Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1895-01-19


Included in the Lawrence Washing
ton collection aresquitc number Of
maps Of Mount Vernon and adjacent
lands, some Of them representing the
Potomac river These maps we're all
drawn by George Washington and the
lettering was put on by his own
hand. To show how artistically and
aptly he handled the pen there Is a
deed from William Whiting to
George Washington Of 200 acres OF
land in Stafford county This is ex.
ecuted In Washington's handwriting
and is a fine specimen Of work.
There Is another deed, dated 1917, by
which the Right Honorable CATH
crime, Lady Fairfax, sole proprietor
of the northern neck of Virginia.
conveys 1872 acres in Stafford county
to Sampson Darrell. This land af-
forwards went to George Washing.
ton. A document which has at
tracted n great deal Of attention IL
one concerning negro slaves which
belonged TO Major Lawrence WASH
ington. This document bearing date
OF November 20. l773, is signed by
Richard Henry Lee, to which he adds
an apology for not returning the
paper sooner
The following letter, dated Octo.
Der %, 1116, was written by Martha
Washington to the Generals private
secretary. Lund Washington: "Sir {:
please to give to Milly Posey the
sum Of five pounds, Virginia money.
I am your most humble servt. Mar.
tina Washington On December
90, ITS. Wnshington's mother wrote
the following letter to Lund WASH
lngton. dear sir: Gest as ! had
wrote To you not To send the cash BY
the ovcr-ecr Col. l,nssett came in and
delivered the forty pounds cash TO
| me from YOU ] am. dear sir, your
most humble servant. Mary Wash.
ington."
| OF course, there are u number Of
letters and orders which were con.
nected with the calling out Of
the militia ut the beginning of the
revolution. Among these there II
Endorsed by Washington u printed
order addressed to his brother direct.
ing him to call out the militia oI
Stafford County, the date being Aug
20. 1915. The order reads: "iou
must be particularly careful TO pro
cure good powder horns and shot
bags, with Us much powder, lead ant
flints as you can.
There IRE at present only small
number of the Washington family
seals extant, and about the only per
feet one remaining Is that attached
to the will Of Lawrence Washingto on
the older brother OF John Washing
ton, great-grandfathcr of Georg,
Washington. The design for til,
American flag was taken from thu
stars and stripes OF this seal.
1t Is u well-known fact that Wash
ington was always thrifty and hat
minute methods Of bookkeeping
The accounts kept by him, In good
sized blank books, are In the collec
ton at the museum. containing the
record Of the receipts and eXpendi
lures for provisions for the estate TO
every day Of the month. In his owl
handwriting there Is u minute nc
count OF the property and chattels II
Mount Vernon. from which 1t up
pears that there were PIG negroes
sixty.four OF them men, and sixty
two women. While he was presiden
Of the United States, George Wash
; ington kept an expense book whicl
Is now very interesting. Visitors
Mount Vernon have seen an ancien
harpsichord: and in this accoun
book 1t appears that Washingto
paid $3.50 for freight on the harr
sichord for Miss Nellie Custis," hi
stepdaughter. From this 1t Is ial
to infer that II was not modor
politician, but George Washingto
who originally paid the freight" i
; this country. His stepdaughter cos
the old man considerable money, bu
he was rich and could afford to settl
the bills. In his expense book ther
: are numerous items shown
: amounts paid for music lessons 70
; Miss Nellie Gusts on that harps
chord. He also paid for lessons II
embroidery for the young lady.
Either George Washington was n
; epicure, or his wife. Martha, was
: dainty housckeeper; for, althoug
J. they hnd slaves galore, they paid vi
. per month for cook. He must hay
been u French cook, but his name
: not given. Mrs. Washington mui
have been very particular about III
household and family linen, for, !,
stead OF having her washing done b
+ q slave, she paid $3.50 per mont