The Dickinson press. (Dickinson, Stark County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1927, 1889-10-05
MARY WAsHlNeToN's HOME.
resent Condition of the House in Which
che Motllcr of the Country. Lived.

Present Condition of the House In Which
''the Mother of the Country Lived.
Mary Washington. the mother of our
country through her illustrious son
George, died here Tuesday, Aug. 25. 1889,
and was buried here 100 years ago. on
the 2ith of last month. in the then fam
lily burying ground of the Lewis family
This neglected spot was part of the
estate of her daughter. Bette Lewis. who
lived ut that time in her large house.
very near by This house now stands
we'll preserved, and was built of English
brick brought to this country about the
middle OF the last century walked up
Charles street. and not far from the
heart of the town was shown the home
of Mary Washington Il mo'nst frame
structure fronting upon this street and
abutiing upon Lewis street. with lts
square porllrornrr"achins upon the side.
walk The rear l,.ltiun. about half way
down the slope vi tl,. roof. is OF brick
dovrtaiins int" the wooden structure.
which suggests the idea that luod.rn has
reversed the continental style. a. arcli
tcctureaccordlnS To our forel;ti,r, ideas
OF effects The hri"tiin,ations ar,. of stu!.c
shutting in AN ample cellar. W it'll s.:.,.l
door opening into Il side street with an
iron grating in Il wooden frame un the
front. The portion occupied by Mary
Washington is the wing on the corner
1t was in this room fronting the street
that she live'land died The higher por.
lion, with the porch. has. it is believed
been added since
raised the old brass knocker with a
feeling of vcneration, and, striking it,
the sound WAS suggestive of the drop Of
u coffin handle, This knocker is prcul
larly suggestive 1t is an eagle resting
upon bracirt and holding in its claws
the rim of IL shield, which. when rai,eI
strikes upon the bracket Mr. W j
Moon now OWLS the house and has pos
sc.,,ed it since 1871 examined care.
fully the records here in the court house
and found that the place had been owned
by seven different people in the last fifty
years; back OF that tho record does not
show here, but ni,.y b. found in the
county court house at SlD'iisylvania.
Within the house nothing remains OF
the furniture or anything that was used
by Mary Washington except the cup.
board reaching to the roof whose very
doors are rat eaten with the finger.
prying it open for Il century and Il halt
The stairway leading to the attic is mar
row, and breaks with Il right angIealew
steps from the lower floor The kitchen
originally built of logs. has been covered
over with plank The shutters and s;.,I,
are all the originals The f;lslrnngs ,n
the shutters are of IL very crude ,.,::nu
facturc, but have swung then We. 1T,
burdens in storm and Sunshine ful lon.
years, while the rust of :! IS lIis .n.en
ynawng them away
1t is very evident Mary Washln,, ,loi.
did not own this house; persons to whom
stated this promptly denied the propo.
sition. found her will executed M.N
20,l.SS, in which s.Ir make, specific lv
quests "f all her property wi,l nu Ecn
cr;il clause. 1t is Therefore vcr, rvl,lrn;
she did not die pps:,'.5s of thi, Il:pr
Her daughter owned quite Il large IT.
ol land, which at one time included
property and The three or more sutl,..
that are now built upon Lac. ,c
Kenmore house and the family bul.l..2
ground; in fact. her farm covered coilsiu.
erablc area not now exactly known
| Cor. New York Herald