Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1898-06-16
For the Register
Arlington, Alexandria and Mount Vernon.

HrIlnStOTj Hie$dIluIi Id anu ''OHN S''"
In a noble forest of oaks, on an emil
nence overlooking the broad Potomac
but few hundred yards away, and
commanding a view Of the city OF
Washington, two and one-half miles
distant, stands the stately, spacious
mansion of General Robert f. Lee,
known as arlington, now in the
possession of the United States Gov
ernment. Standing on the concrete
floor of the imposing portico supported
by heavy and massive colonial columns
extending across the entire front of
the mansion, and looking over the ad-
loiDing National Cemetery and the
dense woodland just beyond, oul hearts
were impressed with the now sacred
historical associations Of the past.
darlington" is a part of an original
grant of 5000 acres of land, decided
by William Berkeley, Governor of Vir-
ginia, to Mr.. Robert Howsen, in Oc-
tober, 1869, the reason of this grant
being Howsen S importation of foreign
settlers to the colony. In the same
year Howsen conveyed same tract to
John Alexander, the consideration
being six hogsheads of tobacco. The
property descended to Gerard Alex
ander, who on Christmas day Of ITS
conveyed what is now known as the
Arlington Tract" l,1O0 acres, to
John Parke Custis for |, 100 pounds IN
Virginia currency. This John Parke
Gusts was the son Of Martha Wash
ington by her first husband prior to
her marriage to George Washington.
He was aide-de-camp to Washington
at the siege of Yorktown during the
Revolution, and at that place died of
camp fever in November, 1871. His
two younger children, George Wash
ington Park Gusts and Eleanor Gusts,
were adopted by Washington. George
w. P. Gusts was brought up at Mount
Vernon in the Washington family,
completed his classical education at
Princeton and then took up his resi-
dence again at Mount Vernon, where
he remained until the death of Wash
ington in 1899. He inherited the
Arlington estate, and Immediately
after the death of Washington removed
to Arlington. It was then that he
erected the imposing mansion, the
darlington House" " and devoted his
life to literary and agricultural pur-
suits. Being the only surviving mem
Der of the Washington family, his res
idence was for many years an attract
i've resort of the best families Of the
country. He died in 1857. By his
will drawn in 1855 he left Arlington
to his daughter, Mary Ann Randolph
Lee, wife of then Lieutenant-Colonel
Robert E. Lee, for her during her nat
ural life, and on her death to her eld-
est grandson, George Washington Gus
It's Lee.
1t has been said, and it is still the
understanding of many, that early dur
ing the civil war, on account of Gen
eral Lees attitute to the United States
government, the Arlington estate was
confscated by the government for
government purposes. But this is
mistake. Possibly some unfair work
was attempted, but failed. The facts
are these: By order Of the President
of the United States, January 6, 1864,
the Arlington estate was selected for
government use for war, military, and
charitable and educational purposes,
under provision of Congress enacted
June, 1862, and February, 1868.
Under same order the property was
directed to be sold for taxes, amount
ing to but $92.07 on an estate Of l 100
acres. The property was actually
sold January II, 1864, being bid in
by officials for the United States for
S26,SOO. Mrs. z. E. Lee died in
1878. The legality of the tax sale
was tested by proceedings instituted
by Geo. W. Custis Lee, the legal heir
to the estate by the original will of
his grandfather. The case was heard in
the United States circuit court, and
verdict rendered in his favor, and de-
cision affirmed in the Supreme Court
December 4, 1882. Then Congress,
by act of March 5, 1888. appropriated
the sum of $l5O,oOo for the purchase
of same, and for this sum the proper