Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-04-17
MARTHA WASHINGTON.
Her Neglected Grave at Fredericks-
burg-Nrs. Washington's Home Lie
old virginia Days.

II
events in our national life, writes 8
correspondent of the Boston Advert
ser. The town full of colonial and
revolutionary recollectlons, 10 say
nothing of the important w ashng
tonians relics, while every brick OF
single tells some story of the herce
contest that waged and surged fol
miles along the river and valleys be.
vond during the wilderness days OF
the civil war.
Washington's father, named Au,
CUISINE. with Mary, his wife, settled
originally in the country of West
moreland on the other bank OF the
river. a few miles below the present
Fredericksburg, moving later to a
location nearly opposite the town. 1t
was to this new home that George was
brought when about SIX years Old;
The lad figured in legendary local
lore as having thrown stone across
the Rappahannock at an incredibly
early age. The fond parent, who had
enticed the lad into the path of TRUTH
never cut a conspicuous figure, and
died Young. leaving the care of his
son to bis wife. This was about all he
did leave, except coonskin cap and
a mortgage on the farm. Mrs Wash
inqton, or Mother Washington, as the
natives called her, then abandoned
the old place and passed the days OF
her widowhood in a small, one-story
and attic frame that Is still standing
on one OF the principal streets, just
before you reach the outskirts, bat
tered and shaky concern, with band
box kitchen attached, in which two
chickens could scarcely be cooked
without crowding the accommoda-
tions. Additions have since been made
to the original house, but the old
shanty itself. in all its primitive
auaintness, is now occupied by Mr..
Moon ana his family, a matchmaker
of the town. while the corner room,
where Mrs. Washington died, IS now
the armament from which Mrs. Moon
sheds her mild domestic light
About two hundred yards to the
south of her old rookery stands the
most interesting house of the neigh
borhood, and 1t explains the residence
of Neither Washington ON the south
side of the river after her husband S
death. She had, among other
treasures, a daughter, Elizabeth, bet
ter known as Bette, on whom Col
onel Fielding Lewis dropped his ador-
ing and practical gaze. The colonel
was an English gentleman of culture
and family, and, barring an inherited
tendency to consumption, seems TO
have been a most desirable cavalier
of the old school. Then, too, he had
lands and gold galore in the Bank of
ENGLAND, and taking one consldera-
ton with another, Bette very SEN
siblv gathered in the colonels name
and future under her protecting
wing The colonel provided a cage
for his bird in highly romantic
way. Having soul above such
frame shanties as prevailed IN the
neighborhood, he directed his English
factors to send over four artisans to
build him a house "as was a house,
and ordered the bricks to be shipped
from England Bette became the
mistress of Kenmore house. The
architecture is severely PLAIN, but the
venerable mansion as standing day
is a marvel of comfort and solid con
struction. Originally, the surround
ing estate of Colonel Lewis was quite
large but time has, OF course, played
havoc with his proportions.
Atpresent the occupant OF Kenmore
is Mr.. William Key Howard, of Baltl-
more, a gentleman of wealth ard
charming hospitality. who certainly
stands with severely Spartan compos-
ure the strain of occupying a mansion
of national memories, to which
tourists are attached with stock of
interrogation points. He paid $4,000
for the present property, embracing
Kenmore itself and about SIX acres
lying along the lovely swell OF the
outskirts, and overlooking the pictur-
esque range of valley below. The
house, which had safely weathered the
shock of many venerable revels, has
smiled at the comparatively playful
ravages of time. The structure is
nearly square. On the north side is a
portico facing the town, but Mr.. How.
ard has so changed the walks and
drives as to make a south frontage for
the residence The rooms are of special
beauty, the dining hall and reception
parlor both on the ground floor To
spacious dimensions and high ceiling
is added the distinguished feature of
the suucco work. 1t bears the work of
time, aud IS appropriately yellowed
with age, but the floral and emblem
attic designs testify TO the works genius.
The work is widely famous Scarcely
a week passes that some designing
architect does not call to inspect il.
Recently Mr. Howard entertained a
gentleman who had come all the way
from Boston to get glimpse of this
famous bit of art, He went into rap
lures over it, saying that nowhere in
America had he seen such elaborate
and perfectly executed designs Dur.
ing the civil war Kenmore stood i'm
range of confederate guns from Mary S
heights and the federal batteries
across the river; but, like the scrip
tural, building, it fell not, for it was
founded on a rock. The brick wall,
bear the marks of the shells, but a.
they were two feet thick of good
l. AZ "a.