Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1895-05-23


is twelve feet square, will be the in
scription:
Washington's Birthplace.
: Erected by the United States, 1895.
According to the old style Of reckon
ing, Washington was born on the nth
81 February. but by the modern cal
endar 1t Is changed to the 22d Of the
same month. Wakefield is a farm on
the Potomac about ninety miles south
Of Washington. and the house in
when Washington was born stood on
an elevated plain, commanding 4 fine
view Of the river The traces of the
walls are still visible and show that
the mansion was about sixty feet long
and thirty wide. while an I-shaped
wing jutted out at the rear. The out
lines Of the quaint. old-fa shioned
flower garden and dairy are easily
seen through the swad that covers the
field.
The Wakefield estate passed into the
hands Of Georges brother, young Au-
gustine, and from him il came into the
possession Of his son, and then Of his
grandson. George Corbin Washington,
who sold 1t 70 a John Gray though the
site Of the old mansion and the family
burying ground were reserved to the
family. The present owner Of the
Wakefield estate is Mr. Wilson.
whose wife was a member Of the
Washington family. The old mansion
house was destroyed some time be-
fore the place was sold, for while the
property did not pass into the hands
of Mr.. Gray until 1913. a fire fourteen
years before had reduced the house to
ashes This was during the time that
George Corbin Washington and his
mother occupied 1t, and the flames
broke out on Christmas night, COM
polling tire family to flee across the
lee 70 the house of a neighbor. Mrs.
Washington afterwards built herself
a new home about a mile away, call
ing the place Blenheim.
After the sale Of Wakefield to Mr..
Gray none Of the Washington family
again occupied the premises, and when
strangers Went 10 look upon the estate,
4 modern residence was built il few
hundred yards from tile site Of the old
mansion This house is now occupied
by Mr.. Wilson, the present owner and
Is fine old Virginia establishment
with big gardens. a group of out
houses, stables and servants quarters.
In front is large green lawn, huge
Oh Eal HI
which a fine view Of the river can be
obtained, and all around are evidences
Of the hosptable spirit for which tho
old dominion is so famous.
Wakefield is an out-of-the-Way place,
never disturbed by the rush Of the
locomotive or the clang of the cable
cars, but preserving its antique air, un.
dismayed by the march of progress
that is rapidly eliminating so many
Of the old landmarks Of Virginia. To
reach the place one must take a
steamer ut the city Of Washington. and
after days trip down the Potomac
land at Colonial Beach From this
place the rest of the way may he made
either In a small boat or in one Of the
dlapidated old traps that wander
round the country, drawn by lean
horse nd guided by ragged negro
driver
The trip oyer this desolate part Of
the country Is a dreary one, particu-
larry ut this season OF the year, for the
roads are made almost impossible by
the mud that comes up to the wagons
hub, and the cold wind whistles chilly
through the scanty patches Of pine and
underground that are scattered along
the pike On the road one passes the
birthplace Of James Monroe, but there
Is nothing now to be seen except 4
cabin. barn and clubhouse. for the es-
tate has been cnt up into small lots
and sold to negroes.
In the Wakefield burying ground are
still preserved two crumhling grave
stones one over the grave Of Jane But.
ler. the first wife of Washington's
father and the other over that Of his
cousins who were two little children.