Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1876-08-19

dents OF G9neraI ond A1Iy W aoA-
ington.
On Tuesday afternoon, Aug. lst, there was
celebrated at Clover Lea in Hanover county
about three miles from Oh Church, an event
of unusual interest in this the Centennial era.
II was nothing more nor less than the golden
wedding of Colonel and Mrs. George Wash
inston Bas,ctt, perhaps the nearest living re-
lat;ycs of General and Lady George Washing
ton. Culoael Blssctt is grand-ncphew OF
Lady Washington, and Mrs BIssett is a
grsnd-nieco Of General Washington. Alter
fifty years Of happy welded life, full o! the
"reminiscences of the better days OF a grand
old Commonwealth, this venerable couple
have been permitted 10 gather around them
their relatives and descendants, who unite 10
the PRAYER that many year Of mutual peace
and couteutmeut may be left them.
The occasion drew together many friends
from the uei.hborhool and the jJllIliciti'n
was one that carrieI the spectator back to the
time when General Washington used to open
wide hi. h7sp;t,blc doors and bi! all honest
men and women to enter anl be OF good
cheer
C,l. Bl5sett is seventy-siE years Of age, and
lady" Bissstt sixty-uinc, and both are re-
markedly well preserved, and love each other
with the same devotion that prompted them
tounitc their lives City years ago. This state
meus would appear indicate it they hli
only been married fifteen or twenty years, oht
when people have been together for hlty years
f. seems that you can slv what yoH please a.
bsrt them. -R.-in2p} Dispatch.
Many presents in g2H were rendered the
venerable couple by their children, friends
and relatives, prominent among them Maj
John. II. Claibourne, whose first wife vas
daughter of the golden bride aad groom.
Eaquiring into the antecelents Of the Cen
tennial Couple, it is interesting 70 learn that
Col. Blssett's srandm),her, Anna Mlria Dam
driige. was daughter Of John DlnlriIgo, "a
Their Of M,rthl Custis nee Dlnlrilse, after
wards Ms. General Washington. Anna Ma
ria married Col. BurweIl Blsset. Of Ethan,
who was n1tel in the Political arena Of his
day as a member Of the Virginia Convention
which. in 1898, ratified the federal Constitu-
tion. lis son, COL Blrwen Bassst' the
ssconI was for twenty-six years member Of
Congress from the Williamsburg district
His sister. Frances Blssett, niece Of Hrs.
Washington. married George Augustine Wash
inaton, nephew Of the General, who was
hther Of the late CJl. George Lafayette Wash
ia.t3n, Of Wayery, Fralerick c.. The old
ancestral home Of the Elssetts, "EItham," in
New Kent Co., Va, not far from Yorktown,
was built in 1850 and was destroyed by FIRE
only last year. It was rclolentof revolution
ary relics. John Cdstis, son Of Mrs. Wash
ineton. died there during the siege Of York
Gen. Washington often coming up at night
from the lines to see bis stepsou and wife here
at his sisters home.
Tie great grandfather Of Cgi. George W
Blss.tt. Col. William Bassett, was one Of th'
ROYAL commissioners in the Q1een's tAnuie's
Council a. Williamsburg; the commission
with her autograph signed by tie premier Lord
Dartmouth, is still preserved in the family
Mrs. Basset. is granddaughter Of Gen. Wash
in.tons only sister Betty, who married Col
Fielding Lewis; Ier father, Robert Lewis, wa.
for some years private Secretary to bis uncle
Gen. Washington.
Tie frat Of the ssett family who came t'
70 this couatry in lClo, was a captain in th'
Eosii.h army and a royalist refugee from ih'
,;..li,,iyo nqrsecution 5. Oliver Cromwell