Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1859-05-24
General washington,s First Love.

a correspondent OF the Century, IN giving
some "reminiscences Of the old country seat called
"The Cottage" in Hanover county, Va, gives an
account of Gen. Washington's suit to and rejec-
ton by Mary Gary:
Her father was Wilson Gary, Esq, of "Oeleys,'
in the county of Elizabeth Oity, descended from
the noble family of Hunsdon, in England. Ills
relative, Col. Archibald Gary, of "Ampthill," in
Chesterfield, was at his death the heir apparent
to the esrldom. The worthy old gentleman
seems, from all we know Of him, to have been
as proud as the Coucys or the Somersets; and to
have thought his family the noblest in the land.
He lived in great state, with chariot and horses,
plate and velvet and embroidery-a worthy OF
the old school, fully satisfied with the 'order Of
things" and enjoying serenely the good gifts OF
Providence. His beautiful daughter was great
heress, and had many suitors-the accident
which betell one of them has made her remem-
bered in many books He was young man Of
very high character, relative of Geo. VIM. Fair
fax, Esq, who lived at Belvoir, on the Potomac;
and here he met with Miss Gary, who came to
visit Mrs. Fairfax, her eldest sister. The young
man at once proceeded to fall in love, which he
did with an ardor characteristic of his nature
When Miss Gary went back home to "Celeys,'
on James river, he followed her like courageous
gallant, and laid open seige to the fair fortress.
In the good old times, however, something more
was necessary than the consent of the young la
dy, and so the youth duly asked private inter-
view with the awful old lord of the manor, who
listened to him silently throughout. When the
lover had finished, Mr.. Gary rose, made him q
low bow, and said if this were young Mr.. Wash
ington's errand at "Celeys," his visit had better
terminate; his daughter had been accustomed
10 ride in her own chariot" And with this al
lusion to the poor condition of the younger son,
the interview terminated. Young Washington
bowed and turned away, and in due time mar
ried Martha cambridge Custis, who "resembled
Miss Oary," says my authority, ''as much as one
twin sister ever did another"
But the old tradition does not end here Many
years fed sway-Mary Gary was Mrs. Amber
and her discarded suitor was the man who had
just received the sword of CORVALLIS at York
town; whom the whole civilized world hailed
as the greatest among the great-"the foremost
man" not only of America but of "all the world"
He passed through the old metropolis, Williams
burg, at the head of his victorious troops, and
the people were crazy with JOY and alteration al
most. The vast multitude nearly prevented his
horse from proceeding calm statue on horse.
back passed on sereney. All at once he per-
ceived at window, or in crowd, bis old love,
Mary Gary. He raised his sword and saluted
her profoundly. She tainted.
But it does not seem that the lovely woman
was to blame. She had not been able to return
the affection of the youth-that was all. She
married him who won her heart, Edward Am
bier. He was not unworthy of this noble lady
in rank or in character. He was descended
through his mother from the great Huguenot
house of La Roche Jaqueline, in Yendee, and in
herited the honest instincts of his race. At
twelve 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 Gary soon afterward; became
Collector at York, and was SO much respected
that when Lord Bottetourt came to Virginia as
Governor, he brought letter of Introduction to
the Collector. He died at thirty-fve; 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.