of a strain on the nerves and more on the legs. Two people they met "gamboled nimbly over the rocks at three times our speed," says Bob, but instead of being ashamed of a plodding pace he was proud of having climbed the highest mountain of his life. Having started at 3000 feet, the net altitude of 2700 feet made a very respectable climb by New Hampshire standards. Bob had climbed higher, in terms of net altitude, only once -when at age thirteen he reached the top of Mt. Lafayette from Franconia Notch. At about six-thirty, after a steady, careful, non-stop trip down, they reached their car in Jefferson Notch. The rain started five minutes later!
*Limited space required the Editor to condense an article with this title written by Robert Tytus Coolidge, Historian.