Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-07-05
A WOMAN WHO WAS BORN AT MOUNT
VERNON NINETY-FIvE YEARS AGO.

A remarkable woman has Just died at
Richmond, Va. She was perhaps the last
living human being who had seen and
talked with Washington, notwithstanding
the number of struggling pretenders who
occasionally appear before the public as
claimants for this honor. Mrs. Young, the
person to whom reference is made, was the
last surviving child of General Washing
toms steward, Anderson, the honest and
frugal Scotchman who for so many years
had control OF his domestic affairs at
Mount Vernon. Her maiden sister, Miss
Nellie Anderson, died in Richmond more
than fifteen years ago at the advanced age
of 90, and now the venerable survivor de-
parts this life after having lived exactly
the same length of time. She was born at
Mount Vernon in 1857. For more than sixty
years she had resided in Richmond, respect
ed by the entire community and beloved
by all whose privilege it was to enjoy her
immediate acquaintance. Remarkable for
strength of body as well as vigor OF mind,
she had perfectly retained, until within the
past few days, recollections of the early
part of her life at the home of Washington.
To all who conversed with her on this sub
ject and its interesting associations che
gave, without ostentation, satisfactory re-
plies To great dignity of bearing she
united that true modesty 30 characteristic
of the real woman. She died as she had
lived-a devout Christian. The writer of
this sketch conversed with her in years
past upon subjects connected with her life
at Mount Vernon. She was I3 years of
age when the head OF that bereaved house.
hold and the nation died, and, of course,
could remember many incidents of her
childhood The account she gave of what
she insisted was the real cause of Washing
tons death differs much from that given
by historians generally. Although all
agree that the attack which carried
off the illustrious man was brought on by
his exposure on cold December day while
taking his usual ride ON horseback, yet
even this might have been averted had not
the incident occurred which is now given
as it came from the lips of Mira. Young
1.-THE General had returned from his ride
cold and shivering, had retired to the house,
and was actually about to take his dinner,
when message came to him from boat
wright whom he had employed, and who
desired immediate instructions before he
could finish the boat upon which he was at
WOih' w pAOOdDiy GOultWUab
fretted at the untimely interference, hur-
ried down to tine river bank without hat or
overcoat, and stood exposed to the chilling
blasts that blew over the Potomac. His
anxiety to finish the business kept HIM
there too long. The Consequences was
violent accession to the cold he ID already
taken, which duiing the following night
eliminated IN the attack which so soon
proved fatal.
Mrs. Young always took great pleasure
in dwelling upon the goodness and uni.
form kindness of General and Mrs. WASH
ington to all connected with their estab-
lishment. 1t must be remembered that at
that time the relative social positions of
dependents, domestics and the great pro-
prietors were strongly contrasted. The
aristocratic sentiment prevailed, and about
the great house" as it was called, more
than ordinary sense of awe presided. With
this were connected the strictest rules OF
decorum, against which it was more than
treason to err. Notwithstanding this, the
children of all the adjoining households
were free to come and go, and Mrs. Young
and her sister often rompei on the porticos
and through the hall OF the stately man
sion with the children of the Fairfaxes,
Curtises and Lewises, some of whom were
constant guests of General and Mrs. WASH
ington, Indeed, she has told the writer
that she and her sister were rarely per.
mitted to retire from the presence of Mrs.
Washington before having received some
token of kindness in the way OF fruit, cake,
and such like, and that on no occasion did
the General pass them without kindly
greeting. She took special pleasure in re-
ierring to an incident in which Washing
tons stepson, young Gusts, and Rawlins,
one of his managers, met with sore dis
comfiture. The two were indulging their
fayorite pastime of dancing and fiddIing,
Gusts being the dancer and Rawlins the
fiddler, when to their surprise and dismay
the General stepped suddenly upon the
scene. We may well imagine the effect OF
so august a presence at such moment.
The air OF Mount Vernon must have
been conducive to longevity. Washing
tons fayorite negro hunter and body-ser-
want during the war, Will Lee, lived to be
more than hundred years old. Thomas
Bishop, his English servant, who had been
with Braddock in the same capacity on the
Continent and in America, up to the time
OF the latter's death, and who at the dread.
fnl day of Monongahela disengaged Wash
ington from his slaughtered horse, and
lifted him, worn and weak, upon the back
OF another, also survived to nearly the same
length Of days, and 30 did old "Father
Jack" the African fisherman. whose duty
it was to supply the table at Mount Vernon
with fish from the waters Of the Potomac.
Il New York Herald, June 4Ih.