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The Scriptures were his book of poems, and he read many books—Job in Hebrew, and John in Greek.

At home among his five children, all of whom were destined to be notable, and two of them famous, he was an ideal father. His one thought was to educate his children for usefulness.

One of his sons was named John, born in 1756. Nearly all of my readers have seen his work, for it was his gift to paint the dramatic scenes of the Revolutionary War, and these great historical paintings adorn not only the rotunda of the Capitol at Washington, but several of them most public halls, and tens of thousands of patriotic homes in the country, especially The Battle of Bunker Hill, The Signers of the Declaration of Independence, The Death of Wolf, The Surrender of Cornwallis, and Washington’s Farewell to his Army.

The home of the Governor may have been matted, but was not carpeted. It was the custom at that time to strew white sand over floors and to “herring-bone” spare rooms. Of this sand we have a curious story.