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


s-------------------- ------------------.-----
have donated many OF them to the
government. for public exhibition Mt
the Smithsonian institution. The
old homestead ut Mount Vernon Is
kent In practically the same con-
dition IL was when the great patriot
and his widow passed away from the
scenes OF earth Recently u clump
Of trees which had grown tall and
outrageous has been trimmed down
20 that good view OF Mount Vernon
can DO obtained from the river. The
ladies In charge of the historic and
sacred place keep 1t In excellent re-
pair and make 1t attractive. Every
visitor carries away with him form
the place II pleasant memory. Fifty
thousand people have visited Mount
Vernon during the present year.
Tho memcntoes of Washington are
regarded as of such Importance that
they are given an entire section of
one Of the halls Of tho National
museum, where they IRE kept In one
collection. The entire list could not
veil be accurately described In detail,
save in large volume. Everything.
from an old.timc miniature 81 WASH
ington to his evolutionary war medi.
cine chest. arc grouped together.
One Of the later exhibits added to
she collection by donation Is u COM
pletc lot Of papers and documents
which were kept by Washington,
nearly oil OF them being autographs
work. These papers are the proper.
~ OF Lawrence Washington, who gen.
srously made the donation with tho
provisO that they should be exhibit.
ed In his name. Bushrod Washing.
ton, the nephew OF George Washing
ton, after the death Of his distin-
guished uncle, received all OF tho
papers which had belonged to the
general. Bushrod Washington was
an associate justice OF the United
states Supreme Court. lie H. d no
descendants. and,when he died tho
papers went, by his will, to his broth.
er, Corbin Washington, the great.
grandfather Of Lawrence, who has
recently offered them for exhibition
In the museum. Ever since tho
death OF Corbin Washington, these
papers were stored away In obscurity.
and have recently, for the first time,
been brought before the public
They IRE regarded by those In charge
Of tho collection as one OF the most
valuable parts Of the Gen. Washing
ton exhibit, and are kept In separate
cases
One Of the valued treasures OF the
;.,A all - ILL., a.
ington. George Washinston's great.
grandfather, who, with his brother
Lawrence. came to this country from
England. He was a man OF consid-
cradle wealth and large landed pos
sessions. and owned many boats and
large sailing vessels. In the early
days OF tho settlement OF America.
John Washington ana Nicholas Spen-
Ger brought to this country a large
number OF settlers, providing pas
sage for them on their own ships. In
compensation for their services they
received 5000 acres of Virginia land
from Lord Culpeper. This land oil
bordered on the Potomac River, and
included Mount Vernon, which after
wards 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 memorandum as
to tho nature OF the document in
dorsed on the back by George Wash
ington. This Endorsement is as fol-
lows: "Thos. Culpeper's patent to
Col. N. Spencer and Lit. Col. John
Washington for 5000 acres Of land. "
This deed II ancient, as Is shown by
the date which it bears, March J.,
1874.
Before the land came into the
hands OF the Washlngtons survey
OF 1t was made on the order OF Lord
Culpeper. A copy Of this order Is
among the papers in this collection.
There are also numerous deeds, dated
from that time on, relating to trans
fers aud re-surveys after the Wash
ingtOn family had control Of it.
There Is deed from William Harri'
son an ancestor OF ey-President Ben,
iamin Harrison, transferring 2W
scres of woodland in the year l70S
From 1880 to Il century later are
other deeds recording transfers to
and from prominent Virginia gentle
men.
George Washington was not only Il
successful soldier and superior ex'
scutive. but it can be said that hC
was "a fairly good artist. tic early
learned to make his own sketches o.
surveys Of land and afterwards drew
maps and plans Of battle. When ht
retired to private life ut Mount Yer
non he found II pleasant work around