The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1911-12-06
THE SAVING OF MOUNT VERNON
How Miss Ann Pamela Cunningham, of Rosemont In
This County, Saved Washineton's Home to the Ma
ton. An Heroic Struggle Against Many Odds

mixing in public affairs. Interest lag
ged, and the frail invalid in South
Carolina had to muster all her optim-
ism, draw on all her mental resourc-
] es to keep up courage and continue
the fight.
1t was in 1856 that a severe blow
| fell. A charter had been drawn up for
the purchase of Mount Vernon by the
Ladies' Association When it was sub
mitted to John Augustine Washington
he declined to sign it. All along he
had refused to take the work of the
women seriously. To his mind, as to
the minds OF many other men in those
terprise of that kind.
| But Miss Cunningham did not fal-
ter. She wrote letters daily to women
in all parts of the country, cheering
them on, expressing her belief that
success might come. She went on
completing the work of organization
and taking in new vice regents. She
| suffered greatly physically, with Sc
we're attacks, convulsions and head
aches that exhausted her; but she
worked INCREASINGLY
On March 19, 1856, she met Edward
| Everett, and so great was her elo-
quence that he promised to devote to
the cause the proceeds of his lectures
for stated period. AS result of
this he turned over 10 her $69,O64.
hn
have the full 100000 with which to
buy, they had more than half of the
amount. But Mr.. Washington's re-
fusal to sell the place encouraged re-
fusals from outsiders to contribute
money for the purchase. There were
some who pretended to doubt the sin
cerity Of the Southern Matron" and
the association. Despair conquered
nearly every woman in the cause ex-
cept Ann Cunningham.
She went to Mount Vernon, making
part of the journey by railroad, al
thought the motion of the train at
that time aggravated her suffering
She went down the river in boat
was transferred to a rowboat in front
Of the Mount Vernon house, and was
carried in a chair into the house
There she talked to Mr.. Washington
and. his family, but they were obdu-
rate in their refusal.
Mr.. Washington, it seemed, could
not take the project of the ladies Sc
riously. Miss Cunningham, weeping
and bitterly cast down, told the fami-
ly goodbye and was carried to the
wharf and placed in a small boat to
catch steamer on its way up the
river to Washington. But she was
late and had to be taken back to
Mount Vernon to spend the night. Up
on her arrival in the house once more
she collapsed utterly and had to be
put to bed.
Late in the evening, by the exercise
of her indomitabl will, she recovered
sufficiently to have herself carried
down to the Darlor, where she renew
ed her entreaties to Mr.. Washington
that he sell Mount Vernon to the
Mount Vernon Ladies' Association. But
he still refused. The next morning be-
fore her departure, she pleaded with
him again. Her whole heart was i'm
her words. Here is her own descrip-
tion of that last interview with Mr..
Washington:
THE spirit moved me as never be-
fore | never spoke to mortal as r.
spoke to him. / told him the isles of
the sea would lend their tributes to
Mount Vernon: that he would live to
see It, though | would not eve both
did, for Havana and the Sandwish Is
lands both sent contributions
When saw / could not shake his
resolution against allowing Virginia
to buy Mount Vernon, for he was very
indignant at that and considered it'll
would be mean for Virginia to accept
the purchase money went so far as
to point to him the light in which com
ing generations would view his con
duct in preventing our tribute to
Washington 1 told him his descend
ants would mourn having descended
from him. That as soon as /
saw draft Of the charter / realized
that it was not what would be agreea-
BILE to Mr.. Washington. assured him
Continued on Page Eleven.)