Rocky Ford enterprise., 1915-02-19

ty" who was the object of Washing IIaSE
toms first affections has been much |lTtSM>
disputed. Losing. the historian pro- liz
nounced her Mary Bland. and some
are inclined to the belief that she was
Miss Eilbeck, beauty of Charles
county. Maryland, who married George Mason
Others maintain that she was Lucy Grymes, who
married Henry Lee and became the mother of
the famous Light Horse Harry who was
great favorite with Washington and who re-
ferred to the commander in chief as first in war;
first 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 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 a letter written in May. 1852, 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 Ill
with pleurisy) "to wait on Miss Eetsy in hopes
of a revocation of the former cruel sentence. and
see II l meet with any alteration in my
favor"
In 174S Washington became surveyor OF Lord
Fairfax lands. He was then but sixteen. In an
undated letter. probably written about the end of
1850. the beginning of 1851, to his Dear
Friend Robin" (possbly Robert Washington of
Chotauk arfectionately remembered in his wild
We also find allusion to the "Lowland Beauty,
MY place of residence is at present at his lord
ships where might, were not my heart olsen
gagged pass my time very pleasantly. as very
agreeable young lady lives IN the same mouse
but often and unavoidably being in COM
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" II
the "Lowland Beauty Betsy Fauntleroy-
and good authorities think she was-she married
Thapa of virginia
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 17Is.
17SO).
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-
tion and it seems her charm mitgated his "trou-
blesome passion" But Miss Cary had no genuine
love for the ardent young man. In 1852 she mar
red Edward Amber.
After his wooing of the "Lowland Beauty" he
had another charmer presumably member OF
the family of Alexanders, who had plantation
near Mount Vernon.
Washington. while in Barbados with his sick
half-brother Lawrence. met Miss Roberts. who
exerted influence over his tender heart ana
to whom he refers as IAN agreeable young lady,.
1t would seem that nearly all the young ladies'
were agreeable to him. Miss Roberts. 1t ap-
pears was the only one, however. who really cap
tiyated him In Barbados. While allowing that
all the ladys generally are agreeable, he notes
that by Ill custom they affect the negro style
When returned from his first campaign and rest
ing at Mount Vernon the time seems to have been
beguiled by charmer for one of his inti-
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 Cirpan Dame and a foot
note by the same hand only excites further Curl
osity concerning this latter parsonage by in
dehnitely naming her Mrs. Neil
II is said that at time and another Wash.
inpton had half a hundred sweethearts along the
banks of the Potomac. the Rappahannock, and the
James, and even up to the gates of Mount Yer
non Perhaps the number is exaggerated but
AZ any rate we have but scant account of most of
tho r,Ir ones and are not even told the names
Of the great majority. This we do know. that