Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1914-04-27
THE LOST WILL.
Morgan Tells How Document Fell
Into His Hands.

Washington, April 27.-Revealing
for the first time how the will of
Martha Washington came into his
fathers possession, j. P. Morgan
has made full statement to Mrs.
VIM. Cumming Story, President Cen
eral of the Daughters of the Ameri
can Revolution. Mrs. Story read this
statement anil all other correspond
ence or the subject with the head Of
the Morgan family to- the Daughters
in session here. Mr.. Morgan's state
ment is as follows:
The will of Martha Washington was
taken from the Fairfax Courthouse in
1862 by a Colonel of the Union Army
who rescued it from destruction by
his men. This officer retained it in his
possession for thirty years, and short
ly before his death in 1892. gave it
to his daughter, who, thirteen years
later, in 1905, sold it to the late j.
P. Morgan.
"This account she related at the
time Of the transfer. She states that
her fathers regiment garrisoned Fair
fax Courthouse in 1862, and that he
had headquarters in the courthouse.
Another cdrImander hai previously
occupied the place and the men haG
broken open the safes. The floors
were Filtered with papers which the
men used in making fires. Entering
headquarters one day he found his
men shoveling papers into a stove. He
opened them, and in examining the
papers found the Martha Washington
will.
"He carefully preserved the docu-
ment throughout his life, and on the
eve OF his death gave it to his daugh-
ten
The correspondence read by Mrs
Story revealed that Mr.. Morgan sug-
gestcd to Governor Stuart two plans
for the preservation of the historic
document. One is that he would pre-
sent the will for public exhibition al
Mount Vernon, the other that the vii
be preserved by the Congressional IL,
brary at Washington. With both OF
these suggestions. Mr.. Morgan cou-
pies another, that George Washing
cons will be exhibited with it.
Mr.. Morgan asserts that his reason
for refusing to return the will to tht
authorities of Fairfax County is thai
the courthouse is not fire proof ant
also THAI the place is ''out of the way"
He agreed to have photographs of the
document transmitted to the proper
custodians, and askels for the return
courtesy of the receipt of photographs
of the will of George Washington,
which is the most valued of Fairfax
County's old documents. This VA
turned down and legal measures
threatened.
The suggestion at which Fairfa:
county balks completely is that the
citizens of Fairfax county would agree
20 have the George Washington vii
AIKEN to either Of the places he stiD
Mated, whereupon Mr.. Morgan woult
gladly place the Martha Washing
on will beside it.
Governor Stuart has rejected ri.
proposition. AS affairs now stand i
emains to be seen if the St2te OF
Virginia will press the suit against
Mr. Morgan which the Legislature has
~ hclized.
Mr. Morgan in his answer TO Gov
error Stuart, wrote un;er dat o:
March II:
"The Fairfax County Court house:
-r:m what | am informed, is not fire
proof, nor are documents there KEEP
in such a way as to make them avail
,, able to any large number Of people. ]
also understand that the original wi!
CT George Washington is at presen
stored at that court house.
81 suggest, therefore, that the Com
nonwealth of Virginia, or Fairfax
county, should direct the keeper O.
The documents in the Court House tt
place the original will of George
Washington On exhibition at Noun
Vernon, for an indefinite period,
where it would be available for the
people, and where it would have the
benefit OF the great care an pro
lection against fire now given to Mt
Vernon.
"If this were done should be very
glad to present the will of Martha
Washington to the Mount Verno!
La:ies' Association for permanent ex.
h;bition there.
"Sho,,ld the Commonwealth of Vir