McLean Mystery: Where Are Dolley Madison's Andirons?

Now where are those antique brass andirons? The ones that belonged to Dolley Madison. Yes that Dolley Madison.

The Dolley Madison Library knows they once had them. They have the 1961 newspaper story to prove it.

But the library has moved twice since then. Starr Smith, branch manager of McLean's Dolley Madison Library, has searched everywhere and can't find them.

She's now asking the neighbors to help. She thinks that someone took them for safekeeping during one of the library moves and simply forget them, perhaps in the attic or the basement.

The mystery started when "something unexpected and intriguing happened" in April, Smith said. "We are calling about your Dolley Madison andirons," said a representative who was calling from the foundation that is renovating Montpelier, the home of James and Dolley Madison, located outside of Charlottesville, Va.

The woman explained that they had a Nov. 14, 1961 story from the Northern Virginia Sun that recounted how Mrs. Arthur Shelton of Chevy Chase had presented the andirons to McLean librarian Elizabeth Williams when the Dolley Madison library was located on Elm Street in downtown McLean. The library had no fireplace and was hoping to move to its new location, which happened in 1967.

In 2003 The Montpelier Foundation began the restoration of the Montpelier mansion to the 1820s home where James and Dolley Madison lived. The foundation was looking for furniture and artifacts owned by the Madisons. The architectural restoration was celebrated on Constitution Day, Sept. 17, 2008.

After the phone call, Smith, who arrived at the McLean library four years ago, started sleuthing. She found out, "The andirons were to be stored some place safe. ... The andirons did not make it to this location. We have no idea where the 'safe place' was. We know the andirons existed but we don't know where they are."

"Everyone who was around in 1961 is now deceased. We are at a standstill. I find it a fascinating historical mystery," she said.

The call from Montpelier came just as the library was preparing to move again. Remember the library moved into temporary headquarters in June 2009 while its building underwent a stunning renovation. They returned in July of this year. They have searched everywhere. No andirons.

Smith is now asking if long-time residents know anything about the hiding place of the missing andirons.

"They are county property and the county would love to have them back," Smith said. "They are part of the country's history."

If you have a clue to the disappearance and/or location of the missing andirons please call Starr Smith immediately at 703-356-0770 or 703-356-2998. Or e-mail her at: starr.smith@fairfaxcounty.gov

Provenance of the missing andirons: According to the 1961 news story: First Lady Dolley Madison gave the andirons to Mrs. William Thornton, widow of the architect of the U.S. Capitol. Thornton died in 1828.

Mrs. Thornton gave the andirons to Mrs. Thomas Rutherford of Charles Town, when it was still in Virginia, which means prior to 1863. That's when western Virginia became a separate state.

They were then handed down in the Rutherford family for three generations until Mrs. Shelton, daughter of Mary Rutherford Asquith, of Charles Town, gave them to the library in her mother's honor. Librarian Mrs. Williams was a great niece to Mrs Asquith.

Montpelier history: In 1901 Montpelier was purchased by William duPont, a leading industrialist, and it remained in the duPont family for most of the 20th century. Upon duPont's death in 1928, Montpelier became the home of his daughter Marion duPont Scott. She and her brother, William, transformed Montpelier into one of the nation's leading equestrian estates and played an important role in establishing and promoting racing on the flat and steeplechasing in America.

Following Mrs. Scott's death, ownership of Montpelier was transferred in 1984 by her heirs to the National Trust for Historic Preservation in accordance with Mrs. Scott's bequest. The Montpelier Foundation, an independent nonprofit organization, was later established by the Trust for the purpose of managing Montpelier. The Montpelier Foundation assumed full financial and administrative responsibility in 2000.

In 2003 The Montpelier Foundation began the restoration of the Montpelier mansion to the 1820s home that James and Dolley Madison knew and loved.