Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1873-06-18

Correspondence OF the Richmond Wing.
w EsrMoRELAND, June Ill read with
pleasure an interesting letter from 'sWestmore
land county, published i'll the Wing of the
3Oth May. | beg leave to correct some trivial
errors iuto which your correspondent has laen
mslcd no doubt by information derived from
sources impcrlcctly informed of the historical
men and events OF Wcstmorelanl. The errors
to which | aude are not OF Il grave character,
yet ii the facts are worth recording at all they
are worth recording accurately, and am sure
you will excuse me for setting you right in re-
gard to them.
The first mistake is in relation to General
Walter JONES' the great Washington lawyer
General Jones was not bonn in Wcstmorcland
but in Northumberland county, Ills father
was not Joseph Jones, but DR.. Walter Joues,
eminent both as Il physician and politician.
llc also, was native OF Northumberland,
where he resided at the time Of his death.
The second mistake is that contained in the
remark you know that the house in which
Washington was born is only marked by rem
naut OF chimney" There is a chimney stand
ing at the spot, but it is almost certain, both
from tradition and from unmistakable circuml
stances and local Indications, that this chimney
was not attached to the house in which Wash
ington was born. 1t was no doubt a part OF an
clubhouse within the curilage. The dwelling
house stood nearer the margin Of Popc's creek,
for whilst every vcstigc Of a building has long
since persisted, there arc yet quite distinct
traces of the foundation OF house, marked by
Indications OF the bottom walls and a perccpti-
bic sink, dcnoting the place of cellar.
In the third place your correspondent says:
'Lighthorsc Harry Ice was in no way related
TO the Lees of Chantilly.'' If it is meant in
this statement to include Richard ilenry Lee
among the Lees Of Chantilly," | deem it only
necessary to refer you to the life Of General
Henry Lee, by General Il. e. Lee, for a cor
rccton of The error. Indeed, General Horny
lee ('Lighlhorse Harry } was doubly related
to Il. IL. lice, both by marriage and consan-
gunty. At page l6 of the Life of General Ii.
Ice you will find letter from DR.. William
Shipper to Richard Henry Lee, in which he
says: "lour cousin Henry Ice is in college
(I'rinccou), and will be one of the first fellows
in this country Again: Your correspondent
remarks that General Robert f. Lee left
the IacL is that General X. e. Lee was born at
(sec Life Of General H. Ice, page 53) General
Ice removed with his family to Alexandria for
the purpose of educating his children, when
the war with England occurred 1t is natural
to conclude tina. he took his infant son Robert
with him. If so, General r. f. Lee could not
have been more than four or five years of age
when he left estmoreland, and not sixteen,
as represented.
The last error that | will trouble you with
pointing out is that relating to the baptism of
Washington Under The head Of "Old Pope $
Creek Church. your correspondent says
1.-The baptism of the great rebel was matter
Of no small moment, for tradition informs us, !"
&c. The baptism Of Washington and its cir
culnstances do not rest for verifcation upoa
the uncertain foundation Of tradition. 1t stands
upon record, and upon that best kind of evil
deuce admitted in courts of law-the family
Bible. | have before me an authentic copy of
an entry of the birth Of Washington 10 the
Bible of his mother, in the following words:
George Washington, son to Augustine and
Mary his wife, was born yc llth day of Feb
ruary, l734, about 10 10 the morning, and was
baptized the Sd of April following, Mr. Beyer-
y Whiting and Captain christopher Brooks,
mother. l..
TIE WHEAT Mover was the wheat crop
in this section more promising. The farmers
whom We converse with from day to day, say
they are quito satisfied with the prospect. With
in ten daysthe harvest season In the surrounding
counties will be over, and by the first of July
our merchant miers will no doubt DO turning
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