Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-06-15
annals Of &IcXauslria-F0Hr Serioc
BIZ VIM. r. CARNE.
Chapter VI.--Tho Rising Sun,

Chapter VI.-Tho Rising Sun,
at this period appearsin the Hunting Creek
neighborhood the central figure Of these annals
Fortunate are they, for Just as Alexandra rosc
amid the Potomac iorcsts, GEORGE WASHING.
ton, fresh from school, came to make his home
beside the town, and never left it except to win
that renown which shall make Alexandra, be.
cause Of her connection With him, immortal,
The acquaintance CT Washington with the
people Of this neighborhood began about l143;
but it was not until a few years later that be
made partial home in Fairfax county. Ills
father, like many OF the lower country planters,
had bought wild lands on the river above and
his up country estate was some 1000 acres on
Little Hunting Creek.
When be died in l743 be bequeathcd this
land TO lis eldest SOD, Lawrence WASHINGTON,
the tavorito brother OF George, end when Law
renee had taken possession Of the Hunting
Greek land, built there, and named it Mount
Vernon, George spout much of his time on the
new plantation; and when, a few years later, lie
ltft school, he made his residence there.
While yet school boy he had been smittcn
with the charms Of Miss Grymes, the "lowani
beauty who became afterwards the vile Of
Gen. Harry LIE, and the mother Of AltxandriaS
later hero, OF whom these annals shall one lay
speak, and who 10 higher sphere than mere
material genesis succeeded WasEiugton as head
of the family OF Mount Vernon and renewed, a
hundred years later the patriotism, purify, I'm
sclhsbpcSs, prudence and valor that for all time
shall make George Washington and Rcb.rt
| Lee companions Ia the hearts Of mcu.
While living at Mount Vernon, scarce able
to discutapgIc himself from one passion, and
yet finding 10 Miss = Cary at BeGoir, society
| that while II renewed remembrance Of former
hopes halt compensated for their loss, Wash.
ington pursued with vigor his s!u1y and prac
| tice as surveyor. AID made plans CT Eluntinr
Creek shore, along which be oteu wondered,
murnuriog perhaps of his HOPES and disap
pointments 10 the bright waters. lie was
touched. but too strong to b, overcome by pas
| sioo, and he WAS not the less busy with his guu
| and dogs. his compass and chain, his prOtractor
| and dviders bccau5, Of the cm1tioos which
troubled, bus did not master him. Atom: thu
| time he writes 10 an lotlnatc tIl!nl:
My resldenc, is at present 1t his lI)rdshIp>.
where | might, were my heart Gl-eUgaged, pass
| the tine very pleasantly, as there . very agree
| able young lady lives in the sam" hou,, CO...
George FAN tax's wiie'S sister, tnt rs that
| only adding fuel TO tire. it makes me mrr. IN
! easy, for by often and unayodaby being IN
company with her rcvivcs M tnrn"r pa,,lOn
for your "lowIaod beauty
lie wou' 4 when hi, feelings were an0S. over
powered hasten away, ride over 10 belhavcU,
| or hunt survey, aud find 10 genial c,mpaplon
ship with the open air, the t"llS, tn tofs',
and boon nature every where, y soIact Tor III"
10, ,rI but lac, | n,
ures.
At this time talk OF erecting u town at Hunt
iog Creek Warehouse was familiar chat through
out this section. Its plans could not have FAM
cd TO interest Washinptpn a. a y0uOg surveyor,
who eagerly sought every opportunity u yrac
ticc his profession Whcn W. know that hls
especial friends, The Fairlaxc+, aud his brother
Lawrence, wtre the lcadog mru 10 establishing
the new town, and read also with what ,rclcs-
industry, the young Surveyor sought every
chance that would cnab!c hin to perfect himself
10 his craft 1t is Impossible bot u believe thar
the plan Of Alexandra interested hun, and
that he took part IN the preliminary plats and
surveys that preceded the first tO|n map.
This plan when it had been completed by the
Failflxas, Washngtons, Vests aud AlcXanders
took monumental fem. it WAS not uncom
mon then TO lay out cities as representatives &
| an idea. Thus Annapolis had been LAID ont II
two great crccs--JnG will! tie SAFE House Al
it's centre and the others clrcllng ar0uud the
Church, all the streets radlatIog from these
points, the whole design being 4 memorial OF
CHURCH AND STATE. I the same manner the
design of Alexandria was memorial o! the dc.
voliou Of the Fairfax family (which only cen
tury before had been with Cromwell in IcbclIlon)
m tho RovaI familu of En2land The nlan 0i
streets agreed upon was this: