Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1851-04-19
The Mother Of WASHINGTON.

The Mother Of Washington.
The Boston Transcript publishes an inter-
esting letter from Mr.. George Field, an En-
glish scholar, who offers to present to the
American Government an original portrait of
Mrs. Washington. We give the letter. It
will be seen that the writer inclines 10 the OPT
MON that Washington was born in England.
This is the first time We have ever heard such
an idea suggested. We presume the mem.
bers Of the Washington family will put this
doubt at rest:
81 have still the portrait you mention, and
shall be doubly happy in affording yourself the
opportunity Of copying either that Of, or
OF the mother of the immortal Washington.
As entered my 18th year on the day you date
your letter. it may fairly be supposed my me-
mory has declined, though am not conscious
Of any change from my earliest recollections
--and will state to you the facts mentioned
when you were here, in proof of the authenti-
city of the portrait of Mrs. Washington.
ut happened when was boy, that being
in the neighborhood of Cookham, in Berkshire,
with an uncle of mine, he pointed out pretty
country cottage in which the parents of Gen.
eral Washington resided, and from which they
removed to America Our road led to green
OR common, where there resided Mrs. Ann
Morer, whose maiden name was, | believe,
Taylor, who there showed me the portrait Of
Mrs. Washington, and other relics of the "a
mily, given to her when they Quilted the
nj, $rr Ao hopo nf
and mother, she told me, took their son
George Washington in her arms.' I believe
| use her own expression.
"Some years after this, happening to be in
the neighborhood of Cookham l called on
Mrs. Morer, who again showed me the por-
trait and mentioned that two American gen.
tlemen, friends Of Washington, or the family,
had sought her out as the nearest relative OF
his Nurse, aud presented her two guineas.
"Again, about 1912, when residing on the
edge OF Windsor Forest, my wife hired . SER
want Hannah Taylor, and finding she came
from Cookham, inquired if she knew Mrs.
Morer, when learned she sher aunt-that
she had recently died, and that her effects were
about to be sold by auction. On which re-
quested Hannah Immediately to write to her
mother, and desire all the pictures to be
bought for me, which was done, and / obtain
ed the portrait in question with two other
heads, and have kept it ever since as showed
it to you. As there can have been no purpose
beyond the truth in this statement. have new.
er doubted, and continue to believe it firmly.
have shown the portrait to numberless per-
sons, and was induced to address letter to
Judge Washington at Mount Vernon in 1874,
(supposing him to be the representative of the
tamily,) offering to restore the picture, but did
not receive an answer.
"Mr. Chapman, an American artist, known to
the family, took slight sketch Of the head, in
which he recognized a family likeness of the
Washingtons--nor is it without resemblance to
Washington's portraits"
"Mr. Justice Carlton, of New Orleans, to
whom showed the portrait, mentioned in con-
frmation of my statement, the circumstance Of
the marriage of Augustine Washington,
March 9Th, ii7ao) with Miss Ball, (the parents
Of the great George WashingtonD in this
country, and her emigrating with him to
America. You will find an imperfect account
of it in 'Coltons Lacon, vol. II, exlvii, p. liz.
Il confess none Of the Memoirs Of Wash.
ington that have seen give any account oi
his birth in this country; and / have had the
church register Of Cookham searched, without
finding any entry of his christening; but it is
mot improbable that, as he was taken over in
his nurses arms, he was christeued in Virgi.
MIA. This will account for the statements oi
/ his birth in America, copied from one printed
Life to another; have imagined also that
the American writer's copied in our publica
tons, may have preferred the attaching him te
the soil.
"If l am not mistaken, Washington eyincet
a somewhat national and personal regard fol
England. need only add to this Statement
that the portrait is attributed to Sir Godfre,
Kneller. This must be mistake.1 Severa
Of my friends set high value on it, but ] shall
never put profit in competition with truth ant
honor concerning it--and would with plea
sure present it to the General Government 0
the North American United States.