Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1910-02-18
BjIEF SKETCH OF
THE WASH|NCTONS
Some Incidents in the Life of
The First President and His
Wife-MOunt Vernon.

tha Washington, or OF at least
George. But thought perhaps MS the
twenty second is so near that IL
might be OF innterest To give few
memories of them that have CLEAN
ed from different sources.
Lincoln, when he began TO read
made Washington his ideal and
copied him I'm his moral qualities ms
nearly rs he could all his life; aud
the people OF the nation ascend in
the scale of wisdom and virtue as
they look upon and love Washing
ton, Lincoln, and such and are
transtigured into the likeness OF their
features.
AS excavations were going on at
South Bethlehem, Pa, i'm the for
nation OF new park the other day,
there WAS discovered I'm the solid
stone statue ~ Geurge Washington.
Nature had used the chisel so deli
cately as TO make Washington face
so plain that n school child would
instantly recognize II.
Il
ington's viii, which contains TWEEN
ty-seven pages, reposes is one of the
most picturesque i'm old Virginia,
and contains many interesting re-
cords. The deed for Washintgon's
pew and the record that he paid n
higher price for his seat than any
other member OF the church at Po-
hick, the little sanctuary. in the
Mount Vernon parish Is here, with
his commission as lieutenant colonel
OF his majesty's forces which was
given him when on the Braddock ex-
petition There are other items of
quite another nature since they show
indictments against our greatest
American for failing To- keep the
wharves and roads on his estate in
good repair-most probably when
the nations affairs kept him away
from his oountry--also fol. neglect
ing To turn in his lands and property
for taxation.
Washington was i'm his day one
OF the richest men I'm the count V
and Mrs. Washington as the Widow
Custis, brought goodly fortune TO
Mount Vernon from her home, the
White House on the Pamunkey
river. The orders which went 10 Lon
don for furniture, decorations, cloth
ing, books and various Iuxuries, from
Mount Vernon were many and fire.
Plent.
There is on exhibition at the Ma
tional Museum at Washington some
articles OF apparel once worn by
Mrs. Washington. a pair OF white
satin slippers is among them, and
are "small lives' which show that
the wife OF our first President had "A
rather short and u very broad foot.
Washington tenderness TO and
love for his wife are well known
and when his body was prepared for
burial his friends were more than
ever touched when they found the
miniature OF Martha Washington
next his heart. There IL had lain
for over forty years, suspended by
the slender gold chain, placed there
when he brought his bride TO his
home at Mount Vernon.
Shortly before her death Mrs.
Washington burned every letter that
each had written TO the other with
the exception Of two. These as well
as | remember were concerning his
Will, one OF which / have Ia copy but
will not give for lack of space.
1t was very busy life the mis-
tress OF the mansion ON the Potomac
lived. She daily Inspected the
kitchen, dairy and cellar and with
her own hands gave out the supplies
for the days meals. There is re.
cord OF her having cut out on long
summer day thirty-two pairs OF trou.
sers for the men servants about ths
place. She also accomplishe. much
: fancy work, embroidering many
I chair and stool covers in the ole
fashioned wool work. She did exqui
site netting for curtains, doilies ant
for bordering the general counter
I panes for the great four-posters o
, old. Specimens of all this work ar
$ cherished in various places in TIL
n country and abroad. A chair and
: stool some of the fine netting, wit
n Martha Washington mahogan
desk. ard many other mementos G
y the distinguished dwellers at Noun
:, Vernon are treasured in beautifu
+ Washington home by the only SUI
" viving great granddaughter of Marth
Washington. Here are silver, chin
and ornaments from Mount Vernon
with miniatures of General and Mr..
- Washington. This house Is Tut,
q Place the Georgetown home to whic
10 came Martha Custis, Mrs. Washing
)" tons eldest granddaughter rs Il
D. bride of Colonel Peter. The daught
N of this Patsy" Custis still lives
b. tho h0nna tn " hich har ,,0fhar oo q.