The Elbert County tribune., 1910-02-18

owned and cared for by the Society of
Virginia Antiquities The superintendent is R. c. Bese
who with his wife, occupies the house
The big living the ground floor and to the
left of the entrance is that in which Washington
died. AS nearly possible it is preserved Mrs.
Washington kept it. old mahogany tester bed
part of the where stood Mrs Waeh-
ingtons bed.
The walls lined with engravings which
ionged Mrs. Washington and of these her
property when she Mary Ball before her marriage
Augustine Washington. and from her grhood
home. "Epping Forest" in Lancaster county, about 80
miles from Fredericksburg. The in the of
this living and sleeping the dining and
the table around which the Washingtons ate
stands in the middle of the floor. The dining room is
bare of carpets and was in Mrs. Washngton's
time. The furnishings plain and simple.
four months before the death of Mary Wash
ington that George Washington took his final leave of
mother This directly before his departure for
New for Inauguration the first president News
of his mothers death came to him in letter from Col
Burgess Ball. The president at dinner with Baron
Steuben and Gov st. Clair The letter was handed
president by nephew private secretary Rob
Lewis slowly reading it. Washington retired
his private and remained there for time.
then this letter to his sister Betty Washing
ton Lewis, at Fredericksburg:
MY Dear Sister: Balls letter gave the first
account of my mothers death Since that have re-
Carters letter, written at request. and
previous both prepared for the event by advices
of her illness coming from your son Robert
Awful and Affecting the death of parent is.
there in knowing that heaven has spared
ours to an age attain and favored her with
full enjoyment of her mental faculties and as much
bodily strength as usually falls to fourscore
these and in the hope that she Is trans
lated to happier place it is the duty of her relatives
to yield submission to the decree OF the Creator
when was in Fredericksburg took final leave
Of my mother, expecting to see her more.
Your arectionate brother.
GEORGE WASHINGTON"
Three DAYS after her Washington
buried grave dug in the grounds of her daugh-
rocks utting of hillside overlooking tranquil
little valley between Fredericksburg and Marye's
Heights the bloodiest battle ridges of the civil
This little group of gray rocks was IaVorte spot
with Mrs. Washington.
She retired there weather to knit. and
re,d her Bible Because of this association
Washington these called the "Oratory cocks
They are shaded by heavy oak trees. 1t was shady
place the days of Mrs Washington and the trees that
shielded her from survived till 1862 when they
were torn to by of shot that rolled
the grave of mother OF George Washington in the
between the Army OF Northern virginia ana the
Army o the Potomac
susan REVERE Hetze. a history of the Mary Wash
ington association writes of Mrs Washingtons funeral
follows:
business was suspended in the city of Fredericks-
burg; Grape hung from the houses. The church was
thronged her friends and neighbors Her body was
followed by her loving grandchildren to
place herself be her resting place near the
granite powders called the Oratory rocks. where
She loved for her beloved son during
the troublesome days of the American revolution The
coffin was carried the church mems shoulders:
the knoll the dug was covered by the
and spectators for they had lost
t on,r tho mother of the president be
loved friend
.rbe mourning was general the country. Press
and pulpit made of the event. Members of con-
gress wore Grape 80 days for distinguished OH
cia Congress passed resolution to erect monument
to the mother of Washington and to that resolution
President Washington responded In note OF thanKs
adding:
- attribute all my in life to the moral In
telectual and physical which received from
my mother
for in the resolution washngtons administrations were
hampered by Indian the whisky insurrection
and Shays rebellion; Adams term was taken up with
the troubles and the threatened war with the
directory; Ienersons administration filled with the