The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-08-08
GEORGE WASHINGTON'S WILL.

At Fairfax Courthouse, Va, about
twenty miles from Washington, in the
custody of the present clerk of the
county, is the will of George Washing
ton, penned in his own firm and egible
handwriting, and just as we'll preserved
today as on the day it was drawn up.
Under a law of the State, the will belongs
to the descendants of Washington, and
the clerk of Fairfax County is the only
person who can retain it in custody. OF
all the writings and correspondence of
Washington none is more interesting
and unique than his will, and none is
guarded more closely or is more liable to
injury or theft than this document. The
State Department has made no attempt
to secure it, probably because of the
early laws Of Virginia. which direct that
it must remain at Fairfax. Washing
tons other writings have been gathered
and compiled and are now stored away
in the archives of the Department. No
unusual care has ever been taken to pre-
serve the will, and twice it has come
near being destroyed, once by the old
Courthouse catching fire, and again
when some relic hunter came within an
ace of stealing it. Efforts were made at
the time of the Philadelphia Centennial
and previous to the Worlds Fair to Sc
cure the paper for exhibition, but the
clerk declined to allow it to go out of
his possession.
Fairfax Courthouse is small village
of $50 inhabitants. and since the days
when Mount Vernon came into Wash
ington's hands it has remained the coun-
ty seat of Fairfax County. The old
Courthouse and the clerks office are up
ward of one hundred years old. and have
all the characteristics of buildings of
that period.
An ordinary iron safe holds the will
and any interested person can see it who
applies to the obliging clerk. A few
years ago wooden box twelve inches
square of walnut, with top fitted with a
glass pane, was made, and in this the
will was deposited. No one has ever
opened it since then. and no one will be
allowed to by the present clerk. The
will years ago was torn practically in
two, but every piece is retained and
pasted carefully together. Washing
toms hand is as bold in his will as in
other Of his early papers, and the ink is
as black as though it we're used month
ago.
The document consists of about one
dozen pages the size of legal cap of
the present day, exclusive of appen-
dices, in which Washington gives de-
tailed statement of every article he pos
sessed, down to calves and sheep. His
entire personal estate at the time his
will was made is put down at about S532-
600, which probably made him the rich
est man in the State at that time. His
belongings consisted of bonds. stocks,
tobacco, large numbers Of cattle, sheep
and horses, together with his vast estate,
practically which he willed to Mrs.
Washington. The present clerk of the
county says that few people ask to see
the will. as they believe it is in Wash
ington City. Not only the will but other
rare papers of Washington, deeds, tax
receipts and State papers are also held
by the clerk. One great folio alone con-
tains entries regarding Washington's
| transactions with the county officers,
many Of which show that he had given
so many hogsheads of tobacco in pay
! ment OF certain taxes.-N. Y. Sun.