The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1895-01-26

to the government, for public exhi BIZ
ton in the Smithsonian institution. The
old homestead at Mount Vernon is kept
in practically the condition it was when
the great patriot and his widow passed
away from, the sccpes OF earth. Recent
" a c1ump of trees which had grown
tall and outrageous has been trimmed
down so that il good view of Mount
Vernon can be obtained from the river.
The ladies in charge of the historic and
sacred place keep it in excellent repair
and mako it attractive. Every visitor
carries away with him from the place
pleasant me mory. Fifty thousand peo-
pie have visited Mount Vernon during
the present year.
The rncmentoes of Washington are
regarded as of such 1Dlporto nee that
they arc given an entire section of one
Of the halls of the National museum,
where they arc kept in one collection.
The entire list could not we'll be accu-
rately described in detail, save in II
large volume. Everything, from an
old time minia ture OF Washington to
his revolutionary war medicine chest.
are grouped together
One of the later exhibits added to the
collection by donation is complete
lot OF papers and documents which
were kept by Washington, nearly all
of them being photographic work.
These papers arc the property of Law
renee Washington, who generously
made the donation with tho proviso
that they should be exhibited in his
name. Bus,rod Washington. the
nephew OF George Washington, after
the death OF his distinguished uncle,
received all of the papers which had
belonged to the general. Bushrod
Washington was an associate Justice
of the United States supreme court. He
had no descendants, and when he died
the papers went, by his will. to his
brother. Corbin Washington, the great
grandfather Of Lawrence, who has re-
Gently offered them for exhibition in
the museum. Ever since the death OF
Corbin Washington these papers were
stored away in obscurity, and have re-
Gently. for the first time, been brought
before the public. They are regarded
by those in charge OF the collection az
one of the most valuable parts OF the
Gen. Washington exhibit, and are kept
in separate cases.
Ono of the valued treasures OF the
collection is the will of John Washing
ton, George Wsshingtons Rreat-grand-
father, who. with his brother Law
renee, came to this country from Eng
land. He was Il man of cOnsidera bic
wealth and large landed possessions,
and owned many boats and large sail
ing vessels. In the early days OF the
settlement Of America, John Washing
ton and Nicholas Spencer brought to
this country Il large number of settlers.
providing passage for them ON their
own ships. In cOmpensat ton for their
services they received 1900 acres of
Virginia land from Lord Cu1peper.
This land all bordered on the Potomac
river and included Mount Vernon,
which afterwards became the home
and last resting place of the Father of
his Country. The original deed of this
tract of land is among the papers, and
there is also a memorandum as to the
nature of the document Endorsed on
the back by George Washington. This
is as follows: ''Thos. Gull
peper's patent to Col. n. Spencer and
1t. Col. John Washington for 5000
acres Of land.'' This deed is ancient,
as is shown by the date which it bears,
March ], 1914.
Before the land came into the hands
of the Washingtons survey OF tt was
made ON the order Of Lord Cu1Peper.
A copy Of this order is among the pa
numerous deeds, dated from that time
on, relating to transfers and re-surveys
after the Washington family had con-
troll of it. There is deed from William
an ancestor OF ex-PreSident
BENJAMIN Harrison. transferring 200
acres of woodland in the year 17Os.
From 1880 to a century later are other
deeds recording transfers to and from
prominent Virginia gentlemen.
George Washington was not only
successful soldier and a superior eN-
\ fairly good artist. He early learned
TO make his own sketches of surveys Of
land, and afterwards drew maps ana