Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1876-06-24
ARLINGTON.

were settled.
ARLINGTON.
Arlington was the home of George
Washington Parke Gusts, who for fifty
five years cultivated its luxuriant acres.
He was the last OF the line OF Washing
ton, being by adoption the honored son
of "The Father OF His Country He
left Mount Vernon three yeara at:er the
death of the General, and with his yonug
and accomplished wife, Mary Lee FiIz-
hugh, took up his Sabode upon Arlington
Heights. He survived his wife some
three years, and in 1857 was laid by her
side in lonely spot not maay rods dis
tant from the venerable old mansion.
Upon his death his sole surviving daugh.
ter, Mary CuSts, the wife of Robert f.
Lee, inherited the estate. AT this time,
it is said, no demesue surpassed il in
America. Possessing peculiar natural
advantages, which were adorned by 4
lavish taste and rare cultivation. with
all the improvements then known to
the world of, it has long borne the re2u-
tation of being one Of the most desira-
BILE places of residence and resort in the
vicinity of the National Capital. Its
interesting associations, and the general
ity of its quaint old proprietor, with his
three cornered hat, his knee breeches,
queue and buckles, added to the varied
attractions of the place
But with the War new tenor came
over the spirit of its dreams When
war succeeded peace Arlington felt the
force of the shock. 1t realized a new
destiny-one as strange as it was new.
It's wooded heights, grassy'lawns, and
quiet dells heard the tread and shouts
Of soldlery, and saw ''the pomp and
circumstances of glorious war" The
quiet that brooded over the vast estate
in time of peace was disturbed by the
echoes Of artillery laundering from the
forts that enyironcd the heights. But
all this has again has died away, aud
has lett fifteen thousand soldiers TO
slumber on in silence, in seqnestered
grove within few steps Of the man
sion where the chief of the Confederate
forces once held undisturbed possession
of his thousands of beautiful acres.
The war give 10 Arlington new his
tory, and a new yet melancholy interest
To understand this place, therefore, one
must learn what it once was, aud see
what by the fate OF war it now is.
Glancing at ''tbe last will and iesta-
ment Of George Washington, OF Mount
Vernon" which is dated July Q, 1899,
only few months before the death Of
the illustrations testator, We learn that
Arlington was bcqueatbed 10 George
w. Parke Custis in the following Ian
guage: Il give and bequeath to George
Washington Parke Gusts, the grand
son of my wife; and my ward, aud TO
his heirs the tract | hold on Four mile
Run, in the vicinity of Alexandria, con-
tanning one thousand two hundred
acres, more OF less.
1t will be remembered by these yers-
ed in genealogical lore that g. w.
Parke Gusts and Eleanor (NeIly) Parke
Gusts, were the childred of John Parke
CUstis, who was tho only child that
lived to its maturity, of Mrs. Martha
Washington and her former husband
Daniel Custis These two children
were adopted when young by General
Washington. Miss Nelly aherwarJ
married Mr. Lawrence Lewis, the nep-
hew of the General, being the son Of
Mrs. Betty w. Lewis. Washington's
sister. The old harpsicbord, still pre-
served as relic in the mansion, at
Mount Vernon, was wedding present
10 her from General Washington on
the occasion of her marriage TO his
nephew. Her brother, G.. w. Parke
Custis, having been appointed by The
great Washington is one of the execr-
tors of his will, Mount Vernon coniinu-
ed to be his home until after the death
of his grandmother, Mrs. Martha Dan
dridge Custis Washington, which
occurred May 2l, 1891, she having
attained the age of seyeBty-one years.
Soon after this sad event he commenced
the erection of a beautiful mansion at
Arlington, on a lovely spot overlooking
the Potomac In addition 10 the ar /,
lington estate, Washington had, in one
Of the clauses Of bis will, bequeathed
to him his "entire square, No, 2i,.in
the city of Washington" ilzls7xa
At the age Of twenty-tbFee Mr.. Gus
lis married Mary Lee Fiizhugh. They
lived happily together at their beanti-s
ful home on the west side of the Poto,i
mac until the death OF the latter, which,
took place in the Arlington mansion
April %, 1858. Mrs. Custis, the moth