The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-11-19
When Was Washington Born ?

Editor OF The Times:
Slr.-It seems that Pilates historic ques-
lion. "What is truth?' IS never to be
answered in this world. Recent inves-
LEGATIONS By the Masonic fraternity have
raised a question as 20 the veracity OF the
Ratchet story; and the solemn state
ments on tombstones-never inclusive OF
the epitaph-are no longer to be accepted
as conclusive.
The Masons are perfecting arrangements
FOR an imposing celebration Of the one
hundredth anniversary Of Washingtons
death, December 1Nh, proximo. There
is no question az 20 the date Of his death.
The dates for investigation are that Of
his birth. and that on which he became
a Mason I'm relation thereto; for II seems
that one may not become Mason until
OF mature age" which has been officially
construed 10 mean twenty-one years Old.
Washington was initiated I'm the lodge Mt
Fredericksburg. Nov 4. 17J2. (See ency-
clopaedla Of Freemasonry, p. SOD
Now when was Washington born? That
Is a question which any school boy ought
TO answer: yet, If Washington was TWEEN
ty-one in Nov. 1852. or If the inscription
over his grave at Mt. Vernon be true
then the accepted date Of his birih-Feb.
2, 1132-is q mistake.
In Howes history Of Virginia. AZ page
5O7. is the following: "The birthplace Of
Washington was destroyed previous 20
the revolution" A stone has lately been
placed there 10 mark its site by G.. w.
Gusts. Esq II bears the simple inscrip-
ton. Here on the 18th Of February, %.
s. 1872. George Washington was born.
Gusts was Mrs. Washington's grandson,
and ought to have known.
All the encyclopedias and nearly all
the biographies say Washington was born
February %, 1872, or else state II. Feb
ruarv II, O. g., February .. y. s. l732.
But I'm Edward Eyeretts life Of Wash
ington." at page -, is this:
ON the family record contained in n
Bible which belonged 10 the mother Of
Washington. and which is now In the
possession Of George Washington Bas-
sett. OF Hanover county, Virginia, who
married a grand niece of Washington,
the following entry is found:
George Washington. son TO Augustine
and Mary his wife. born ye 18th day Of
February, 1871 IL. about ten In the morn
ing. and was baptized the 81 OF April ,o!-
lowing: Mr.. Beverly Whiting and Cap
tain Christopher Brooks. godfathers, and
Mrs. Mildred Gregory godmother.
Mr.. r. A. Brock tells me he has seen
a fac-simile OF this entry and that tho
handwriting is that Of Augustine Wash
ington, the father. This ought to estab-
lish It as authentic
The notation 173 II was the not I'M
common way Of writing 'l12l or 1872,
for the change from the old style TO the
new had not then been made. In all
the Catholic countries the Gregorian cal
endar had been adopted and the year be-
gan on January 1st. In Great Britain
and all her dependencies. March 10Th was
the beginning Of the year; thus the dates
between January 1st and March 18th were
stated aiternatively as SAY in iI1 or
1872. accordingly as one reckoned from
one date or the other. 1t was 1872, reck-
oning from January 1st as the new year;
1871 If the year did not begin till March
18th
Ky Act Of Parliament passed in ll5l. gi
Geo H. it was enacted that what we
know as the New STYLE should become the
law OF the land TO take effect the ensuing
January 1st: so that the months Of jan
uary, February and March M to the 10Th.
that had Heretofore been the last three
months OF the year. should be- the first
three Of 1852. and all succeeding years. Thus
the wear 17J1 had but nine months and SIX
days. and the eleven davs added TO made
10 for lost time" were not inserted in the
calendar tin September Of 1852. and by the
terms OF this act "the day following the
ID Of September was reckone1 as the
nth"
Consequently the year 17jl had no birth
day anniversary for Washington because
the February that belonged TO II was
made the second month OF l'52 instead OF
the eleventh month of 1871. Consequently
Also when he became n Mason. November
I, 1852. he was not twenty-one, nor did no
attain his majority till February p l153
lie died December IL. 1sH' and the in
scrlption over his grave Is that he was
sixty-elght wears old. That cannot be
true. and neither can he be held respon-
sihe for the statement: but how about
his application To become Mason?
The Encyc.opaedia Britannica by sing
ular error. gives April 18th as the old time
New Years Day In England refer
ence to the statute above referred 70 dis
closes the mistake. The date was March
18th. W. w. SCOTT.
State Library.