The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-07-24
MOUNT VERNON.
It's History, Its PrOprietOrs. It's Relies,
It's "Reminiscences and It's Present Com

From the Washington Intelligencer July %
visitors TO this national shrine in the history Of the
country as at the present time The fine steamer run
ming regularly hither from this city Is largely patro.
nlzed, while mntudes are daily going there by land
conveyances The throng Of soldiers thither is espe-
caly very numerous The distance from Washington Is
some nfteen mies-about nine below Alexandria.
At the death OF General Washington, in 1899, the
Mount vernon estate comprised several thousand acres
Potomac river A.large part of it was under tage
II was divided into five farms, each cultivated
by its own negroes with overseer, and the
whole under general superintendent, and all
under the careful inspection OF the great chief him
self His own negroes numbered hundred and
twenty; his wife's as many more Wheat corn,
and tobacco the chief products Of the estate
bacco being however much less cultivated in the latter
years Of his life than in earlier times Upon the estate
there was line two story stone and flour mill the
remnants OF which still visible on Dogue creek, up
which iatboats came alongside the mill The water to
half from 'tumbling DAM up Doguc The old
mill house Is still in good condition. and is occupied by
colored family Near this mill also his distillery.
There were also brickyard. carpenter establishment
blacksmith shop-the estate forming in fact sort Of
village.
Originally the Mount Vernon estate consisted of one
half Of five thousand assigned to Washingtons
great grandfather, who in conjunction with Nicolas
Spencer patented from Lord Culpeper in 1870 In the
division OF his estate the father of Washington assigned
this tract TO his elder brother Lawrence who came here
and erected the mansion 174 naming 10 in honor OF
Admiral Vernon under whom he had served captain in
colonial regiment. in the West Indies, In 1740 Law
renee died in 1852 leaving wife, the daughter OF Sir
William Fairfax of Belvoir, and childa daughter;
and on the demise OF this daughter without issue a.
soon happened the estate fell TO George, who had been
much an inmate Of his family.
In 1859 General Washington married Mrs Martha Gus
tvs se Danbrdge( then residing on her estate at the
White House with her two children and after remaining
at that place three months took up their residence
AZ Mount Vernon. She brought him in her own right
more than hundred thousand dollars. They were Of
the same age-twenty seven years-at their marriage
In his will Washington divided the estate into three
parts The mansion with four thousand acres was left
to his nephew, Bushrod Washington, Associate JUS
tice OF the United States Supreme Court. At the
death Of Mrs Washington, in 1901 Judge washington
| tinued there lin his death in 1899 Two OF the old
servants still on the estate came there with him.
belonging TO his wife Anne, daughter of Colonel
servants still survive, Also residing three miles
from Mount Vernon. Judge Washington having no chill
ton, from whom the Ladies' Mount Vernon Association
purchased the two hundred upon which are the
manvon ana .he .omo, ior SSoUooo Two thousand
Of the Washington family and the residue, upwards Of
two thousand acres including the fine Woodlawn estate
whose wife the beautiful and cultivated Nelly Custs
gandchd Of Mrs Washington and the adopted daughter
| Major Lewis erected splendid mansion at woodlawn
in 1906, at cost Of $24 600. Major Lewis, whose
chief died al Arlington in is4 and bis wife died in isS2
The remains OF both, with those Of daughter the wife
Of Chas NJ Conrad Filimores War Secretary, being de-
posted In the Mount Vernon vault Soonafer the death
Of Major Lewis the WOodawn estate was sold by hs only
Lorenzo toacolony of Qusksrs from New Jersey who
mansion, with splendid farm of five hundred acres
surrounding II, belongs to John Mason ESQ., who came
there from New Hampsh're in 1850 The mansion j. Of
on commanding site, looking down upon the whole
Mount Vernon estate. Lorenzo Lewis died some years
ago in Clark county and the other daughter the wife Of
! Mr.; Butler is living in Mississippi
| John A. Washington went TO Fauquer county with his
family in 1850, and purchased farm known as Ware
land His wife died suddenly soon after and IL is we'll
known that he fell colonel Of rebel regiment early
in 1861 leaving family OF seven children, the youngest
I "a bp lov md thp mi chi dreno
born at the Mount Vernon manson There some one
thousand acres Of The Mount Vernon estate belonging t.
! these orphan children. lying in close proximity
TO the Mount Vernon mansion. The Mount
Vernon estate. was probably never under a
ent time. The farmers have been shipping manure
in large quantities from this city this season. and plng
~ Their nndinss on the river for future use Al the
grazing upon different farms In that section These
mules are separated into squads Of FIVE hundred and,
viii h'een mounted mes 10 control them are put into
heavy grass field kept cosely together and compelled
| 10 eat clean rs they squad thus eats more
Than two Of the heaviest grass in day for which
they pay Ave cents head, twenty five dollars day
for the squad The ground behind them looks as though
No grass had grown there this season. .
The grounds immediately around the mansion and
tomb bear evidence OF ear and taste Tho approach Ia
the tomb and TO the mansion from the river is highly
picturesque and delightful The appearance Of both the
tomb and the mansion has been familiar To all Americans
in illustrated books from the childhood Of most OF those
spot many times in the last thirty years, and
! II looking better than
1t may be interesting many who are now visiting
the place for the first time 10 know that tho remains o
Washington were originally deposited in the old vault
which ls pointed out to all vsors and in a mahogany
couu lined with lead The vault damp, and the
wood three times Ned before being placed
! receptacle where they reposc. In 1881 the new
valt vac erected and the remains transferred Pha
dcphia marble worker proposed 10 furnish marble sar
cophapus, but on visiting the tomb declined 10 do so il Il
was 10 he put into damp vault An snte-chsinbei
was therefore erected In front OF the vault dozen
feet high with an arched g,xewsy and gate formed OF
iron fods In ths ante chamber. on the right IL the
cophagus containing the remansof Washington, and OF
the left another precisely like IL containing the remains
OF Mrs. Washington; and IL may be added, that he
remains have been moved often those Of the
chief The sarcophagus IL excavated from solid block
Of pure white marble and placed there in 1887
Within the vault proper the bodies Of many members
Of the family. On either side, you come the
vault stands marble obellsk Inscribed with names Of
leading members OF the Washington family. The design
upon Washngtons arcophogus covers the most OF the
top lid, and consists Of a shield divided into thirteen
| perpendicular stripes resting the national flag and
attached by cords to spear, embeshod with assels
forming background 10 the shield The crest Is an
eagle with open wings, perchng upon the superior bar
of the shield and cuchng the and olive branch
tured Of washington" On the plain lid Of the Other
sarcophagus are the wods In large letters, 'Martha
An addition erected at one end Of the mansion ate,
washngton's time has been away and the structure
II now in the exact form when left by the Father Of
his Country II IL well known that the mansion, a.
originally erected and left by Lawrence Washington was
much enlarged by General Washington. section being
added 70 each end making t. as IL now stands, ninety
six feet In length north and south with portico front
ing tho river extending from end to end This portce
having decayed has been replaced by exact copy OF
the old The mansion is two stories high, Of wood I'm
ished In imitation OF freestone, and painted white
Fourteen small windows, with the old fashioned dminu
tive panes Of glass look out upon beautifully elopns
awns and down upon the river from an elevation Of two
hundred feet above the river level Therc six
the floor with spacious hall running through the
centre, from east 10 west Tho north Is the large
dining hail. in which Is the exquisite marble mantelpccc
wrought In Italy, shipped on English vessel during
the French Revolution, captured by the French, and
promptly forwarded by the French government when
lafayette made known that It was q present from an
American wine merchant resident In Marsses 10 Wash
ington In this room are also the double banked harp
sichord shaped like q modern square piano--a wedding
present 10 his adopted daughter Nelly Gusts tho tripod
which served Washington in all his surveys and the
largo set OF matched mahogany dining tables The dining
hall opens at either end into and west parlor
one Of which Ia an DID, dlapidated, large globe and
| in tho other an old sofa The key Of the Bias.
ule-a present from lafayette-still hangs In the
| glass case In the hail. and by IT, side the ST.
| houene taken from lie by q lady In PHILADELPHIA