The Spanish Fork press. [volume] (Spanish Fork, Utah) 1902-current, 1906-08-02
A HISTORIC MANSION
BIRTHPLACE OF MARTHA WASH
INGToN STILL STANDING.
Situated Near West Point, Va, and
in Good State Of Repair-A Pop
ular Place for Relic
Hunters.

West Point. Va.-Chestnut Grove.
who married first Daniel Parke Gus
It's and then Col George Washing
ton, is only a short journey from
West Point. 1t is situated In New
Kent county. about five miles from
the county seat, on the banks of the
Pamunkey river. The old mansion
in which Mrs. Washington first saw
the light. is standing to-day. and by
the nails, lumber and style of con
struction, extreme age is attested
Col II. p. Cook. who was born in
New Kent near Chestnut Grove (the
cambridge homestead) October 10
1913, ana who purchased the prop
erty and lived on 1t so years, said
that his grandmother, vAo was Miss
Ann X. Chamberlayne, sister of Gen.
William Chamberlayne, and school
mate of Martha cambridge Mrs. Gen.
Washington told him that she did
not know when the house was built,
and had no acquaintance with any
one who knew.
The building is a two.story frame
structure. the walls resting on a
brick basement which is five feet be-
low the surface of the ground and
four feet above ground, and Is inches
thick, save at the bases of the two
chimneys, each of which Is five by
six feet. with an arch In the base.
ment six feet high, four feet wide
and five feet deep.
The lumber in the frame Is white
oak, the doors and window castings
are of poplar, and the weather board
ing is of heart pine. The nails were
originally all hand made. Several
years ago 1t was found necessary to
replace many of the nails, for the
sake of safety, as so many nails had
been drawn out and taken away as
souvenirs or relics by tourists.
The length of the basement walls
is SO feet, with % feet, and many
sumptuous banquets have been
served therein.
ten feet high, 20 feet wide, and IS
feet long.
The reception hall Is IL by 20 feet.
On the place is a large burying
ground, containing the graves of the
Dandridges and many noted people
of the long ago. A large vault re-
NAMED there for many years, built
of imported brick. The bricks were
afterward used to build a chimney.
On the site of the vault thousands of
walnut trees sprung up, and many
canes and other souvenirs have been
cut and fashioned and carried away
by relic hunters.
The place is now owned by Mrs. M
G. Smith, Of Newport News. and is
occupied by Mr.. o. M. Chandler and
family. Mrs. Chandler Is a daughter
of Mrs. Smith.
The house fronts north to the
Pamunkey river, and also fronts to
the south. slipping from the house
to the river is terraced garden
filled with many beautiful flowers
and old-time shrubs, among others
the calycanthus, with It's delicate
fragrance. Out in the river, in front
of the house, is small island known
as Cocks island" During the civil
war gunboats were sunk on either
side of the island to blockade the
course to Richmond.
The name Chestnut Grove was
given on account of the many fine
chestnut trees Astounding on the
farm.
While Martha cambridge was the
wife of Daniel Parke GUSTS she lived
at the White House, the site of which
can be seen from the Southern rail
road, running between West Point
and Richmond. Tradition says thai
the presidential mansion in Wa/hing
tor. d. c., was named from the home
Of Mrs. GUSTS, afterward Mrs. Wash
ington, wife of the first president o.
the United States.