The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1858-05-01
THE BIRTH PLACE OF
7 WASHINGTON.
BURIAL PLACE OF The WASHINGTON
FAMILY.
Gov wise's Visit to westmoreland
INTERESTING SCENES AND "REMINISCENCES.
ADISNER PARTY in THECOuNTRY.
ORIGINAL LETTERS FROM GEN. WASH
INGT0N, SC, Sc.
or raE RICHMOND osrIr DISPATCH,

lNGT0N, &c, SC.
tcossEsrosDrscs or raE RICHMOND oaiIr DISPATCH
WEsTxeRussp couSrr, Va, April q, 1858.
II is we'll known to your readers that In Fsbru-
AIRY, 1856, Col. Lewis ". Washington presented %
the State OF Virginia, on certain conditions, the
ground comprising the birthplace Of Gro. WASH
IsaroS and the graves OF the Washington family,
on the Wakefield estate in this county. This es-
tate was sold in 1873, by Col, George c. Washing.
ton, (who derived 10 from his father. William Au
gustiAe Washington to John Gray of "Traseler's
Rect" Stafford county, reserving sixty feet square
of the ground around the birth place and twenty
feet square around the vault. Col Lewis W. Wash
ington, fson and heirat-law Of Col. Geo. c. Wash
ington therefore presented these reservations sta
the mother State of Virginia. 10 perpetuity .on CEN
dition solely that the State require the said places
to be permanently enclosed with an iron fence,
based on stone foundations together with suitat lie
and modest Though substantially tablets, to COM
memorate the rising generation of these notable
spots
Your readers are also aware that Gov. Wise ac-
cepted the donation, and addressed q message to
the Legislature, asking an appropriation to com-
ply with the conditions. The request, after some
delay, was granted, and the sum Of 5000 sppro-
priated for the purposes mentioned.
To-day, therefore, Gov. Wise arrived in this
county, and was received at Beedstown by George
W. Lewis, Esq, who conveyed him to his resi-
dence, Ciaymont, some four miles distant. The
Governors mission is to survey the grounds upon
the Wakefield estate, preparatory to carrying out
the objects for which the appropriation was made.
At the request Of Mr.. Wilson, the present proprie
tor of Wakefield, the visit to the estate was de-
ferred until tomorrow; request which, consd-
ering the lsteness Of the hour and the severity OF
the weather, the Governor was most happy to COM
ply with. In the interesting family Of MIR. Lewis
the evening passed very happily, and many pleas
ing "reminiscences of the Washington family were
recounted by the intelligent host. W.
WEsTMoRELAN AND COUNTY, April IS, 1858.
The temperature of the atmosphere this morn
ing was to some extent moderated, and alter an
exceIlept breakfast, it was announced that car
riages were in waiting to convey the Governor and
other guests to Wakefield, about six miles distant
The drive through the country was pleasant and
celebrating; the beautiful farms on either side
of the road we're objects of much interest to thes.
accustomed to the brick walls and confined limits
of city, and the iuxuriant vegetation every where
springng into life, made the observer partake in
the universal rejoicing of Nature, in this vernal
season of the year.
The term ..Athens of Virginia." by which West
moreland county has been sometimes disti nguish-
ed. is not appropriately applied; for within her
borders were born some of the most renowned
men whose names appear on the scroll of fame.
Washington, Richard Henry Lee and his three
brothers, Thomas, Francis and Arthur, General
Henry Lee, James Monroe, and the late Judge
Bushrod Washington, were natives OF Westmore
land.
After a charming ride the party arrived at
Wakefield and met with cordial reception from
John Il. Wilson, Esq. the present proprietor of
the estate Before proceeding farther. it is
sary to refer to geueaogy of the Washington fami-
ly, in order that the reader may fully compre.
bend the situation of this sacred spot.
Col. John Washington, who came with his bro
Their to America in 1851, settled on the bank OF
Bridges creek, a small inlet of the Potomac,
where he thenceforth lived and where he died.
lie had two sons aud daughter, aud it was to
the second of these sons, Lawrence Washington,
that the propretors of the Northern Neck Of vir-
gna granted tract of land at the month of pope's
creek. In his will. which is dated March 18th,
1898, Lawrence Washington Says-"I give the tract
Of land on which now live" to John Washing
lon Besides this bequest, others were made to his
second son Augustine, and to his daughter Mil
bred. John Washington, it seems, subsequently
removed to Gloucester, and sold the Pope's creek
estate to Augustine, the father of GEORGE. Thus
we have traced the history Of the locality down
to the date of an event which had deeply impor-
tant bearing upon the future destinies of the in
fant colony and the republic.
When George Washington was six years of age, the
family removed to their Stafordshire estate, oppo-
,ite Fredericksburg, aud about this time Though
there is some uncertainty as to the exact perod,)
the house in which he was born was destroyed
by fire. There is at present on the spot chin
ney, which is said to have belonged to the kitct-
30, though it was probably attached to a house
built out of the old materials. Near
by, and plainly visible, is what seems to be fill
ed-up cellar, with the chimney spots distinctly
- f,at f.
the exact place wherein stood the house in which
George Washington was born
We may now return to the party whom we left
At Mr.. Wilson's residence. After an hour passed
In agreeable conversation, Gov. Wise, accompa-
MED by a number of gentlemen, started on horse
ploughed field about three fourths of mile north
east of the present mansion. 1t is on a some
what elevated plateau, about fifty yards from the
precipitous and crescent-shaped bank of Pope's
creek, which sweeps gracefully around and soon
empties into the broad Potomac. The spot Gem.
mands O magnificent and extended view of the
Maryland shore, and of the Potomac for many
miles towards the Chesapeake Bay.
Close by the chimney of which we have before
spoken, is a luxuriant growth of figs, the parent
stock of which lies decaying on the ground, while
myriads OF shoots have sprung up around it, Par
TALLY concealed by these, We found granite slab,
broken in three pieces, Observation-Disclosures the llh
Of february. 1872, George Washington born" The
slab was placed there in June. 1915, by g. W. p.
Custis, who. accompanied by friends, went thither
in his yacht Lady of the Lake" and after depos
iting the stone, returned on board and fired Fed.
erai salute from swivel which they had obtained
for the purpose.
A considerable number of citizens assembled at
the place to-day, for the purpose of paying their
respects to the Governor and aiding him in mark.
ing the birth place and the family vault for eu-
closure. The Governor rode about the ground aud
along the shore of Pope's creek. In order to OBJ.
tain an accurate idea of the locality, frequently
consulting With his companions upon the plan he
proposed to develop.
An aged citizen present, said that he distinctly
remembered when house occupied the spot
where the chimney now stands, aud that it was
used for q kitchen and laundry The
he said, stood on the site adjacent to
which ailuson has already been made. A spon.
taneous growth of plants, near the chimney, rem
ders 1t probable that there was formerly a garden
ut that point. gentleman in the company found
a piece OF stone, worn perfectly smooth on ore
side, partially buried in the earth near the site of
the old mansion, and it was the opinion of all
present that 1t was a fragment of the hearth
stone This relic waspresented to Gov. Wise, who
will deposit it, properly labelled, in the State Lii
erary at Richmond.
While sojourning at the birthplace, the party
experienced some annoyance from q shower of
ran which terminated the visit this Interesting
,pot. Several persons supplied themselves with
canes from the black haw, which grows abundant
y on the shore of the creek, and which they in
tend to pa eserve as sacred niementos
Following up the raviue in a N. N. w. direction,
or little more than mile, the Governor and his
attendants came TO the burial ground and vault
grandfather aud great grandfather of Washington.
With those of their respective families, at Bridges
creek. The brick arch of the vauit (the sides Of
which have been filled In with earth to prevent
is plainly visible Nothing remains
,f the ancient enclosure except one or two par
lin flv dacnved posts Close nv the yanlt Laws n