The state herald., 1917-02-16
! GORGE WASHINGTON'S will
was signed at Mount Vernon
July Q, 1909. five months be-
form btc doofh From hoUin.

~ GORGE WASHINGTON'S Will
was signed at Mount Vernon
July o. 1700. five months be-
fore his death. From begin
ming to end 1t gives evidence Of the
firm hand and clear mind of Its maker.
It contains many legal phrases, but 1t
was not written under the instruction
Of lawyer, and there Is reason to be-
lieve that nobody was consulted In its
construction.
Modern skill has rescued the docu-
ment from dilapidation and impending
destruction and has assured to all
Americans the opportunity to read 1t
exactly as 1t was written. It was filed
for probate in the year 1900 in the
court house Of Fairfax county, Vir-
ginia. in which Mount Vernon is stu
ated. In the intervening 11G years 1t
has undergone vicissitudes. including
much miscellaneous manhandling and
one removal and concealment.
Through all Of u century he who
ran SO far as Fairfax court house
might read at his leisure and with his
own hands manipulate the original
document and at his pleasure thumb
and tumble 1t. with only court at
tendant near to see that the will was
not carried away, Wholesale or piece
meal. One Of the pages Of the will
bears mute testimony to the success Of
some unknown enthusiastic relic hun
ter who tore OF and carried away one
corner.
At the beginning Of the Civil war
the will was taken to Richmond, and
there securely hidden. 1t was re-
turned to Fairfax court house when
peace had been restored. The same
care was not taken of the will Of
Martha Washington. on file In the
same court house. and II was carried
of by Union soldier and was for
time In the possession Of the late j.
Pierpont Morgan. After a suit had
been begun to secure Its restoration to
Virginia and Fairfax county. II was
returned to the court house.
The decades that have passed since
the filing Of General washIngton's
will. the journey to md from Rich
mond. the careless II afrectionate han
ding to which the precious manuscript
was subjected did not tend to Its pres
ervation. Finally 1t became n thing
Of rags and tatters. Its custodians.
with the best intentions. added to its
peril Of early and complete oblitera-
ton by persistently folding II length
wise. following the original fold Of the
clerk Of 1900.
In charge Of the repair section Of
the manuscript division is william
Berwick. said to be the greatest living
expert In the restoration Of old manu-
scripts. To him was given the task
Of restoring the immortal document.
Impressed with desire to preserve
the tremendously important and In.
teresting relic, Mr.. Berwick has ac-
compllshed something very like a mir.
acle. Although the work wns begun by
Mr. Berwick In 1910 II was but recent.
ly completed. The restorcr, working
odd days and intervals sometimes
widely npart. needed much timc to
nrirg tho manuscript to its present
form.
Az soon ns he finished with the will
Of General Washington no bcgnn the
restoration Of the will Of Martha
Washington. returned by Mr.. Morgan
to Fairfax county. The elder Mr.. Nor.
gan having Ind the Martha Washing.
ton will In his possession. md having
bSund and preserved II carefully, Il
waB In much better condition than that
Of the FIRST president md give Mr..
Berwick far less trouble. Further. Il
contains but eight pages.
Notwithstanding Mr.. Morgnn's cnrc
Of Martha washington's will. tho vir.
glnians apparently nrc yet somewhat
rcscntful that tho document was kept
from them no long. The text Of the
inscription over Martha wnshington's
will In Fnirfnx court house is MS fol.
lows.
"Thc oririhnl Inst will md tesla.
mcnt Of Mrs. Martha Washington. II
In dated Bfnrch 4. 1902, md wns nd.
mittcd TO probate by tho county court
Of Fairfax June q. 1902, md wns re-
storcd to Its present form In tho year