The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1911-11-17

- progress! Those who go to
the home in which he lived
and died wish to see in what he lived
and died! Let one spot in this coun
try be saved from changed"
These words formed the warning
with which Ann Pamela Cunningham
rounded out her work Of saving Mount
Vernon. To achieve success she had
worked many years, had founded and
carried to success the first woman's
association of the kind in the United
States. had subjected herself to pub
licity which she detested, and had
planned and executed much Of the
task while she lay near to death.
Miss Cunningham was an invalid
bedridden, when she began the move
ment for the salvation Of Washing
toms home. In carrying out the work
she was transported from city to city
on air beds, and once so nearly dead
from pain and exhaustion that her life
was despaired of by her physician and
friends.
1t was in 1853 that Miss Cunning.
hams mother, on her way from the
north to the family home in South Car
DINA, journeyed down the Potomac
river and passed Mount Vernon. She
saw the home of Washington by moon
light and noticed that ruin had laid
heavy hand ON the place. Already
the roofs of the mansion and the other
buildings needed repairs, and in the
grounds there were signs of neglect
and disorder
State and Nation Wouldn't Buy.
This was at time when John Au-
gustine Washington, unable to keep
up the estate which George Washing
ton had farmed with profit, had sought
| to have the national government or
the state Of Virginia huy the property
and preserve 1t as place Of interest
for succeeding generations. He had
expected to receive s250,000 for the
buildings and go acres of the land
Both Virginia and the United States
had refused to make the purchase.
Mrs. Cunningham, musing over the
tragedy in the country's indifference
toward the home and grave of its
father, had this thought:
"If the men Of the United States will
not save Mount Vernon. why cannot
the women do it?"
When she repeated this to heI
daughter, then bedridden and suffer
ing greatly. the reply was:
II will do it."
Miss Cunningham's home was the
center of brilliant circle When she
told her friends of her determination
to save Mount Vernon they made com
ments of two kinds: One was that hel
health was not such as to allow her to
undertake the work: the other was In
the form Of ridicule, the statement
that no mere woman could succeed in
such a task.
She dtsregarded the encouragement
! and the laughter and addressed let
ter to the Women of America" max
ing It an appeal for their united effort
to collect enough money to buy and
preserve the neglected home and for
gotten grave of Washington. This let
ter, which she had signed "The South
| ern Matron," was followed by many
others and all of them were published
in the newspapers of the country.
To supplement this she got out 6
monthly magazine. the Mount Vernon
Record, explaining the progress in col
lecting funds and carrying on the
movement. She then formed the
Mount Vernon Ladies' association
which would be perpetual, made up Of
vice-regents and governed by regent
and charged with the duty of restor
ing Mount Vernon to exactly what Il
had been when Washington occu
pied 1t. ~
Her plan was to raise 100000 t
!. buy Mount Vernon and the surround
ing 200 acres and then give It to Vir
ginia to hold as sacred place forever
Afterward 1t was decided to purchase
the property and have the association
own it and keep 1t up. Although thu
responses to the Southern Matron's'
call for help began from the start, thu
work of organizing such an associa
lion and Of getting 100000 was SLOW
and discouraging But in 1855 thu
whole country awoke to the bignes,
and beauty of the project.
All over the country fairs were Civ
cu and women went to work individu
ally 60 collect money Philadelphia
formed clubs and set up boxes fo
contributions Everything was goinl
like summer Ereeze, when suddenly
the business men IT Philadelphia be
gan to discourage the work by saying
they disapproved of women mixing IL
public affairs Interest tagged, ant
the frail invalid in South Caroline
| had to muster all her optimism, draw
on all her mental resources to keel
Up courage and continue the fight
1t was in 1855 that severe blow
FELL A charter had been drawn vi
for the purchase of Mount Vernon b!
he ladies' association When 1t wal
i submitted to John Augustine Wash
ington he declined to sign It, AL
along he had refused to take the worl
OF the women seriously. To his mind
| as to the minds of many other men ii
hose days. women could not swing al
/ Enterprise of that kind
- n