Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1851-05-08
The First Washington MonumCh'--
INA R,rth-PIace Of washington,

nFv ct washington vs." w
Srtreme interest BY all who meet with it
AaLrNaroN HoUsE, April "a 1851.
TO tIs.EditOr Of tks Ayeraydria gazette,
Obserying. 10 your valuable journal. OF
i lass date. the notice of q stone placed
on the rpips Of the house ip which the
beloved Washington first saw the light,
hermit me to offer to you brief account
Fl that interesting event, as it occurred
thirty six years ago. In June 1915 !
sailed in my own vessel the Lady OF
the Lake" fine tppsail schooner OF
ninety tons, accompanied by two gen
tlen,en, Nessrs. Lewis and Grymes.
bound to Pope's Greek, in the county Of
Westmoreland. carrying with us slab
Of freestone. having the following in>
scription:
HERE.
THE 18th FEBRUARY, 1882, (oLD STYLE,
WASHINGTON
WAS BORN. ...
Our pilot approached the Westmore-
land shore cautiously, as our vessel drew
nearly eight feet water. and the pilot
was but indiferently acquainted with SO
unfrequented a navigation. We anchor:
ed at aome distance from the land, and
taking to our boats, we soon reached the
mouth Of Pope's Or Brydges Creek. and
proceeding upwards we fell in with Nc
kenxie Beverly, Esq. and several gen
tiem,esp on fishing party. and also with
the overseer Of the property that formed
the object Of our visit, We were kindly
received by them, and escorted to the
snot where a few scattered brick alone
marked the birth place Of the chief. Pc
sireus Of making the ceremonial Of de-
posting the stone as imposing as cir
cunnstances would permit, we enyeloped
It in the ..Star Spahglea Banner" Of our
country, and it HRs borne to its resting
PLACE 10 the arms Of the Descendants OF
four revolutionary patriots and soia!ers
Samuel Lewis. son, Of Geo. Lewis, a
captain in Baylor's regiment OF horse.
and nephew Of Washington: William
GRIMES, the son of BENZ. Grymes. a gal
liant and distinguished officer Of the
Life Guard the captain of the vessel
the SON Of q brave soldier. wounded in
the battle Of Gu.ldford and Geo. ". ?.
Gusts. the SON Of John Parke Gusts.
aid.dc-camp to the COMMANDMENT chief
before Cambridge and Yorktown. We
gathered together the bricks Of the an"
sient chimney that once formed the
hearth around which Washington in his
infancy had played. and constructed a
rude kind Of pedestal, on which we rev
erentiaily placed the FIRST stone. com
mending it to the respect and protection
OF the American people in general, and
the citizens of Westmaroland in particu'
lar. Bidding adieu 70 those who had re,
ceiyed as SO kindly, we re.embarked and
hoisted our colors, and being provided
with piece Of cannon and suitable am
munition, we fred salute, awakening
the echoes that had slept for ages around
the halloued spot; and, while the smoke
of our martial tribute to the birth place
Of the Pater Petri@ still fingered on the
bosom Of the Potomac, We spread on,
sails to ayorabae breeze and speeded
joyously to our homes.
Such was ~ apt Of flial love and graf
itude performed more than third of a
century ago such is the history Of the
first stone to the memory Of Washing
ton;
e Health and respect, ny de'r sir,
GEORGE ". P. Cusr1s.
Our neighbors Of the Sunday Times.
having published . paragraph which
claimed that General Washington was
born in England, it called forth the fol-
lowing interesting letter, which was ad-
dressed to the editors of that paper:
81 read in your paper Of the goth,
with great surprise, the abstract from
the Boston Transcript. in which. on the
authority Of an old English gentleman Of
The name Of Field, General Washington
is made out to have been born in Berk.
shire, England. That this is great er.
ror there can be no doubt. General
Washington. as you correctly state, was
born in Virginia. The ancestors Of
Washington immigrated from Cheshire.
in England. prior to 1880, to the then
colony Of Virginia. lam inclined to be-
lieys that the father OF Gen. Washing.
ton had brother or cousin who emf
grated to Holland about the year 1880.
This brother had q son Whs became a
General in the RaysFian army. and has
sops now living o. Augsburg. The Mr..
Field ssferred to may have mistaken our
Washington for General Washington OF
Bavaria, and in this way the error refer
red to may have originated. In confirm.
alton 81 nay sisRs on this subject, ! will
mention that Sksnsih RasariS last Au,
gvst ] was iutro0 hS1 Aasan officer If the
Bavaria cavalry. hSsins de title Of Baron
Washington. Surprised st meeting sn
officer bearing that honored name, So
licited and Sbtaiped from shs baron. in
explanatiop. the ioNoH0g ialarmation
lie said bis grsadfsthg, 10 believed.
yas D brother Qf the father hi Gen.
fY.-.. VAP.oA g ..Arvs that iho Ax.nSs lS..S.i,