Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1884-07-11
WaSHINGTON'S MOTHERS TOMB
Its Unfinished and Neglected Condo
tfOn--A Relic Hunters Sacrilege.
[Cor. New York Telegram.

Cor. New York Telegram
The grave of Washington's mother
at fredericksburg, Va, is unkept,
neglected and the favorite resort of relic
hunters, who mutilate the partially
completed monument and deface the
grave with impunitv. Mrs. Washing
ton selected during her life the s,ro.
where she wished to be buried. 1t WIS
west from the house i'll which size
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,
Col Fielding Lewis, from whose hands
it passed into possession of the Cord II
family. just where the Kenmore place
begins to slope down on every side to
the valley below is the grave, COM
handing 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 Maryes
heights. Southwark 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.
10 the left of the monument as Won
face northwest is private graveyard of
small size surrounded by brick wall.
This is the last resting place of many of
the Gordons. \ few oaks and aspen
trees shade this sacred spot. The monu-
ment was commenced by Mr. Silas Bur-
rows, wealthy merchant of New York,
and all that has ever been expended on
it was given by him. 1t has never been
completed. Near the unfinished monu-
ment lies an enormous cone shaped
piece of marble that was to have been
the capstone, SO to speak, of the monu-
ment. It Lever was put on top of its
place, and lies half buried in the ground,
sad spectacle of wasted efforts. The
monument is square. the base large and
massive, surrounded by smaller
square of solid marble blocks, built in
imitation of temple, the four sides be-
ing ornamented with two huted columns,
each of marble. 1t is sadly defaced.
The marble columns are thrown down,
broken, and some of them have been
carried away.
The corners are Clipped and broken.
Bullets, shot and pencil have helped in
the designation. Grass and weeds
crown the summit, and here it stands, a
fitting emblem of the futility of human
hopes, aspirations and works. The
foundation of the monument was laid
on May &, 1888. In digging for the
foundation the coffin WAS exposed. 1t
was of black walnut. 1t had decayed
and fallen apart, exposing the bones of
Mrs. Washington. 1t is said that one
relic hunting citizen, Mr.. Anthony
Buck, secured one Of the finger bones,
and that for years he showed it as a
curiosity. The corner stone was laid
on the eth day of May, 1888, amid grand
civic and military display in the presence
of the president, Andrew jackson. 1t
was on his way to attend this ceremony
that Lieut.. Randolph, of tho navy,
pulled the presidents nose. l have
talked with gentleman who was pres
ent when the president address ed the
people from the steps of DIR. Wallace's
house on Main street. He tells me
that an old negro man, George White
by name, vender of cakes and fruits,
pressed up close to Jackson and called
out, "Bres, yer heart, honey! did dey
hurt yer nose?"
Old Hickory looked like a gamecock
as he drew himself up, his eyes flash
ing, AID his white, bristly hair stand
ing straight up, and Numbered out,
mo, by the Eternal"