Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-02-22

one QauSnIeT.
Another stone is inscribed I'm men-
DRY of Augustine Washington, Father q
General Washington. Born in the year
1924: Died May II, 1743. This stono wss
placed hero by the Society OF the Co
lonial Danes Of America in the State OF
Virginia.
There is no certainty that George
Washington's father is buried here II
is curious that It is not known where
he was buried. His wife, the mother OF
George Washington, and who long sur
vived her husband. died at Fredericks-
burg. and her grave long neglected and
shot over by the contending armies in
the battle OF and the campaign around
Fredericksburg. Is now marked by
handsome monument. The cottage in
which she lived after removing To the
city Of fredericksburg from the Wash
ington farm on the other side OF the
Rappahannock river is now owned and
maintained as historic relic by the So
ciety for the Preservation of Virginia
Antiquities
A mile from the venerable little grave
yard Is another. II lies between Bridge
creek and Mattox creek The Wirts mar
ried with the WAshingtons and built a
great home On the bluffs looking out
across the Potomac river. and they
house was burned and all vestige Of IL
long ago disappeared The graveyard
which was appurtenant to that house is
50 densely overgrown with email trees
vines that 1t is difficult to get In among
the gravestones that stand or lie there
Some OF these graves are not very old
as time is measured in that part Of
Virginia
One of the stones is inscribed ITO the
memory Of William Augustine Washing
ton. who was born On the 3Oth day OF
August, 1904, and died honored. beloved
and lamented. on the 26th day OF June.
1880" There Is the grave OF Mary. the
daughter OF William Washington. who
died 1928. aged nineteen yearA-"
There is another grave, the stone over
which Ii inscribed. Julia Augusta Wash
ington. wife Of Dabney c. Writ born
There are a number Of other graves OF
Washingtons and wirts in this thicket
The Washington burial ground, as we'll
as the birthplace monument are in the
midst OF hundreds Of fertile acres Of the
original Washington tract. which, al
though II has passed through several out
side ownerships, Ia back In the Washing
ton family. and has been since about
1916. After the death OF George WASH
ington's Oldest brother, Augustine Wash
ington, the Popes creek farm fell to his
son. William Augustine Washington, and
then to his son. George Corbin Washing
ton. who sold the property in 1913 TO a
man by the name of John Gray OF Stat
ford county, Va. He gave the place to his
son, Atcheson Gray, who sold II to Daniel
Payne. who sold It to Henry T. Garnet.
who sold 1t to Charles c. Jet.
During several of these ownerships, or
occupancies, Daniel Payne held a mort
gage on the land, and on his death
Payne's executors added it to the Payne
estate. Payne's daughter, Betty, married
DR.. William Writ in 1S45, and the next
year the property. which by one OF the
Washingtons later than George had been
named Wakefield was bought by John
F. Wilson Of Anne Arundel county. Nd,
Wilson, who married Betty Washington.
q daughter of William Augustine WASH
ington. who at one time also owned Kalo-
rama in Washington city.
John e. Wilson died about four years
ago. and his widow, with children and
grandchildren, live in a fine old house on
the Wakefield farm in sight of and about
half mile away from the birthplace
monument
William Writ, who married Betty
was born at Bladensburg; served as At
torney General of the United States under
President Jackson and was once a candi-
date for the presidency. The wide es-
tates Of the Wirts in Westmoreland came
to be called Wirtland. and thousands OF
acres of this land are still in possession
OF descendants, among whom are Will
liam Writ Of Wirtland Hall or Wirtiand
Academy: Daniel Writ OF Bleak Hall and
Agnes Writ, widow Of George Washington.
who was a collateral kinsman of the
great Washington. and who died about
two years ago.
Mrs. Agnes Writ Washington. with her
two daughters, Elizabeth and Francis
live on Church point. about five miles
from the birthplace monument.