The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1915-02-20

The identity of this "Lowland Beau lESSSzSSsS
ty,' who was the object of Washing
tons first affections has been much lt/9A%
disputed. Losing. the historian, pro-
nOunced her Mary Bland, and some u
inclined to the belief that she
Miss Eilbeck, beauty of Charles
county, Maryland, who married George Mason.
Others maintain that she Lucy Grymes, who
married Henry Lee and became the mother of
the famous Light Horse Harry" who a
great favorite with Washington, and who re-
ferred to the commander in chief as first in war
first in peace, and first in the hearts of his coun-
trymen." Those who favor the Lucy Grymes
Identification point to the affection of Washing
ton for Light Horse Harry" a resultant of
the early love he entertained for Harry's mother
Others will have it that the "Lowland Beauty"
was Betsy Fauntleroy, and base their assertion
on letter written in May 1882 by WASHINGTON
to the grandfather of Miss Fauntleroy, in which
he says, among other things he purposed as soon
as he recovered his strength Che had been i'll
with pleurisy) ito wait Miss Betsy in hopes
of a revocation of the former cruel sentence and
see if 1 can meet with any alteration in my
favor"
In 174S Washington became surveyor of Lord
Fairfax lands. He then but sixteen. In an
undated letter, probably written about the end of
1850, or the beginning of 1751 to his Dear
Friend Robin, POSSIBLY Robert Washington of
Chotauk, anectionately remembered in his wild
we also find allusion to the ''Lowland Beauty
My place of residence is at present at his lord
ships, where l might were not my heart Olsen
agreeable young lady lives in the same house
but often and unavoidably being in
pany with her revives my former passion for
your 'Lowland Beauty whereas, were to live
more retired from young Women might, in some
measure, alleviate my sorrows by burying that
chaste and troublesome Passion in the grave of
oblivion of eternal forgetfulness.'
History might have been different had Washing
ton been accepted by the "Lowland Beauty" If
the "Lowland Beauty Betsy Fauntleroy-
and good authorities think she was-she married
Ebenezer Adams, progenitor OF the Virginia fam
lily of that name, and became the mother Of
Thomas Adams, alumnus of William and Mary
college, signer of the articles of confederation,
and member Of the Philadelphia convention OTIS
1880.
The agreeable young lady" mentioned by
Washington in his letters from the Fairfax resi-
dence was Miss Mary Cary, the sister of Colonel
Fairfax wife. He turned to her for consola-
ton and it seems her charm mitigated his "trou-
besorne passion" But Miss Cary had genuine
love for the ardent young man. In 1852 she mar
ried Edward Amber.
After his wooing of the 'Lowland Beauty he
had another charmer presumably member OF
the family of Alexanders, who had a plantation
Mount Vernon.
Washington, while in Barbados with his sick
half-brother Lawrence, met Miss Roberts, who
exerted an influence over his tender heart and
to whom he refers IAN agreeable young lady.
1t would that nearly all the young ladies
were agreeable to him. Miss. Roberts, it ap-
pears, the only one. however, who really cap
tivated him in Barbados. While allowing that
all the ladys generally agreeable" he notes
that "by i'll custom they affect the negro style"
When returned from his first campaign and rest
ing at Mount Vernon the time to have been
beguiled by charmer for one of his init
mates writes from Williamsburg: Il imagine you
by this time plunged in the midst of delight
heaven can afford and enchanted by charmers
even stranger to the Cirpian Dame" and foot
note by the same hand only excites further Curl
osity concerning this latter parsonage by in
definitely naming her as Mrs. Neil"
1t is said that at time and another Wash
inPton had half a hundred sweethearts along the
banks of the Potomac, the Rappahannock. anu the
James, and even up to the gates Of Mount Yer
non. Perhaps the number is exaggerated, but
at any rate we have but scant account Of most OF
the fair ones and are not even told the names
of the great majority This do know, that