The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-07-05

In Westmoreland county, Virginia, the
people are wondering at this time. when
the masses are vending their way to the
Columbian exposition at Chicago.
whether the general excitement incident
to the great international fair will be
the cause of further delay in the obli-
cation that the American nation,
through congress, owes to the memory
OF Washington.
In Westmoreland county. whose shores
are washed by the waters OF the PotO-
mac and Rappahannock rivers. is the
quiet village of Wakefield, where Wash
ington was born. While much has
been written about the illustrious gen
eral and the whole world is familiar
with his life his birthplace is seldom
mentioned and much less visited. Prob
ably it is just as well for the self-res-
pecting people OF this country that the
tours Of interest arranged by railroad
and other transp OrtatiOn companies take
In Mt. Vernon. the burial place of
Washington, as part of a pilgrimage,
and exclude Wakefield. the place of his
birth, for il would surely be a source of
lasting regret for any person with
spark Of patriotism in his being TO loiter
for moment about the neglected spot
where once the old home of Washing
toms nativity stood, and which is
marked now only by a pile of fallen
brick and rich growth of rank vege-
tation. And but very little is known of
this beautiful spot, which, in addition 10
being the birthplace of Washington. is
in the immediate vicinity of the birth
places of Monroe and Robert r. Lee.
Wakefield is situated in the northern
part of WeStmOreland county and is
large plantation of 1 200 acres, bordering
the Potomac river for a half mile 1t is
bounded on the northeast by the famous
Bridge creek and on the south by Pope's
creek. Being in an agricultural section,
the lands bordering on the river and
creeks are very fertile and are to this
day cultivated in corn and wheat which
crops are usually grown in this part of
Virginia.
Merely n Pile of Brick.
The spot where the home of Washing
ton stood is 200 yards from the bank of
Popes creek and one-half mile from its
mouth, where it empties into the POto-
mac river. Nothing remains now of the
original dwelling. which was a plain
house with four rooms on the lower
floor and several in the attic, except the
bricks that formed the foundation. Up
TO a few years ago lone chimney stood
in this large field near by the original
house. and il is said to have been the
chimney of small house that was built
after the original house was destroyed
| by fire, which occurred during the last
years of the revolutionary war. Stand
ing as it were, alone in it's significance
for more than a century 1t could no
longer resist the destructive elements
| OF time and now nothing remains to
mark that historic spot save a cluster
| of shade trees. a few fig trees, bushes
| nil of l,1.C,trar, iolr
The present owner of Wakefield is
| Mr.. John T.. Wilson. formerly of Mary
/ land. but for more than fOrty-four years
| he has resided upon the place. Mr.. VIII
sons home is situated One-haf mile
| farther back from the river and over
/ looks the field containing the site of the
| Washington mansion. 1t also com
mandS an extended view Of the Poto-
mae river. which at that point is seven
/ miles wide.
The Wakefield Place, as it is often
| called. has not yet passed out of the
Washington family. The wife of John
| +. Wilson was Miss William Augustine
Washington, the half nephew of Gen.
! Washington.
Long Time In the Family.
| Wakefield was purchased by the first
of the Washington family that emigrated
TO this country. They We're the brothers
Lawrence and John, who reached here
| in 1853. They first located at or near
| Bridge Creek, now Westmoreland county.
| The name of the old home was changed
in 1881 from Bridge Greek TO Wakefield,
| and the former name is fast becoming
| obsolete. Lawrence afterward moved
| To Essex county and died in January
/ 1917. leaving three children. But il is
| from Col. John Washington that Gen.
George Washington is descended Col
John was a pious man and had wonder
| full strength of character. He was made
| magistrate member of the house of bur
gesses and was colonel of the military
| forces of Virginia that operated with
| those of Maryland in keeping back the
| Seneca Indians that were then ravagine
| the banks of the Potomac. Washington
| parish was named in honor of him. and
] it contains the only episcopal church in
this part of the country. It is here
| that the Washingtons of Westmoreland
| worship today.
Washington's father, grandfather and
| greatgrandfather lived all or a part of
| their lives at Bridge Creek now Wake
| field, and all We're inferred in the family
| vault. This vault is but a short dis.
| lance from the birthspot heretofore men
| toned. Nothing now remains Of the sa-
| cred tomb but a few marble slabs. the
| inscriptions on which have become al.
most obliterated. a group of trees
| fully as uncared for as the vault itself
| throw their struggling shade over the
| spot.
The people of Westmoreland count,
| fail to see why, after congress granted
| an appropriation TO erect a suitable mon
ument TO commemorate the birthplace o.
| Washington and the tomb Of his antece
| dents, some steps have not been taken Il
carry on the work.
Money Voted, hut Nothing Done.
In June, 1879, by a joint resolution o
congress, $4,000 was appropriated FOL
this purpose. and the expenditure of tn,
appropriation and the control of tn,
erection of a suitable monument wer,
intrusted to the secretary of state
In the spring of 1880 William NJ Ev
arts, secretary of state, made a visit Il
the birthplace, and on May "a 1885, be
ing aided by the advice of a gentleman
accomplished and learned in the histor,
of art, wrote letter to Mr. Samuel ]
Randall speaker of the house of repre-
sentatives, stating that monuments com
memorative OF great and good men hav,
usually been either of triumphaI OF
| sepulchral nature and that in this cas-,
the object of the monument precludin,
any imitation of such examples, he sug
gested that the designation of the paren
tai home in which Washington was borI
and the preservation of all that tim
had left of it should shape the architect
ure of the monument to be erected
Therefore he submitted to congress plan
for the structure of a permanent gran
tie building that would stand centuries
| needing but little care, having tiled roof
| bronzed doors and windows and with ;
bronze tablet bearing a suitable inscrip
| ton, and that the ancient tablet AM
1 haa lGfr hca fal