Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-06-09

The portrait of Miss Nellie Custis by
Gilbert Stuart from which the accom-
,auying engraving was taken, and
which is now in possession of Prof.
William F. Lee, of Lexington College,
while it was considered By contempo-
-ary judges an excellent likeness. was
lso said to be one of the most beauti-
full faces the artist had painted in the
.olonies. Miss Nellie was frequently
the company of Mr.. Stuart at Mount
Vernon and other places. the result OF
which was very cordial and enduring
friendship. The portrait was one OF the
most attractive pictures of the rare
paintings of the Arlington House, the
esidence of her brother, George w.
Parke Custis, for about fifty years. IL
5 the likeness of q maiden about elgh-
cen wears of age, the admired OF all
who attended the republican court dur
ng tho last year of Washington's ad-
ninistration. She is dressed in plain
yhite garment, in the scant fashion OF
he day, one of her plump bare arms
forming o conspicuous feature of the
picture. her chin resting upon finger
f her gently closed hand. Her sweet
ace, regular in every feature, IS gar
.shed uy her dark curls tastefully
clustering about her forehead and lem
ples, while her long hair gathered III
an apparently careless manner on the
np of ner head, is secured by cluster
IF white flowers. The whole picture Il
aodest, simple, beautiful. Nellie Gus
Is. as she was called in her maidenhood,
vas as witty as she was beautiful, quick
It repartee, highly accomplished Tor
ne time, full of information,
.ood conversationalist, the lie OF
lny company whether young OF
old, and was much beloved by her
foster father, the great patriot. " hen
n June, 1775, Washington Was appoint
al communicating chief of the conunen-
81 army he appointed John Parke Gus,
Is. the father of Nellie" on his slaH
"a which capacity he served during
most of the long conflict which follow
ID. He was aide to Washington at the
iege OF Yorktown in the autumn oi
l7Sl and was then q member OF the
Virginia asse mbly, but dying that year
/ f.ver his children, George and
Eleanor, were left orphans, the former
.,early three years old, aud the latter
ouly SIX mouths old, and became the
,dop,ec children of Washington and
the tondly cared for inmates OF the nom
Mt Mount Vernon. Here private III
TOR of collegiate training was proVideo
for them and under the watchiul ana
exemplary care of their distinguished
gna, dians their young minds were care
fuily developed for the practical dulles
of lie. -,
Nellie was born at Abingdon on the
p,tonac iuat above Four mile run,
March 81. ITS. Her mother was
desceodaut of Cecil Calvert Lord baiti-
more. A paternal ancestor, john PafKe,
was at one time member OF parlla'
ment. afterwards soldier in Queen
Anpe's army in Holland and became an
aide. .de-camp of the renowned MARI
horoupn at the battle of Blenheim IN
Germany, fought August 2, 1904. Marl'
borouyh commanded the English troops
and MarSnal 1alISiu ehoeo ot
and Bavaria, who lost the day with
MANY thousand slain and made prison
ers. By the victory the electorate OF
Bavaria became the prize of the yictors.
Col Parke had the honor of bearing the
ioyful intelligence to Queen Anne, who
Va token of her regard gave
him her miniature portrait set in
diamonds, a thousand pounds sterling
aud appointed him governor OF the
Laward Islands.
Washington had favorite nephew,
Lawrence Lewis, the sixth child OF Coi.
Fielding Lewis and Betty v Washlngton' Ssn, Z q,
eustine Washington, who was the sec
ond child of Lawrence, who was the
first child of Col. John Washington, the
immigrant M to Bridges creek, West
moreland county, Va, 10 1857; He
had served meritoriously as soldier IN
the revolutionary struggle and towara q
the close of it was an aide on the statf
of Gen. Daniel Morgan, the wagon ooy
of the O.coquan. He was much at MT.
Vernon after Washiugton's retirement !.
from the presidency and the "blesslhe
of n good hu u-hand" for Nrliy wneu
sh,. would want aud deserve one" was
har Shssnh I,AWr6nce