The Van Buren press., 1859-11-04
washington's First Love.

ing some "reminiscences of the old country
seat called 1.-The Cottage" in Hanove
county. Virginia, relates the following ac
count of Gen. Washington's proposal 70
the hand of Mary Cary, and his rejection
by her father
:" Her father was Wilson Cary, Esq, O
Celeys.' in the county of Elizabeth city
descended from the noble family of Hudson
in England. His relative, Colonel Archi
bald Cary. of Ampith, in Chesterfield, wa
at, at his death heir apparent to the Earldom
The worthy old gentleman seems, from al
we know OF him, to have been rs proud a.
the Coucys or the Somersets, and to have
thought his family the noblest in the land
tie lived in great state with chaiiots and
horses, plate and velvet and embroidery
worthy of the old school, fully satisfied
with the order of things, and enjoying Sc
renely the good gifts of Providence Hi.
beautiful daughter was great heiress, and
had many suitors. The one here alluded
to was young man Of very high character
relative of George William Fairfax, Esq,
who lived in Belvoir, on the Potomac and
here he met with Miss Cary, who came to
visit Mrs Fairfax, her eldest sister. He at
once proceeded to fall in love. which he did
with an ardor characteristic of his nature.
"When Miss Cary went back home to
Celeys,' on James river, lc followed her
like courageous gallant. and lai,s open
siege to the fair fortress. In the good o.!
times, however, something more was neces-
ry than the consent of the young lady, and
SO the youth duly asked private interview
with the old lord of the manor, who listen
ed to him silently throughout When the
lover had finished, Mr.. Cary rose, maj
him low bow, and said if this was young
MIR. Washington errand at 'Celeys' his
visit had better terminate--his daughter
had been accustomed to ride in her own
chariot And with this allusion to the
poor condition of the younger son, the in'
terview terminated Young Washington
bowed and turned away, and in due time
married the young widow, Martha Dand-
ridge Custis, who resembled Miss Cary,
says an authority, as much as one sister
ever did another
"The old tradition does not end here
Many years fled away-Mary Cary was
Mrs. Amber, and her discarded suitor was
the man who had just received the sword of
CORVALLIS. at Yorktown, whom the whole
civilized world hailed as the greatest man
among the great the foremost man. not
only in America, but of all the world.
He passed through the old metropolis, Will
Iiamsburg, at the head of his victorious
troops, and the people were almost crazy
with JOY and alteration. The vast multi
tude nearly prevented his horse from pro-
cseding /; the calm statue on horseback,
passed on serenely. ALL at once he perceiv-
ed at window or in the crowd, his old
love, Mary Cary. He raised his sword and
saluted her profoundly. She tainted.
But it does not seem that the lovely
woman was at blame. She had not been
able to return the affection of the youth
that was all. She married him who won
her heart, Edward Amber. He was not
unworthy of this noble lady in rank or
character. He was descended through his
mother from the great Hugenot house Of
La Roche Jaqueline, in Vendee, and inher-
tied the honest instincts of his race. At
twelve years of age he had been sent for his
education to England. He graduated at
Cambridge, and then made the grand tour
of Europe. returning to Virginia when he
was twenty-one. He was married to Miss
Cary soon afterward became collector Of
York, and was SO much respected that VIII IN
Lord Bottefort came TO Virginia as Cover
or, he brought letter of introduction t.
the collector. He died at thirty five and
the revolutionary war breaking out soon
afterward, his beautiful widow moved away
from the scene of her grief. and took refuge
in the Cottage far up in Hanover
Sic TRANsIT.-Belvoir. the seat of tho
Fairfaxes spoken of above, was on the
bank of the Potomac, four or five miles be-
low Mount Vernon. The only remains
now of that fine residence is low mound
Of broken mouldering bricks covered with
wild vines.