The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-05-09

Berkshire, when gentleman's travel
ing chariot was upset in front Of the
house, and the gentleman himself
brought in seriously injured, and was
nursed to recovery by her. He proved
to be q fellow Virginian and neigh
bor-Colonel Augustine Washington,
of Westmoreland County, Va, q
gentleman of historic British
stock, tracing hs ancestry back
centuries in England. They were
married on March 6, 1730, he be-
ing widower with three young sons.
The Fredericksburg folks can tell you
also all that is known about the birth
of George Washington, their oldest
child, in Westmoreland County in 1882 !;
of the life of the family at Wakefield,
on the Potomac; of the fire that de-
stroyed the little homestead, Of the
subsequent removal to Pine Grove,
across the Rappahannock, from Fred
ericksburg; of the death there Of the
father, Augustine, when George was
but eleven years of age, and OF the
widows brave, energetic, positive and
methodical character and life with her
children-three sons and one daugh-
ter-at the Ferry Farm until her
young eaglets scattered from the
family nest.
Probably it is owing to the fact that
Mary Ball Washington, the widowed
mother, by the untimely death OF her
husband, had the sole responsibility
of training and rearing her children,
and particularly George, that people
seldom hear or speak of Washington's
father. As to his mothers worth there
is no disagreement whatever among
historians and biographers. Respect
ing her, Washington himself declared
solemnly: "All that I am owe to my
mother"
Count Rochambeau is reported to
have exclaimed after meeting her: eff
such are the matrons of America, she
may well boast of illustrious sons!"
One Of her neighbors recorded this of
her week following her death: "There
is no fame in the world purer than
that of the mother of Washington, and
no woman since the Mother of Christ
has left better claim to the reverence
of mankind" OF her also the adopted
son of Washington wrote, thirty-seven
wears after her death: "aad she been
of the olden time, statues would have
been erected to her memory at the
Capitol, and she would have been
called the Mother of Romans.
While the name and fame Of Mary,
the mother of Washington, rightfully
belongs to the whole nation, this
quaint old shipping town OF Fred
ericksburg claims and holds it as
particularly local heritage. Right
here in the heart of the town on
Charles street, still stands the interest.
ing old wooden house which Mary
Washington purchased for residence
at the suggestion of her illustrious
son when the Revolution broke out,
and where she passed fourteen years at
the close of her benefcent life. 1t 1s,
perhaps, the most esteemed relic IN
Fredericksburg, which is full OF Wash
ington mementoes and other OBJECTS
of later historical interest. As origi-
nally built it was of the cottage type,
but later it was enlarged to its present
proportions. 1t is of two stories in
the centre and one at the wings, with
half-story sttics lighted by the dor
mer windows. There are four win
dows of uniform size on the first floor
and three ON the central second story,
over the portico entrance. On the
side street there are also four win
dows, of unequal size. In the de-
tached building in the rear are the
kitchen and servants dormitories.
Behind this is spacious back yard,