Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1910-02-17


owned and cared for by the Society for Preservation Of
Virginia Antiquities The superintendent is R. c. Beale
who with his wife, occupies the house
The big living the ground floor and the
left of the is that in which Washington
died AS nearly possible it is preserved Mrs.
Washington kept it. A old mahogany tester bed
stands that part of the floor where stood Mrs Wash
ington's bed
The walls are lined with engravings which be-
longed to Mrs. Washington and Of these her
property when she Mary Ball before her marriage
to Augustine Washington. and from her girlhood
home. Epping Forest" in Lancaster county, about 80
miles from Fredericksburg. The room in the rear of
this living and sleeping the dining room and
the table around which the Washingtons ate
in the middle of the floor. The dining is
bare Of carpets rugs and in Mrs. Washngton's
time The furnishings plain and simple
1t four months before the death of Mary Wash
ington that George Washington his final leave of
his mother This directly before his departure for
New York for inauguration the first president. News
his mothers death him in letter from Col.
Burgess Ball The president at dinner with Baron
Steuben and Gov. ST. Clair The letter handed
the president by his nephew and private secretary Rob-
After slowly reading it, Washington retired
to his private and remained there for some time.
He then wrote this letter to his sister, Betty Washing
ton Lewis, at fredericksburg
my Dear Sister: Col Balls letter gave the first
account of my mothers death. Since that have
ceived Mrs letter. written your request and
previous to both prepared for the event by advices
of her illness coming from your son Robert
Awful and affecting the death of a parent is,
consolation in knowing that heaven has spared
ours age which few attain and favored her with
the full enjoyment Of her mental faculties and much
bodily strength usually falls to fourscore Under
these circumstances and in the hope that she Is trans
lated happier place it is the duty of her relatives
to yield submission to the decree Of the Creator
when was last in Fredericksburg took final leave
Of my mother, expecting to see her more.
Your afectonate brother
GEORGE WASHINGTON"
Three days after her death Mrs. Washington
buried The grave dug the grounds of her daugh
ter Betty. The site of the grave group OF
rocks juttng out of hillside overlooking tranquil
little valley between Fredericksburg and Maryes
Heights of the bloodest battle ridges Of the civil
This little group of rocks favore spot
with Mrs Washington.
She retired there fair weather to knit, pray and
read Bible. Because of this association with Mrs.
Washington these called the "Oratory rocks"
They are shaded by heavy oak trees 1t was shady
place in days Of Washington and the that
shielded from the survived till 1862 when they
were death by the of shot that rolled
the grave of the mother of George Washington in the
battle between the Army of Northern Virginia and the
Army of the Potomac.
Susan REVERE Hezel. in history of the Mary Wash.
ington association writes of Mrs Washngtons funeral
follows:
Business suspended in the city of Fredericks-
burg; Grape hung from the houses. The church
thronged with her friends and neighbors Her body
followed by her loving daughter and grandchildren to
place chosen herself to be her resting place the
granite powders called the Oratory rocks where
loved to retire and pray for her beloved during
the troublesome days Of the American revolution The
coffin carried from the church mems shoulders;
the knoll where the grave dug covered by the
of and spectators for they had lost
only the mother Of the president but old and be
loved friend
"The mourning general all the country Press
and pulpit made note Of the event. Members Of con-
gress Grape for 80 days for distinguished off,
cia Congress passed resolution to erect monument
to the mother of Washington and to that resolution
President Washington responded in note of thanks.
adding:
81 attribute all my in life to the moral in
teectual and physical education which received from
my mother"
The government never erected the monument called
for In the resolution Washingtons administrations
hampered by the Indian wars the whisky instruction
and Shay's rebellion; Adams term taken up with
the French troubles and the threatened with the
directory Jenerson's administration filled with the