Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-11-30
WASHINGTON PAPERS
The RECENT VALUABLE DISCOVERY
OF THE LEWIS FAMILY.
Memorials Of tho Father OF His Country
Found in an Old Trunk-Forth-
coming Sale.
Philalielphia Times.

''NA uON tnht tuc hunOiuSOhhSA'
discovery OF the last effects OF General
Washington and his family, which are
shortly to be sold in this city, has occa-
stoned tho greatest interest. The sale
is made by tho order Of H. L. ID. Lewis,
the administrator Of Mrs. Lorenzo Lewis,
as part of the estate Of Major Lawrence
Lewis, the favorite nephew Of Washing
ton, who married Nellie Custis, Wash
ington's adopted daughter. aud who was
the son of Colonel Fielding LOWS, who
married Washington's sister Bette. The
estate Of Lorenzo Lewis, OF Berryyihe,
Clark county, Virginia, deceased hus-
band OF Lorenzo Lewis and son OF Major
Lawrence Lewis, is also to be sold.
OF paramount importance in this col
lection, and worthy Of first mention, are
all OF Washingtons private papers,
deeds, leases. and drafts of his proper
ties, list of his negroes, and the draft
OF his will, all in his own handwriting.
There are also large folio volume, the
original ledger accounts OF the MI.
Vernon distillery and fishery, in the
year 1893, kept by his secretary, Tobias
Seal, two vouchers in the handwriting OF
Washington testifying to the correctness
Of the accounts in this volume, several
autograph letters of Wsshington's, and
oil the rare documents end correspond
ence OF the executors OF Washington
estate, George Steptoe Washington and
Lawrence Lewis. and later, upon the
death OF Lewis. Bushrod Washington.
The greater portion of this most val
liable collection was unearthed not more
than three weeks ago in a musty old
trunk in the store-room of " Audiey," the
county-seat of the Lewises. in Virginia.
The contents Of this trunk had been en-
tirely lost sight of By Mr.. Lewis. and
tue discovery OF these valuable Wash
ington papers was great surprise to
him.
PRIVATE MEMORANDUM-BooK.
General Washington's private memo
randum- book from September %, 1874,
to September, 1877, which was found in
this old trunk, is a valuable relic which
should repose eventually in the historl-
cal Society of Pennsylvania. 1t Is com
posed of sixty closely-written pages in
the handwriting of General George
Washington and contains much matter
Of the greatest interest, Washington
| having enumerated all the various items
for which he expended money. The
| following are few extracts:
November 10. Lent Madame de Segur.
O French lady in distress. fifty dollars.
May 7. By cash to Mrs. Washington,
to pay sundry accounts, $40.
June Z. Received on account OF my
compensation from the Treasury, tho
whole of what is, and will be due up to
] the last of this mo-, amounting TO Sl5. SO.
July 10, 1856. By cash sent Harriet
Washington to buy her wedding clothes,
100 dollars.
Oct. 90. BY so out of the 100 dollars
left with Mr.. Thos Peter for the sufferer:
10y fire, returned, he having disposed Of
only ten OF them.
Nov. 3. Gave Geo. w. Fayette, fol
the purpose of getting himself such
small articles OF clothing as nc might
want and not chuse to ask for, 100 dol
lars.
Feb. 81, 1877. Gave Mrs. Washing
ton, for her own purposes, 100 dollars.
juno 6. Paid clock-maker for set
ting my clocks agoing, 9s.
July II. Paid for lock and roll o.
pomatum, 2s. Cd.
August 20. Sent DR.. Smith, presi
dent Of tho Princeton College, on &C
count OF G.. Washington Custis's board
schooling end expenses, $3.50, and 81
more to be given to Mr. Gusts to bea
his expenses home at vacation.
wAsHINGroN's NEGROES.
The "list of the negroes belonging L
George Washington III his own right anC
by marriage, also those hired from Mrs
French" is an eight-page folio documen
of unique rarity. 1t is written by Wash
ington, and gives the naLles OF all tn
slaves employed on his various farms
their age, their occupation, and thei
relationship to each other, and how anC
by what manner he came into possession
OF each. His reorganization shows tina
he owned III negroes.
Another small memorandum-b0ok KEEP
from September !, 1877, to December B
1899, in the handwriting OF Washington
is even more interesting than the on
quoted from above. Under date OF Jul.
4. 1877, he writes "By expenses 70
the celebration of the anniversary o
independence in Alexandria, Sl.4O.
On September 10th of the same year tn
following memorandum occurs: "Sen
as donation for the distressed inhabi
tauts in Philadelphia to Mr.. Jones anC
the managers, $500" This was the pc
Rod of the yellow-fever epidemic. DE
cember 3D.: enlarged Mr.. Leurenc
with cash, 800, and with check on tn
Bank of Alexandria, 500. Credit tn
bank thereof, S400." This Is the las
item Washington made in this book, an,
is noteworthy, as it probably was almos
the last time he used a pen, being writ
ten but q few days before his death.
AUTOGRAPH LETTERS.
There are two valuable autograph let
tiers in the Lewis collection. One writ
ten at Mt. Vernon September 20, 1893
to Major Lawrence Lewis informs hin
that by his will Washington has be
queathed 10 him and his wife the Dogu
Run farm, upon which Lewis was yer.
anxious TO settle.
Among some of the other autograph
letters in the collection IS one from )
w. Fairfax, dated Belyoir, Aoyembe
| Is, 1865, in reference to lands. Wash
ington has made a memorandum on thu
back ofthis letter. Upon another letter
from Fairfax Washington has marked
"Lettersfro Honorable ). W. Fairfax
A letter to His Excellency, Lieu
tenant General Washington" from Al
exander Addison, dated Pittsburgh, No
vember 8, 1889, is OF interest. as is also
deed of Tobias Lear's to George Washing
ton, OF shares in the Potomac Company
dated April 10, 1876, signed by Tobias
Lear, Robert T. Hore, George Gilpin
William Hartshorne, and +. Wagner
Another letter is from Colonel Clement
Biddle to Washington, dated Phliadel
phia, January II. 1902.
A curious relic is the original contract
entered into by Lawrence Lewis with
William Yeaton for $500 for building the
wall around the tomb OF Washington al