Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1891-10-15
Sketches of Colonial Days.
MOUNT VERNON.


Lawte1ce Washiugs son, s map OF the survey
and Ciigieoa OF the original grant OF 5000
acres made 20 Coi Nicholas Spencer and
Col Joh1 Washington, shich included the
lands assween the waters Of Dogus creek
enG Little Hunting creek, from the Po.
tomsc river baok 10 the line known as the
douole ditchoa between the Washington
and the Mason property. The original
graut 20 Spencer and Washington was in
1874, the division referred TO above wss.be-
tween Col. Washington aud the heirs Of Col.
Spencer into two equal parts, Spencer taxi
Ing the western part lying on Dogue creek,
which wss then called the 'IpseWasseo."
snd We -hlngton retsining the eastern por.
,ion OF Little Hunting creek which con-
tained the site OF Mout Vernon. The Spen-
Ger portion appears to hevs passed entirely
out CT the hants OF that faplly ~ the course
Of next fft9 yea-o, com % Is having been
bought By Lawrence and the reHdCe by
Gscree Washington, 30 that 1t all came
beck to the Washington family again. From
this western portion Ct the Mount Vernon
estate lying In the Dogue rua or IpsawsseeD
valley George WaabiDgton Tss 0aairlcus OF
securing some high land for busdlUg site
on .hst part of it. 50 be bought part Of
what was called the Chape laDds or
Traverses' whereby ne secured "Grey's
Heishtp." The following letter frou Gen.
Washington to his nephew Lawrence will
be OF interest 10 counectioIIWith the above:
MT. VERSoN, Sept. 20, 1899.
Dear Sir: From ths nome Mrs. Wash
iagton end mysei? adopted the twc young
est children OF Mr.. Castle, it becaa my in
tenton (f they survive me- and conduct
t6scaselvCs tc my Eatlsfacticn) TO coDsider
them In my will when I YES about 20 make
a distribution OF my properly. This de-
termination has undergone no dtmiuntiou,
but ie strengthened By Tho oonuexlon which
one OF them ba5 formed with my family.
The expenee at which live and the unpro-
duotive1e5s of my estate together, will sd-
uit of 70 diminution of income while I re-
msin in my present situation; On the contra.
ry were IL not for occasional supplies OF
money 10 payment FOR lspGs sold within tie
last four or five years TO the amount Of up
aards OF fifty thousand doliers, should not
os able to eupport the former Without In
yolvng myself 10 debt aud difficulties. But
as Ii has bean understood from expressions
dropped from Nelly Cust!s. now yonr wits,
that it Is the wisn o. yo1 both 10 settle 10
this neigh5orhood, contiguous to heT friends.
and as it would be inexpedent ss veil as
expensive for you TO make o purchase OF
land when q measure which is In ooutem-
pation would place you on more sligibe
ground, sball inform you that 10 the will
which have by me, an0 have no disposi-
tion to alter, that part of my Mt. Vernon
tract which lies northwest Of the public
road leading from the Gum Spring and Col
chester (irom certain point which hsve
marked) oontsIning about two thoUsaod
acres of land with the Dogue run isrn, mill
end dlstillery, Gray's Heights, &c, Is
bequea,hed 10 you ard her jointly, If yon
inonne 10 build on II, and few better sites
for house than Gray's klil and that range
are 10 be found iu this country or elsewhere.
You may also have what Is properly
Dogue run farm, the mill and 6istillery, on
6 just a1d equitable rent, as also the hands
belonging thereto on reasonable hire, eth
or next year Or the year following, 1t being
necessary, In my opinion. that young man
should have object OF employment. Idle
ness is disrepuiaos under ery circumstances
productive OF no good even when uDsc-
compaoied With Vicious habita--end you
might commence ba;iding IS soon as you
please, during he progress Of which Mount
Vernon might be made your home.
You msy conceive that building before
you have en- absolute title to the land is
| hazardous. To obviste this shal. only re-
mark that 1t is not likely that any occur
renee will happen or any change take place
that would alter my intention (if the con-
duct OF yourself and wife is sucn as to merit
6 continuance OF it). Bat, be tbis 90 It may,
that you msy proceed on sure ground With
Sour buildlnee, will sgree, end this letter
shali bear evidence of 1t, that II thereafter I
should lind GAUGE to make any other dispo.
sition OF the property here mentioned, I
Will pay the aotnal cost Of such buildings to
you or yours.
Aithougn nave not the most distant idea
that any event will happen that could effect
cnsnge ID my present determination, nor
any suspicion that you or Nelly would CON.
duct yourselves in such manner as to in.
cur my serious dspeasure, yet at the ssna
time that sn inclined to do justice to 9th.
ers 1t behooves nae to take care of self by
keeping the staff in my own hands, That
you may have more perfect idea of the
landed property have bequeathed 10 Won
and Nelly in my will transmit plan oft.
every part OF which is correctly laid down
and accurately measured, showing the mum.
Der OF fields, lots, meadows, waste lands. etc.
With the contents and relative situation of
each. sll of which. except the Mll swamp.
(which hiss never been considered part OF
Dogue run farm and is retained merely for
! the purpose OF putting 1t In better state of
lmprovement,l you may have on she terms
mentioned. With every KIM wish for you
and Nelly In which your aunt who has been
and la vsry much indsroeed unitee, re
main your s5sc,ionate uncle
GEO. WASHINGTON.
AS Washington died. 10 less thun shree
months after the above letter ygss written,
Lawrence Lewis then came Into ;nll pcsssa-
sion OF the property referred to. and built
"Wcodievn Mansion" on "Gray's Height"
as recommended in 1900 In 1846 the man