The Washington herald., 1914-04-27
truth IS OUT AS
TO FAMOUS Will
]. P. Morgan Tells How He
Got Martha Washington's
testament.
COURTHOUSE IS UNSAFE
Virginia Rejects His Suggestions for
Places to Keep Document.
What Now?

Revealing for the first time how the
will of Martha Washington came into
/ his fathers possession, ]. P. Morgan has
made a full statement to Mrs, William
Cumming Story, president general OF the
| Daughters Of the American Revolution
Mrs. Story read this statement, and ali
! other correspondence on the subject
with the head of the Morgan family TO
The Daughters in session here. Mr.. Nor
gan's statement is as follows:
THE will OF Martha Washington was
taken from the Fairfax Courthouse in
1852 by a colonel of the Union army.
who rescued II from destruction by his
men,. This officer retained II in his
possession for thirty years. and shortly
before his death, in 1892 gave It to his
daughter, who. thirteen years later. in
1865. sold II to the late J. Bierpont Nor
gan.
This account she related at the time
Of the transfer. She stated that her
fathers regiment garrisoned Fairfax
Courthouse in 1862, and that he had head
quarters i'm the courthouse. Another
command had previously occupied the
place and the men had broken open the
safes. The floors were Uttered with
papers which the colonel's men used in
making fires. Entering headquarters one
day he found his men shoveling papers
into n stove. He stopped them, and in
examining the papers found the Martha
Washington will.
He carefully preserved the document
throughout his life. and on the eve OF his
death gave it to his daughter"
Makes Two suggestions.
The correspondence read by Mrs. Story
revealed that Mr.. Morgan suggested to
Gov. Stuart two plans for the preserva-
ton of the historic document. One is
that he would present the will for public
exhibition at Mount Vernon. the other
that the will be preserved by the Con-
gressional Library at Washington. With
both of these suggestions Mr.. Morgan
couples another. that George Washing
tons will be exhibited with IL.
Mr.. Morgan asserts that his reason for
refusing to return the will to the authori-
ties of Fairfax County is that the court
house is not fireproOf and also that the
place is out OF the way" He agreed TO
have photographs Of the document trans
mitted to the proper custOdians and
asked for the return courtesy of the re-
ceipt of photographs OF the will of George
Washington. which is the most valued
of Fairfax County's old documents. This
was turned down and legal measures
threatened.
The suggestion at which Fairfax Coun-
ty halks completely is that the citizens
of Fairfax County would agree to have
the George Washington will taken to
either Of the places he stipulated. where
upon Mr.. Morgan would gladly place the
Martha Washington will beside it.
Gov. Stuart has rejected this PROPOSE
ton. As affairs now stand it remains
to be seen IL the State OF Virginia will
ha Sttif NJ MnrraT u-h
the legislature has authorized.
Mr.. Morgan. in his answer to Gov.
Stuart wrote under date of March Il:
Courthouse Not safe.
The Fairfax County court house, frorI
what | am Informed. is not fireproOf
nor are documents there kept in such
way as to make them available to any |
large number OF people. l also under |
stand that the original will Of George |
is at present stored in that |
court house.
Il suggest. therefore. that the common |
wealth OF Virginia, or Fairfax County. |
5hould direct the keeper of the doCu- |
ments in the court house to place the |
original will of George Washington on
exhibition at Mount Vernon for an in
definite period. where 1t would be avail
able for the people. and where il would |
have the benefit OF the great care and |
protection against nTe now given to
Mount Vernon.
IF this We're done. I should he very
glad to present the will of Martha Wash
nGtOn to the Mount Vernon Ladies' As
ISOLATION for permanent exhibition
there.
should the Commonwealth of Virginia
not be willing to do this pro-
pose that the Commonwealth should
present the will OF George Washington
10 the Library of Congress to be forever
Kept with the public records there. and
should present the will of Martha
to the nation for the same
disposition.
In Directing to both these plans. Gov
Stuart, under date of April $, reiterated
hat 1.-The people of Virginia hold that
he Martha Washington will is a part
II the records of Fairfax County, and