The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1883-02-22
ALEXANDRIA AND GENERAL WASH
INGToN

The pilgrim who leaves the nations capital
to visit the grave of Washington, arrives mid
way 10 Mount Vernon, at the quiet town of
Alexandria There he may find, if he will but
blow aside the dust of a century, footprints of
the Fathnr of his Country that tell of his ways
as be moved round about home. Elsewhere,
the great chief is on horseback, or sits high in
some chair Of state, lofty and removed from
common men; but in Alexandria he is dis
mounted and afoot-a townsman and neighbor.
The town and Washington came together in
to active life; for it was just a. he grew from
childhood into youth, ut his brothers home,
Mount Vernon, that the neighboring hamlet Of
Belhaven grew into the town of Alexandria.
Belhaven was tobacco warehouse and some
log huts on the southern part of patent owned
by the great-grandchildren of one John Alexan-
der, who. IN l669, paid six thousand pounds of
tobacco for nine miles Of river-shore nearly op-
posite what is now the District of Columbia.
Just after this purchase, washington's great
grandfather had led from the settled lands near
the mouth of the Potomac a troop of militia to
punish the Dogne Indians for the murder of
Robert Hen, herdman, near what is now
Mount Vernon. He became euraptured with
these magnificent Hills, and soon included them
in patent of seven Thousand acres. Over sixty
years afterward, this tract descended to Law
renee Washington, Georges eldest brother who
married daughter of Colonel William Fairfax,
of Belyoir, the County Lieutenant, and became
neighb0r to his father-in-law by settling at
Washington, fresh FROM school. Having failed
to he midshipman, he was becoming a land
suryeyOr-a profession not opposite as might
seem; for in mathematical methods the pursuits
are identical, and the survey of a wild country
Is, IN peril and adventure, not unlike voyage
at sea. Into Belhaven young George Washing
ton rode every day. Tradition says that he
came ten times during one week, each time
upon different horse, every one animal that
would have delighted General Grant. In those
al he fine riha nf E,a l,nrs liz
his way to the popular heart. The lad had
borrowed in turn all the best horses of the
countryside, and he managed each with such
skill and grace that thereafter his future was
made in the village.
The family circle at Belvoir and Mount Yer
non included, besides the visitor, Lord Fairfax,
Baron of Cameron, Colonel William Fairfax, his
son George William Fairfax, his soas-in-law
Lawrence Washington and John Carlyle, and
William Ramsay, cousin of the WashingtOns.
These gentlemen united with the Alexanders,
who owned the Belhayen land and some village
traders, aud established town at Belhaven
warehouse, designed as a practical matter to
make money, and as a matter of taste to honor
at the same time the royal family of England
and the Fairfax family of America The new
town took shape with its streets at right an
giles. One centre street, Cameron, hanked south
by King, Prince and DIXIE Streets, and north
by Queen, Princess and Duchess Streets, and
these streets were crossed by another centre
SlTetl on one
side and the river the other. Anxious as the
yonng surveyor, George Washington, was to
perfect himself in his art, it is impossible TO be-
lieve that this plan was made by his relatives
and friends without his familiarity.
The lots of the new town were sold on the
18th of July, 17I9 Among the purchasers were
Lawrence Washington, John Carlyle, Adam Ste
phen, afierwarIl snbaltern under Braddock
and one of Washington's Generals in the RevO-
lutionary army, and John Champe. father of
Sergeant-Slajor Champe, of Lees legion, who
feigned desertion in the hope of capturing the
traitor Arnold. The bids were made in Spanish
pistoles. The lots, One-quarter acre each, sold
at from SIS 10 $50 each. Young Washington
had no money to spare to buy town lots but he
owned some land opposite fredericksburg, and
was already earning doubloon day by sur
veying the wild lands of Lord Fairfax. Almost
as soon as this survey was completed, he was
commissioned Major in the Colonial militia, and
appointed adiutant of the frontier district, with
headquarters Mt Alexandria. From this centre
he organized the militia of the frontier COun-
ties, selected dril-masters for the officers, at
tended and regulated musters, and on this lin
tied field first developed that mastery of detail
and talent for organization which, twenty-five
years later, organized on Boston Heights q crude
militia into Continental army. There fingers
yet IN the traditions Of the town the dim figure
of tall, wiry, snnburned young man, always
on horseback, of 'bitter' will, and yet of great
popularity; not personal magnetism that at
tracted individual men, but dominating pow
er that won men in mass, by giving every one
assurance of safety under his lead.-Uiiiiam f.
CGTRe, in HdTper's Magazine.