82-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, March 18, 1995
Beauty For Ashes Arises At Caernarvon Farm
LOU ANN GOOD
Lancaster Farming Staff
MORGANTOWN (Berks Co.)
Hanging on a beautiful stone
wall in Lucille and Andrew Stolt
zfus’ home is a plaque with the
words, “Beauty for Ashes,” carved
into it.
The oak plaque is a reminder
that one year ago, ashes and a fire
damaged shell was all that
remained of the landmark house
that had been built in 1785.
The damage was so extensive
and the job looked so overwhelm
ing that many people advised the
Stoltzfus’ to bulldoze down the
shell and built a new home on their
Caernarvon Farm.
“I guess we were too attached to
it, to do that,,” Lucille said of the
house that had been in Andy’s fam
ily for generations.
Instead, the Stoltzfuses with the
help of neighbors and friends
rebuilt the home with its wide win
dowsills and unique drawers
inserted in the walls.
Although the home is beautiful,
it has not been restored to its for
mer stateliness with its three-story
mansard roof, gables, and plaster
hand-carved medallions and wide
crown moldings in every high
ceilinged room.
“It would have cost a fortunate
to rebuilt it exactly as it was,”
Lucille said.
It is said that when the 1783
house was reconstructed in 1843,
many extras features were added to
the house in order to provide
employment to those in the area.
“Although we loved it the way it
was, there are things we like about
this one, too.” Lucille said.
Hence, the plaque with its words
“Beauty for Ashes,” remind the
The grandfather clock that had been In the family for five
generations and this antique rocking chair were rescued
from the fire.
Lucille and Andy Stoltzf us concentrate on the beauty that
resulted from the fire that destroyed their home and not on
the things they lost. This stone wall between their kitchen
Stoltfuses and their visitors to look
at the positive outcome of the fire
instead of mourning the home’s
former beauty.
The plaque itself hangs on an
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original stone wall that previously
had been covered with plaster. It
wasn’t exposed until the fire
burned away layers of plaster. A
stone mason said that it is the most
beautiful stone he has ever seen.
Other positive feature include a
light, airy, and spacious kitchen,
which had been shaded from an
enclosed porch. Also, a few indoor
walls were eliminated, which
allows for larger rooms when
entertaining company.
The Feb. 10.1994 fire originated
in the attached garage. That was
the morning that the family had dif
ficulty starting one of their cars. A
battery charger was used and the
car engine was allowed to idle.
When the car ignition was turned
off, the engine continued to sputter.
Lucille thought it was unusual
for the car to do that, but she
remembered that one of their for
mer trucks always sputtered along
after the key was removed but soon
stopped.
Homestead
Notes
Ten years ago, the historical
bam and three other buildings on
the Stoltzfus property were
destroyed by fire.
After living through two fires,
the Stoltzfuses have some advice to
fellow fanners: Make sure your
insurance is continually updated
and know exactly what it will
cover.
Lucille said that they thought
they had plenty on the house, but it
was not enough to restore it to its
original look. They did find their
insurance company easy to work
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and dining room was exposed after fire burned away its lay
ers of plaster.
Muriel Mack Is content to be settled into her own apart
ment that was rebuilt after the fire. At 81-years of age, the
fire Is one of the most terrifying experiences of her life.
When she returned about 31
minutes later, she peeped into th
garage to check on things.
Because Andy was gone for the
day and Lucille was in charge of
feeding the calves, she hurried to
the bam to feed a new-born calf.
Be Prepared For
with unlike some horror stories
they have heard from
acquaintances.
After the bam fire, the Stoltzfus
family kept two sets of records, one
in the bam and the other in the
house. But the night before the
house fire, the bam records had
been brought into the house to
recopy onto the records stored in
the house. Lucille and Andy work
ed until after 11 p.m., and then
closed the books, planning to con
tinue the work the next evening.
Unfortunately, when the fire
began the next day, Lucille did not
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Fire
remember to save the records.
Although all the animals ant
equipment had been saved in th<
bam fire, insurance coverage dit
not nearly cover the hugh losses to
the buildings.
“We had never had a mortgage
but to rebuild the bam, we needed
to take out one. It was a devastating
time for my husband,” she said
It’s important to make suit
insurance will cover all rebuilding
Take pictures of appliances an
furniture for reimbursement fton
an insurance company.
fi