Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-12-05
WAsHInGrOn's MOTHER.
The sacriligsOus Deeds Of Vandals
ct Her Grave.
Stealing n Finger Bone From
the Exposed skeleton.


To day your city commentaries the
one hundredth anniversary Of the
evacuation Of New York by the Brit
ish, and the name Of George Wash
ington is spoken in reyerential tones
BY hundreds Of thousands OF your eit.
z1ns. At the same time the grave OF
his mother, which is at this place, Is
unkept, neglected, and the iavorite
resort Of relic hunters, who mutilate
the partially completed monument and
deiaoe the grave with IMMUNITY. Mrs
Washington selected during her lie
the spot where she wished to be bur
led. II was west from the house in
which she lived, Just on the edge OF
this city. within the corporate limits,
on the Kenmore estate, now owned
by W. Key Howard, OF Maryland,
owned at the time OF her death by her
son. In law. Colonel Fielding Lewis.
from whose hands it passed into Dos
session Of the Gordon family. Just
where the Kenmore place begins to
slope down on every side to the valley
below is the grave, commanding a
pretty view OF the upper edge OF the
town, of the valley up toward the dam
Of the Stafford Hills and Of the
heights OF Fredericksburg. including
the now famous Marye's Heights.
SOu'hNards a few hundred yards Is
the Confederate cemetery, and from
the hill beyond Marye's Heights, now
the national cemetery, the flag Of the
republic her son saved looks down
upon Mary Washington's grave.
To the left of the monument as you
face northwest il a private graveyard
Of small size surrounded by brick
wall. This is the last resting place Of
many Of the Gordons. A few oaks aud
aspen trees shade this sacred spot. The
monument was commenced by Mr.
| silts Burrows, wealthy merchant o.
New York, aud all that has ever been
expended 90 it was given by him. II
has never been completed. Near the
unfinished monument lies an enormous
cone shaped piece OF marble that va
to bave been the ca 1stone, so TO speak
of the monument. 1t was never put OF
top in its place, and lies half buried il
| the ground, sad spectacle OF wasteC
| efforts The monument is square, thu
base large and massive, surrounded b!
smaller square of solid marbli
blocks, built IN imitation Of temple
| the four sides being ornamented viii
| two huted columns, each of marble
| 1t is sadly defsced. The marble col
umns are thrown down, broken, anC
some Of them have been carriet
away.
The corners are clipped and broken
| Bullet, shot and pencil have helpe,
| in the designation. Grass and weed
crown the summit, and here it stands
fitting emblem Of the futility OF hu
man hopes, aspirations and works. Tn
foundation Of the monument was lai,
| May 6, 1893. In digging for the foun
dation the coffin was exposed. 1t wa
Of black walnut. Il had decsyeed an,
fallen apart, exposing the bones of Mrs
Washington. 1t is said that on
relic hunting citizen, Mr.. Anthem
Buck, secured one oil the finger bones
and that for years he showed it as
curiosity. The corner stone was lai
on the 9TH OF May, 1888, amid gran
civic aud military display in the pres
ence Of the President, Andrew Jack
son. Il was on bis way to attend thi
ceremony that Lieutenant Randolph
Of the navy, pulled the President
nose. | have talked with a gentlema
who was present when the Prtsiden
addressed the people from the steps .
I DR.. Wallace's house on Main stree
he tells me that an old negro mar
b the name of George White, a ven
der Of cakes and fruits, passed u
close to jackson and called: "Bres
yer heart, honey did dey hurt 20
j nose?"
i Old Hickory looked like a gam
cock and be drew himself up, his eye
flashing and his white bristly hal
standing straight up, and thundere
out. No, By the Eternall' have
however, been Informed bY anothe
gentleman who was present on the 90
casion, that the President had lonJ
rev scratch down his nose, as if Ran
| dolph had scraped it with his nal
Mr.. J.B. oenef, (Republiesn) Rep
resentative from the First Congres
sional District, endeavored to &c
through the Rorty-Third Congress a
appropriation 10 restore and eomplet
the monunent, bat failed. A bill
now pending for the same purpose, in
trOduced By Geo. T. Garrison demo
craft, Of the same district. Il is {
| be hoped that members from ell sec
tons, irrespective Of party, will com
! bine TO pass this bill, 50 that posterit
may pay 6ttinE tribute Of respect {
! the memory oftne mother Of one {
The worlds greatest heroes.