Coming Home to Happy Retreat
I am starting a “Coming Home” Series, featuring stories from families who once lived at Happy Retreat. With available research we are going to try and recognize residents all the way back to the Charles Washington extended family in the early 1800s. Facebook articles will be short but extended stories will be featured in our newsletter and on our website.
Along the way these resident families were responsible for a lot of TLC, adding, restoring and just plain caring for Happy Retreat. We are grateful to these families as their past memories help Happy Retreat stand beautiful and proud the way it does today.
The Funkhouser Years, 1945 – 1954
Last year, we were visited by Kent Fairbairn and his family. Kent is the grandson of Charlotte Judd Fairbairn who was living at Happy Retreat during the ownership of R.J. Funkhouser from 1945 until 1954. Charlotte J. Fairbairn was a local author who published several writings on the Washingtons and their homes. Kent’s father was Charlotte’s older son Tom who has passed away. Her son John, Ken’s Uncle, has been very helpful to Friends of Happy Retreat by sending via emails memories and photos which have helped a great deal in our restoration.
We learned from the Fairbairns that at that time the house was actually set up with two different living quarters. Also living in the house was Charlotte’s sister Florence and her husband David McMillan and Charlotte and Florence’s parents Tremor and Gertrude Judd. The two families lived separately in the two wings of the house.
Kent and his wife Karen along with their children Lisha and Derek came all the way from Minnesota last June 2022 to see where Kent’s grandmother lived. We enjoyed showing them where Charlotte and her boys lived in the East Wing of the house.
Kent Fairbairn, wife Karen and children Lisha and Derek enjoying their visit at Happy Retreat
The Gavin Years, 1968 – 2015
We were also delighted to welcome members of the Gavin family for a family visit. Bill and Mary Gavin bought Happy Retreat in 1968 and moved in with their eight children. Bill Gavin was determined to see Happy Retreat preserved and restored. To that end, he first worked with the City of Charles Town and then with Friends of Happy Retreat on a preservation plan. After both Bill and Mary Gavin passed away in 2010, their children continued to work with FOHR to make Bill’s dream a reality.
Daughter Meg Gavin Bowman, her husband Paul Bowman and their daughter Amanda and Meg’s brothers Bill and Michael Gavin spent a Saturday afternoon at Happy Retreat telling stories – including a ghost story – about their life there and sharing photographs.
Bill and Mary Gavin and their children on the front lawn
(l to r) Meg Gavin Bowman, husband Paul Bowman, their daughter Amanda, Bill Gavin and Michael Gavin.