Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1892-03-31
The Mary Washington Monument


Those who remembered Mary Washing
top'd appearance ln the lstsY years Of he
life describe her person as being OF medium
sizs and we'll ptoportlen ned, the dignity o
bearing, the erect carriage. giving some
thing Of ststeliness to her presence, while
he- features were regular ard strongly
N AZ K cd, her brow fac, and bar eyes clesl
blue.
M authentic portrait OF Mary Washing
ton is known 1t Is q family tradili,n thet
In the destruo:son If Wakefield by fte the
family portraits we're lost Col. g. W. P
Cus,is was Questioned ss to his knowledge
of the eutjeot, and replied By letter to Col
Lswis W Washington that there was no
picture preserved oftbe mother Of the chief, "
and tpis has been always the belief OF her
descsndants.
At Fredericksburg on the day Of the fune.
| raj al business was suspended. and though
the August sun shone hot, crow ds Of clliz ans
frcm town and the oouatrS around "throDg-
ed St. Georges Cburoh. Z. where the
impressive fuueral pervice OF the Protettatt
Episcopal Ohuroh Of America was
conducted by Rev. Thomas Thornton. her
pastor" And then, borne reverently In
her coffin by strong men, The moral re-
mains of Mary Washington we're conveyed
to tbs spot she had chosen for her burial,
followed By o long procession,
Col. Gusts, DR.. Losing, add ctler writer's
have emphasized the transmitted accounts
OF her death, telling how "cergymen
throughout tas lard spoke elcqaently from
their pulpit, of The honored desd, while
members CT Congress and many privsts ciu.
zsns wore the urusl badge Of mourning In
respect TO her memory" 10 long letter to
his sister-recently given In Ford's publica.
tion-Washlngton speaks religiously end
tenderIy of thsir mothers death and her
christian character.
For many years her grave remained un-
marked. About the year 1880 there was q
plan proposed to remove the remsins, and
20 place them 10 vauit under the Presby-
te,iaa church but to this the Washington
family positively refused 20 consent. Many
other suggestions and proposals were made,
bat nothing was done till at last, 10 1893. the
Hop. sias o. Burrows of New York ttf,r-
ed to raise monum ait at his private ex-
peuee. Tne cornerstone was laid with I'M
posiog ceremonies by the President OF tae
Unlted States, G. sneral Andrew Jackson, In
the presence OF the relatives, many dls;in-
guIshed gueats, and large concourae OF
people.
Usfortunetely, when the monument was
almost completed. the generous donor,
meeting with sudden and severe reverse Of
fortune, was unable to fnish the work OF
placing the obslisk upon lis handsome base.
Hoping to rally from bis financial prostra.
tion, Mr.. Burrows requested the committee
to wsit awhile until he could have the work
finished. but not long afterwsrd he died, be-
fore recovering anything OF bis fortune.
Then disaereementa srose regarding the
matter, and the ebafs lay prone upon the
ground, slow disintegrsting, for nearly sixty
yea.s, until the women OF the country raj
lied to the rescue. as they did for Mount
Vernon, and the Mary Washington Menu
mant Association, organized few years
Ego and now successfully working, will be-
fore long complete their pet:iotic plan. and
perfectly restore the now musilated monu.
msnt.-April Century.