Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-05-20
THE GAZETTE.
FRIDAY MORNING, MAY %, 1859.

GENERAL wASHINGTON'S FIRST LOVE.
4 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. Washingtons
suit to and rejection by Mary Cary:
Her father was William Cary, Esq, OF
"Celeys," in the county of Elizabeth City,
descended from the noble family OF llunsdon,
in England. His relative, Col. Archibald
Cary. of "Ampthill, in Chesterfield. was at
his death the heir apparent to the earldom.
The worthy old gentleman, seems, from all
we know Of him, to have been as proud rs
the Courcys or the Somersets: and to have
thought his family the noblest in the land
lie lived in great state, with chariot and
horses, plate and velvet and embroidery
worthy of the old school, fully satisfied with
the '.order of things" and enjoying serenely
the good gifts of Providence. His beautiful
daughter was n great heiress, and had many
suitors--t the accident which befell one of
them has made her remembered in many
books. lie was young man Of very high
character, friend of Geo. VIM. Fairfax,
Esq, who lived at BelvOir, on the Potomac;
and here he met with Miss Cary 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 Cary went back
home to "Celeys," on James river, he fol-
lowed 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
lady, and so the youth duly asked a private
interview with the awful old lord of the
manor who listened to him silently through
out. When the lover had finished, MIR. Cary
rose made him low bow, and said that il
this were young Mr.. Washingtons errand
ut '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 interview terminated; Young Washing
ton bowed and turned away, and in
due time married Martha cambridge Gusts,
who 'resembled Miss Cary" says my authori-
ty, las much as one twin sister ever did
another"
But the old tradition does not end here.
Many years fled away-Mary Cary was Mrs.
Ambler-and her discarded sutton was the
man who had ust received the sword OF
CORVALLIS at Yorktown; 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, Williamsburg,
at the head of his victorious troops, and the
people were crazy with Joy and alteration
almost The vast multitude nearly proven
ted his horse from proceeding-the calm
statue on horseback passed on serenely.-
All mt once he preceived at a window, or
in crowd, his old love, Mary Cary. He
raised his sword, and saluted her profoundly.
She tainted.
But it does not seem that the lovely wo-
man 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 Amber. He was not unworthy of
this noble lady in rank or in character
lie was descended through his mother from
the great Huguenot house, La Roche ia
queline, in Vendee, and inherited the hon
est 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 Cary soon afterward, became Col
lector at York, and was so much respected
that when Lord Boutetort came to Virginia
as Governor, he brought letter Of intro
duction to the Collector. He died at thirty
tive and the Revolutionary War breaking out
soon alterward, his beautiful widow moved
away from the scene Of her grief and took
refuge in the Cottage" far up in Hanover.