Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1903-01-25
Story of the Old Homestead in Westmore.
land, It's Various Owners, and the Gov
erl1nents Care of the Spot.
Ma1e~.
written for the Dispatch by George ".

(Trdtten for the Dispatch by George w.
Beale.3
Wakefield, on the Potomac. the BIRTH
place and early home OF George Wash
lnaton. was situated half mile. perhaps.
from the river and near the margin OF
n lakc-liRe inlet known as Pope's creek.
The building stood near the centre Of
circular projection Of land, bounded on
three sides by the creek. the waters OF
which were within a stones throw Almost
of the doer. The banks Of the stream. on
two sides, at least. rose about twenty feet
nearly perpendiculariy from the be ich.
In the direction OF cove on the western
side the ground fell with gentle slope TO
the, waters edge. Offering convenient
and easy approach to a boat landing
The creek beside which this early home
was planted had narrow and shaiioW
outlet. owing to the sands being driven
inland by the storms and plied up INFO
reeds and bars. In this way the mouth
IF the stream has now become SO narrow
that a vigorous arm could throw stone
across II, and II is not too deep on an or
binary tide Tor a boy to wade 1t. BACK
from the river, however. The creek wlaens
until its shores are quarter OF mile
or more apart. While ;. the creek has
never had much Importance as a navisa-
bile stream for shipping purposes, 1t has
been a favorite resort for bock-and-liue
fishing, and was until recent years a
paradise to lovers OF wild duck hunting.
A level track q mile Or two in width.
lying between the river shore and the
parallel ridge in the forest, spreads out
from Wakefield II is dotted here and
there with cottages and farm-houses,
and affords lands well situated and suit
able for agricultural purposes. The more
elevated lands on and beyond the ridge
are for the most part covered with
woods. Through this woodland, down the
hills, and across the plain, by a road
which crossed the fields. and was itself
crossed by a wearispme succession of
gates. the approach to the Wakefield
mansion ran.
Unfortunately. no inventory OF the
contents of the Wakefield house has
been preserved among the Westmoreland
records, as is the case with many con-
temporary houses. to indicate accurately
the number OF rooms which 1t contained
and no authentic data remain by which
to construct a strictly correct pictorial
representation Of this home. The picture
which appeared in historical work is
sued by the Harpers. of New York. about
the year 1850, and etchings of which are
now very numerous, is believed to be
substantially correct SO far, at least as
the work Of J. E. r. Prud,honnne, who
spent many years Of his life in the gov
eminent Bureau of Engraving. and II is
based. as be once told me, on the recol-
lection Of aged persons who were familiar
with the house when 1t existed as q home.
It accords with the conclusions of Wash
inEton Irving, who says: 1T had four
rooms on the ground floor and others in
the attic, and an immense chimney at
each end" 1t fronted the road leading
down to 1t from the hills and Its side win
dows looked out upon the creek. spark
ling beneath its precipitous banks
The house, whilst substantial and COM
Portable. was modest and unpretentious
as compared with numerous other state
~ homes Of the time among the wealthy
planters Of the county. A small garden
IN the rear OF the house extended to the
bank OF the creek. Not far from its
gate cluster OF fig bushes grew. the
hardy scions Of which were still visible
III recent years. Numerous fruit trees
adorned the approach to the house, and
among them near the roadway yves q
pear OF uncommon size md height. SYM
rnetrical and majestic among trees of its
kind. as Washington was among men,
To the west OF Wakefield. half mile
or more distant, was another small inlet
OF the Potomac called Bridges creek. It
81 OF the nature OF the small bodies OF
RtAASE III lQc fO"GT fOlOIlGC usually Gdli-
ed ponds. Near the margin OF this wa
tar WAS placed the vault where the re-
mains OF the early members OF the Wash.
ington family were entonabed. The fate
SO common to burial grounds in the
Northern Neck has befallen this interest
ing sepnlchre. and a depression in the
earth Is about all that now rehains to
mark the site OF the vault Near by are
several brownstoGe slabs. time-worn and
With inscriptions hard to decipher, which
mark the graves OF John Washington. a
youth OF ten years, who died in 1890: OF
Mildred. his infant sister. who died in
1885. and OF Mrs. Jane Washington (nee
Butlerl. the first wife OF Augustine
Washington. who died In 1928
IT Is not certainly clear whether the
site OF the Wakefield home was the same
as that on which John Washington the
Immigrant ancestor OF General Washing
ton. fixed his residence In coming to yir.
gfnia about the year 1854. II Is probable
that It was not and that his early home
VISA nearer to Bridges creek. and not
unlikely In close proximity to the vault
where the first OF the family appear to
have been buried.
On April 4. 1865. John Washington was
commissioned lieutenant-colonel In the
Westmoreland military forces. land rem
aered active and efficient service In pro-
tecting his fellow-colonists against Indian
outrages For those services Governor
BeTkeiy. with the approval OF the coun-
Gil. conferred on MIN one or more pa
tents for land in the Northern Neck In
this way. 1t has been stated. he gained
the title to the Wakefield estate
"A deed from Anthony Bridges to John
Washington, dated June 10. 1866 and re-
corded In Westmoreland county, more
probably Indicates the manner Of the lat
ter's obtaining portion. at least. OF what
became later known as the Wakefield es-
tate, Anthony Bridges was very early
& seftier IN Westmoreland, ard clerk of
she county. who. having located on the
little creek above mentioned. impaired
TO II his name
a goed deal OF uncertainty attaches
20 the matrimonial history OF Colonel
John Washington. 1t is clear, however,
that at the date OF Colonel Nathaniel
Pope's death. In 1863 he had married
his daughter Anne. Whether or not at
the time Of this marriage she was the
wfcow OF the recently deceased Walter
Broadhnrst- am unable to say. Colonel
Washington married again widow
( named Brett. and finally dame Frances
Appleton. Daughter of Or. John Cfrrard. =
+ lae died amidst the t1uuli incident to
Hacon's rrbnliior In 1876.
HIS VIII. recorded In Westmoreland. In
a,cates that he left two sons-John and
e n1enee-and dauEhtar-Anae-all OF
I =