Stevens County tribune. (Morris, Minn.) 1877-1880, 1878-09-12
ONE OF THE wAsH1NaroNs.

A RelGtiUe of the Father of HIS Country
Destitute Ia WaslttnOtOm-Her History.
A Washington correspondent of the New
York Tribune writes: The Traditional in
gratitude of Republicans could hardly be
more pointe,ly illustrated than it is by the
misfortunes which have befallen some of the
living representatives of the family of
George Washington. The public
is aware of the fact that stress of
circumstances last winter compelled
one of the branches of this family living in
Virginia to part with relics of the great man
which had descended to them as heirlooms,
and in the preservation Cf which the whole
nation felt an interest; and it is also well
known that the same Congress which au-
thorized the expenditure of a quarter of a
million of the nations treasure to place
in everlasting commemoration the
name of Washington, also appropriated
$12,OO to purchase these relics, and
thus relieve, the necessities of an I'M
lucky inheritor of an honored name. Mrs.
Fanny Washington Finch, the great grand
niece of George Washington, and supposed
to be the nearest living kin to the great man,
has for several months been keeping board
ing-house in the city which bears her family
name. Even in this humble calling the lady
seems to have found small favor with the
tickle goddess, for within a fortnight her furni-
ture had been placed under attach
ment, and is now held by her
landlord as security for arrears of
rent. George Washington had an elder
brother named Augustine and younger
brother named John Augustine. A son of
Augustine Washington married his cousin
Jane, daughter of John Augustine, and the
or>f% kha Goth IS
Fiuch. Augustine Washington also had a
daughter named Elizabeth, who married
Gen. Alexander Spottswood, descendant
of one of Virginia's governors in col
onial times, and a daughter born to
them was the mother Of Mrs. Finch. Thus
the subject of this sketch traces her ancestry
through both her parents back to the family
of the first president of the United States.
The father of Mrs. Finch died in 1880, and
his remains are in the family vault of
Mount Vernon, the casket containing them
being one of the eight which is beside those of
George and Martha Washington. Mrs. Finch,
who was born at Mount Vernon, passed her
childhood at the family mansion, but on the
death of her father she became an inmate of
the family of her uncle, Col. George G.
Washington, then a member of Congress
from Maryland, resident in Georgetown. She
was one of family of thirteen children, of
whom she is the only survivor. She
was married at the residences of
Col. Washington to the Rev. Daniel
Motzer, with whom several years Of her
life were passed very happily. On the death
of Mr.. MOtZer his widow made her home In
Georgetown, bat her means becoming ex-
hausted after several years of widowhood,
she was compelled to accept position as a
clerk in the treasury department.. Eighteen
months later the war broke out, and although
her two brothers joined the Union army
and subsequently lost their lives
in consequence of wounds received
in battle, Mrs. Motzer was sus-
pected of disloyalty, and, with fourteen
other ladies of Virginia parentage to the
same division, was removed by Secretary
Boutwell,. In 1870 Mrs. Motzer was mar
ried to Mr.. Myron Finch, then, and until a
year since, holding position in the naval
branch of the New York custom house,
from which he was removed by Mr..
Cornell. Mr.. Finch, although gentlemanef
education and high cultivation, is past tho
prime of life, and finds it impossible in these
hard times to get employment. Mrs. Finch
is now more than so years of age, but re-
markly well preserved; her dark hair shows
scarcely trace of silvering,
| while her pleasing form and
face give her the appearance of q lady of 40
She is rather retiring in manner, but good
conversationalist when in company with
| those with whom she is on terms of famili-
| arity. Mrs. Finch inherited many valuable
relics of George Washington, all of
which we're on exhibition at
the centennial. Among the most valued
of them are a pieced bed-quilt, made by
| her grandmother, out of material from the
wardrobe of Martha Washington, the silver
christening bowl long in use in Washing
toms family, and snutf-box made of olive
wood, from Mount Olivet, brought by Lord
Halifax from the Holy Land, and presented
| by him to Gen. Washington. Mrs. Finch's
circumstances have recently been made
known to the President, and it is expected
he will find the civil service rules sufficiently
elastic to permit the rein. tallment, either of
her husband or herself, into the positions
from which they wete removed.