Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1858-05-16

oHply with. In TIE interesting family of Nj
lewis the evening passed very happily, an
Non family were reeounted BY the inielligeT
host. W.
wEsTNoRELAND ooUSTs. Aprn IS. 1865.
The temperature Of the atmosphere thi
I morning was to some extent moderated, an
I after an excellent breakfast, it was announce
I that carriages were in waiting to convey tn
I Governor aud other guests to Wakefield, abou
/ SIX miles distant The drive through the coun
/ try was pleasant and exhilsrsting the beauti
I ful farms on either side OF the road were ob
! jects of much interest to those accustomed L
/ the brick walls and confined limits of a city
/ and the luzurisnt vegetation everywhere spring
| ing into life, made the observer pariake in tn
universal rejoicing Of ngture, in this veTna sea
son Of the year
The term, 4" Athens of Virginia. BY whieI
| Westm0Teisnd county has been sometimes dis
I tinguished, is not inaPpropEiately applied fO
within her borders were born some Of the mos
renowned men whose names appear on th,
scroll Of fame. Washington, Ri1hard Henry
Lee ard his three brothers, Thomas, Francis
and Arthur, General Henry Lee, James Mon.
roe, and the late Judge Bushrod Washington
were natives Of Westmorelsnd.
After charming ride the party arrived ai
Wakefield and met with a cordial reception
from John E. Wilson, Esq, the present propn.
etOT OF the estate. Before proceeding farther
it is necessary to refer to the genealogy Of the
Washington family, in order that the reader
may fully comprehend the situation Of this
sacred spot.
Col John Washington, who came with bis
brother to America in 1867, settled on the bank
Of Bridges creek, small inlet Of the Potomac,
where be thenceforlh lived and where be died.
He had two SONS and a daughter, and it was to
the second Of these sons, Lawrence Washing
ton. that the proprietor Of the Northern Neck
OF Virginia granted a tract Of land at the mOuth
Of POpe's creek. Ia his viii, which is dated
March lith, 1928, Lawrence Washington says
. give the tract Of land on which / now live.
20 john Washington" Besides this bequesf,
others were maize 10 bis second son Augustine.
and to his daughter Mildred. John Washing
ton, it seems, subsequently, removed to Glou-
cesleT, 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 a deeply impoT-
tsnt bearing upon the future destinies of the
infant colony and The repabilc.
When George Washington was six years Of
age, the family removed 70 their Stafordshire
estate opposite Fredericksburg. and about this
tine (though there is some uncertainty as to
the exact PERIOD The house in which he was
born was destroyed by fire. There is at pre-
sent on the spot a chimney, which is said 70
have belonged to ths kitchen, though it was
probably attached to 4 house subsequently built
out of the old materials. Near by, and plainly
visible, is what seems to be flied Up cellar,
with the chimney spots distinctly marked,
about sixty feet apart. This is doubtless the
exact place whereon stood the house in which
George Washington was born.
We nav DOW return to the party whom we
- NJ -
passed in agreeable conversation, Gov. Wise,
sccompsnie,, by a number Of gentlemen, started
Oh horseback for the birthplace" which is
located in a ploughed field, about three-fouTths
Of a mile northeast Of the present mansion. Il
is on a somewhat elevated plateau, about fifty
yards from the pre-ipitous and crescent shs ped
bank Of Pope's Creek, which sweeps graceful
ly around and soon empties into the broad PO-
lOmsc. The spot c0mmands a magnificent and
extended view Of the Maryland shore, and Of
the Potomac for many miles toward the Ches-
apeske Bay.
Close by the chimney Of which we have spo-
ken, is a luxuriant growth Of igs, the parent
stock Of which lies decsying on the ground,
while myTisds Of shoots have sprung up around
it. Partially concealed by these, we found a
granite slab, broken in three pieces, inscribed
- Hcre, on the 11fA Of February, 1872, Georgt
WdshingtoH UGs born" The sab was placed
there in June, 1915, By G W. P. Castis, who
accompanied by friends, went thither in bis
yacht '' Lady Of the Lake." and after deposit
ing the stone, returned on board and fired Z
Fsderal salute from a swivel which they LAD
obtained for tine purpose.
A considerable number of citiZsns Assem-
bled at the place to-day, for the purpose o
pa ying their respects 20 the Governor, and aid
ing him in marking the birthplace and the fam,
ily vault for enclosure. The Governor rOd'
about the ground and along the shore of Pope'l
creek, ~ order to obtain an accurate idea o
the locality, frequently consulting with hi
companions upon the plan be proposed to de
vslop.
An aged citizen present, said that be distinct
" remembered when house occupied the spo
where the chimney now stands, and that it wa
formerly used for kitchen and laundry. Tn
mansion, be said, stood on the site adjacent, Il
which aliusiOn has already been made.
spontaneous growth Of plants, near the chin
ney, renders it probable that there was former
ly garden az that point. A gentleman in th
company found piece Of stone. worn re esl,
smooth on one side, partially buried in tn
earth near the site Of the old mansion, and j
was the opinion OF al present that it was
fragment OF the hearth stone. This relic wa
presented to Gov. Wise, who viii deposit J,
properly labelled, in the State Lib-sTy at Rich
mond.
While sojourniBg at the birth place, the part,
experienced some annoyance from a shower o
rain, which terminated the visit at this interest
ing spot. Several persons supplied themselve
with canes from the black haw, which grow
sbundantly on the shore Of the creek, aDi
which they intend 70 preserve as sacred me
msutos.
Following up the rsvine in n. n. W. direc
| tion, for little more than a mile, the Cover
nor and his attendants came to the buris
| ground and vault in which are Inferred the re
mains of the father, grandfather, and grea
I grandfather Of Washington, with those Of thei
/ respective families, at Bridges creek III
/ brick arch Of the vault (the sides of whic
/ have been filed m with earth to prevent deprt
I dstions,) is plainly visible. Nothing remain
| Of the ancient enclosure, except one or tw
partially decayed posts Close BY the vau
/ lays a moss covered tombstone, bearing th
I following inscription:
. Here lyeth the body Of John Washington
\ eldest son to Captain Lawrence Washington
/ who departed this life ye 10Th of Janusrl
4 1890 aged 10 years and months
! " Also. Mildred Washington, eldest daughts
I to said Washington, who died on ye LIST OF A.
gust, 1896 aged months" a4-
The stone also bears the device of sku
and cross bones, aBd the characters are cut
the angular style Of the ancestral grave stone
usually found in Virginia.
Some other fragments were folnd scatttrs
here and there, one Of which tore devic
which none Of the company were able to inte
pref Il may have been the coat-of-arns
one Of the WasiingtOns. Il is believed u;
other slabs and Inscriptions can be found B
clearing away the mold which has been acct
mulsting there for generations.
After viewing the consecrated, though nei
leeted spot, Governor Wise, accompanied
several gentlemen, returned 10 Hr. Wilson
a. uansiOn. Here, seated around an old Virgin
log FIRE in the pleasant parlOr, the guests listei
ed with interest to the Governors remark
which were In the conversational style. !
told them that not more than 81 500 Of the al
preparation would be required for the enclosu
Of the birth p ace and the vault, and with Il
residue 81 800, be proposed to build a porter
lodge, and install therein a keeper Of ID
grounds. But be had a more extensive Al d el
isrged plan. The establishment Of an AgT
cultural School was a fSvorite scheme wi
him, and be had vainly presented bis views
that subject 70 he Legislature. The people
WestmoreIand had now an opportunity OF 8
curing the establishment cf such a school, al
il was his ardsnf desire that one should be E
tsbIished at Wakefield, the birth place
Washington. He would himself head the su
scription, and be urged the gentlemen prese
TO reflect seriously upon the project, and tai
bold OF it in earnest.
The conversation turned upon sgrieultur
matters generally, and the Governor present.