Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1860-07-03
Washington's Birth Place.
If Commercim ADVERTISER

the most tranquil OF violent nature. FULLY
endorsing this opinion, your correspondent
left the scene of his labors on Tuesday morn
ing, having accepted the invitation Of. yacht
owning friend to sail with him down the Poto-
mae, and visit this, the birth place OF George
Washington
"Such spots as these are pilgrim shrines,
Shrines to no creed OF code confined;
The Deplan wales, the PalcstiucS,
The Mcccas Of the mind"
The metropolis, with its towering, un!in-
ished capitol, was soon left behind, as we
slided down the broad Potomac, called by the
Aborigines the "River OF swans Two and
Il half centuries have passed since Captain
John Smith first assembled it, accompanied
bv a boats crew, and found its fertile banks
studded with the villages OF Powhata 5 tribes,
which then numbered twenty-four hundred
warriors There they tished and hunted,
and there their council fires blazed.
The appearance of the river is but slight
ly changed as the banks are thickly wooded.
Occasionally the buildings Of shad-ishers
are seen on the shore, or Il mansion, like
Mount Vernon, is visible through the trees
on the upland, but there is slight evidence OF
cultivation. The river grows broader IS the
Chesapeake is approached, and when we
cast anchor late last night at the mouth CT
Pope creek, our pilot informed us that it was
six miles across to the Northern shore.
Rising with the sun, we entered the small
boat, and pulling past Bridges creek, enter
cd Pope's creek, up which, about mile from
the Potomac, is the birth place" 1t is sit
uated on plateau, some twenty-five feet
above the water, the creek sweeping around
in curve The banks are covered with
trees, vines and shrubs, but after clambering
up through them, we found leyel, cultivated
field, in which is the cellar of the hallowcd
homestead. 4 small enclosure marks the
limits of the ground given to the state OF II
ginia by Lewis W Washington, his father
having reserved it when he sold the estate
The present proprietor is "a Mr.. Wilson, who
resides about quarter Of Il mile distant
The house in which Washington WAS born,
was destroyed by fire soon after he was
taken by his mother to reside near Ercder-
icksburg. Bishop Meade (the chrcnicicr Of
the tiic-watcr counties ofthe Old Domlnon,l
says that Il subsequent tenant 'cther repair
ed Il wing of the old house, or built small
house for his oyerseer out of the old mate
rails" This building, which has been CT
roneously described as the blrtli-mans!on,
was destroyed by fire about twenty years
since, although it's chimney is still Standing
Close by is the site of the old garden, marked
by cluster fig trees, Il few currant bushes,
some dattodils, and house herbs. There
are also the last surviving tree Of an apple
orchard and several grape vines. y slab Is
shown as perhaps the hearth-stone OF the old
mansion, and there is another, with an IN
scription. placed as IL mcme"to moT' by
George Washington Parke Custls, IN 1913.
Such is the present appearance OF the spot
--"where nursing nature smiled
On infant Washington"
The surrounding landscape is probably
little changed since Mrs. Mary Washington,
who was notable as Il managing housewife
used to make her little son Ge"rgc obey her
Here his character was shaped, ans here
abouts he doubtless was taught II ride, and
to shoot, and to manage boat, besides ac-
qniriug that iondness for rural pursuits WEich
characterised his aftcr-itc.
There is but one positively authentic sou
venir of Washington = residence here which
is the record Of MS birth, taken in fac simIle
from his mothers well-worn Bible to grace
Gloves History of Virginia." 1t reads
thus:
'.George Washington, son Of Augustine
Washington and Mary his wife, WAS born
on the l.h Of February, old style, l. S. at
ten in the morning, and was bapiiaed The
3Oth OF April following. Mr.. Beverly Whit
ney and Captain Christopher Brooks, god
father, and Mrs Mildred Gregory. god
mother
The church in which the haptismal ceremo-
ry was performed, stood, am informed,
about Il mile IRON here, and was one ui
those cliGces erected in good old colony
times" when the clergymcn of the Episcopal
church received goodIy tithes OF tobacco aud
other produce. TWAS burned soon after the
revolution, and large trees now grow on ITS
site, marked By II few Of the bricks Of which
it was built.
The remains of George WaShington's
father, grand father, and great grandfather,
with their respective families, are buried in
a vault on the neig hborinG estate OF Bridges
creek. where the last named {CuI. john
Washington settled in too. The fopc'H
creek place was granted i'll 1916 10 Johns
second son, Lawrence, who w,lled ii to his
oldest son, John. John however, moved away
and sold the Popc'S creek place to bis Young
crshrothcr, Augustine, the father OF tie l'a''J'
nirir. The Bridges creek and tie Pope's
creek estates remained in the Washington
family in 1879 when they were sold, with
the exception Of reservations around the
birth place and the burial vault.
Soon after Col. Washington gave the
birth place to the state Of Virginia, t'"vernor
Wise made an official pilgrimage hither and
afterwards obtained an appropriation from
the legislature Tor fencing the spot. This
wear, Gov l.ntchcr has been here. and it is
said that ne comtcmplatcs having additional
improvements made by the State. This Is
we'll, for the place is destined to become
chosen point Of pilgrimage to those who re-
we're the greatest Of our leaders. Mount Yer
non was honored by lis presence in mature
age, but il was here that his young blood
was first stirred by recitals of Indian hostiii-
ties and it was here that he first heard Of the
mother-country through her tax and 1.-THE
collectors. or saw the rcd-cross flag sweep past
on the Potomac.
George Washington had one sister, Eliza
beth. Tor '.Betty' as she was called, who
married Colonel Fielding Lewis. One Of
their direct descendants resides not very far
from here, and | enjoyed his tiospitaiites
while on a previous visit to this "Horihern-
neck Of Virginia. \ long, narrow strip of
fertile land, with the Potomac on one side
and the Rappahannock on the other, this
~ =,