Smyrna times., 1888-11-07
Mount Vernon.
REPORT OF THE RGENT TO THE VICE
REGENTS.

REPORT OF THE RGENT TO THE VICE
REGENTS.
LADIES: Our reunion this year is
shadOwed by the recent death of one of
the oldest members of our Board, Mrs.
Comegys, Vice Regent for Delaware,
who was also one of its most steadfast
and earnest workers in the early days
OF the Association, when every effort
was being made for the purchase of
Mount Vernon, and the latter for it's
maintenance in the trying years of
struggle and discOuragement that was
experienced during the war. I well
remember her at the small council held
in Washington in 1864, when only the
Vice Regent for New York Miss Ham
iltOn), for New Jersey Miss Ogden),
for Maine, Mrs. Little), for Wisconsin
MRS. MitchelD, Pennsylvania myself,
and District of Columbia Mrs. Riggs
were present. And when the question
was earnestly agitated by some of the
ladies as to whether it would not be
proper and indeed necessary, to request
the Government to take charge of
Mount Vernon, as the Association was
virtually without funds for its support,
our boat having been taken for use of
the Government, how bravely and
firmly she opposed any such proceed
ing and how much weight her words
carried. We stood together in that
most important discussion, which de-
cided the fate of Mount Vernon, and it
was always a strong and loving bond.
She has passed from us now, but it is
well that in these more prosperous
days of our Association we should not
forget the memories that cluster around
the Older members, whose exertions and
anXieties were for many years inces-
SAINT, and who never wearied in their
labor of love. To the last, Mrs. Com
eggs thought of Mount Vernon, and
had prepared for the room furnished
by her State, some articles that have
been forwarded since her death by her
daughter, and placed as she desired
them to be, by me. 1t is also my duty
to announce to you the death of Mr..
w. w. CorcOran, one of our advisory
committee, who rarely failed to come
to Mount Vernon to greet us at our
Annual Council, and to express his in
terest in our work.
The past year has been one of unus-
ual prosperity for Mount Vernon, the
beautiful restoration Of the Deer Park
by the Messrs. Campbell, of st. Louis,
sons of our late valued colleague for
Missouri, which l at last Council had
the pleasure to announce to you had
been undertaken by them and their
cheque for $4,000 received in advance,
has been successfully accomplished,
and by the further kindness Of these
| gentlemen, the Park has been stocked
| with choice deer and a shelter house
| for them built at an additional cost of
! S3O6.O4. The Messrs. Campbell, untir-
ing in their interest, and in generosity
/ to Mount Vernon have also presented
to us Il pair Of tripods, whose history,
fully verified by the papers that accom-
| panied them, IS most interesting. They
originally belonged to General and
Mrs. Washington, aud were in use
In one Of the lower rOOms-prOb-
ably the Banquet Hall st Mount Yer
non. When DR.. William Thornton, an
old friend of General Washington (by
whom he was appointed one of the
Commissioners to lay out the Federal
City,, came to visit him bringing his
bride, the General and Mrs Washing
ton requested them TO select something
as a wedding gift, and Mrs. Thornton
at once suggested that mementO from
the mansion would be very precious
and chose the Tripods that now, after
all these many years, have through the
Kindness of the Messrs. Campbell, been
restored to their old home. Mrs.
Thornton presented them to her hus-
bands niece, Miss Adelaide Talbot and
they remained in the possession of that
family until the death of Miss Mary
Talbot presumably the last member ol
it,, when they passed through the
hands of the executor of the Talbot
estate into the possession of the Rev. ]
}. Murphy, President ofGonzaga Col
lege, Washington, and from him to DR..
McGerk, his successor in Office, from
whom they were purchased at a cost Ot
$500 by the Messrs. Campbell, who
have thus given to Mount Vernon
$3,608O4.
Of Mr.. Jay Gould's liberal gift of the
S34 acres of land adjoining Mount Yer
non, the tract that we all so fully real
lied the importance of acquiring, yOU
have already been informed by the re
port of 1887, as it was made almost i'm
mediately after the adjournment of the
last Council. The price paid for it wa.
$500, and we feel that our ownership
OF It is great protection against many
possible annOyances. 1t is indeed
most gratifying to note the increasing
interest that is being developed il
Mount Vernon, and such generou.
beneiactiOns as those received from
these gentlemen will, we may hope
induce many others to contribut,
means to beautify and preserve thii
sacred place.
l have also the pleasure to inform
you Of the gift since last Council, from
Mrs. Fairchild, wife of the Secretary
of the Treasury, of a very interesting
relic, the published official programme
of General Washington's funeral
which had been presented to her b,
Miss Varick, it having been amonj
the papers of Colonel Richard Variclz
Recording Secretary to General Wash
ington. Mrs. Fairchild had it appro
priately famed, and in complianc
with her request, it has been placed i
the room furnished by New York.
From Mrs. Mary Startling Payne, c
: Hopkinsville, Kentucky, Ihave receiy
! ed for Mount Vernon, most interest
ing collection of letters from member
Of the Lewis and Washington family
among them one from Nelly Custi
Lewis, two from her husband (Genera
Washington's nephew), Lawrenc
!, Lewis, one from Bushrod Washington
Y and one from Major George Lewis
brother to Lawrence Lewis who wa
General Washington's nephew an
namesake, and commander of his lii
guard. These letters are addressed [
: Mrs. Paynes' grandfather, Gabri,
Lewis and his brother Warner Wash
ington Lewis. With these Mrs. Payn
also sends a very curious and valuabl
revolutionary relic, being receiT
4 signed by James Monroe, Quarterma