The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-02-16
A HISTORY OF MOUNT yERyoy
Facts About Washington's Home Cou.
piled by Judge james u. scner.

~ - N'nfT
The report OF the Virginia Board Of yls,-
tors TO Mount Vernon for 1901 rs compiled
by Judge James b. Sener, a member q,
the board, presents in compact form tho
entire history Of the beautiful estate on IN.
Potomac which came into George Wash.
%ington's possession before he was 81 and
remained his home until he died them
just l02 years ago on Dec. IA last. Tho chain
of title to the estate from the time Of TIA
original grant to It's passing into the Dos.
session Of the Ladies' Mount Vernon A..
ISOLATION Of the Union is presented In an
extract from the writings OF the late DR..
j. NJ. Toner Of Washington, who at the
time of his death was one OF the associa.
tons advisory members.
The estate, unit. taken over by the assoc.
alton was always in the hands of the Wash
ington family from the date Of the grant
Of Lord Culpeper in 1910. to John Washing.
ton, the great grandfather of President
Washington. The original grant was Of
5000 acres TO John Washington and Nicho-
las Spencer.
Soon after there was a division OF the
estate into two parcels Of $500 acres each.
the part between Dogue Run and Little
Hunting Creek falling to John Washington.
1t included the Bite Of the present Mount
Vernon mansion m was known as the
Hunting Creek Plantation.
Upon the death of John Washington
the estate passed by devise to Johns son,
Lawrence. This was In january, le77.
On the death Of Lawrence the estate passed
to Lawrence's son Augu 'tine. the father OF
the great George. Augu ,tlne LETT the estate
by will to his oldest son. Major Lawrence
Washington, who was hall brother TO George
and fourteen years his senior.
Notw notwithstanding the fact that they were
only half brothers aud Notwithstanding
the disparity In their ages, there was be-
tween Lawrence and George the warmest
brotherly affection. Lawrence was A pro-
gressive far-seeing man, active In business
and in public life. He wa' Interested In
the manufacture Of iron, both in Virginia
and MARYLAND, and at the time OF his death
was President of the Ohio Company, OF
which he was one Of the orlginators.
lie served several terms in the House OF
Rurgcs-es and was Adjutant-General.
with the rank of Major, Of the Northern
District of Virginia, Ii was he who named
the estate Mount Vernon in honor OF ths
English Admiral, Edward Vernon, under
whom he had served in tho war against
Spain.
Lawrence died IN 1852 and his remains
rest IN the Mount Vernon vault near those
Of George Washington, His Will PROVIDED
that in the event of the death OF his child
Sarah without issue, TO whom the estate
was heuucathed, il was to go to his be
loved brother George" Sarah died soon
after her father and thus II was hat Mount
Vernon became forever associated with
the illu-trious name of George Washington.
George Washington bequeathed the
estate 20 his nephew, Judge Bushrod
Washington, to take effect on the death OF
Martha, George W~ashington's wife, who
died May 2i. 1902, IN the room Immediately
over the one Ia which her husband had
passed away less than three years before
Bushrod Washington in turn begueathed
the estate to his nephew John A, Washing
ton, VINO died in 1892, leaving Mount Vernon
to his third child, John A. Washington,
who became of age in 1881 and lived at
Mount Vernon until April 9, 1853, when
200 acres OF the estate, including The man
sion, the tomb and the wharf passed to
the Ladies Association on payment Of
5000. OUO. Spectators had repeatedly tired
10 get hold Of the estate prior TO that, OF
fsring much larger sums fCrlt.
In 1857 the late jay Gould bought thirty,
three and a half acres that had belonged
to the original Mount Vernon estate pay
ing s2.jOO for II and transferring II for tho
sum Of 81 that day to the Mount Vernon
Association.
Judge Sener's exhaustive report. which
Is highly commended 10y Gov. Tyler OF
Virginia in his last annual message. gives,
In addition to the minute history OF ths
estate, the entire legislative history OF
he Ladies Association, its constitution
end bv-laws. the opinion-concurred in
by Acknowledgement Montague-of j RAN
dolph Tucker as 10 the legal status oil the
association, a sketch Of the life OF the first
association Regent, Ann Pamela cunning
ham. and the interesting incidents con-
| nected with the formation of the associa-
ton and Mrs. ~Cuniugham's lonely resi-
dence Of many years at Mount Vernon.
In a word about everything that iabori-
Gus research could get together concern
and the patri.ttc association that has Mount
Vernon in charge. the whole being illus
trated with portraits and maps OF much
historical value.