The Fayette falcon. (Somerville, Tenn.) 190?-current, 1920-02-13

on this cover except "The Last WIN
and Testament Of Gen1 George Wash
ington."
Washington began his will thus:
I'm the name Of God, Amen! /,
George Washington Of Mount Vernon,
citizen of the United States and
lately president Of the same, do make.
ordain and declare this Instrument
which is written with my own hand
and every page thereof subscribed
with my name to be my last WIN Il
Testament, revoklng all others"
Just the same, he omitted his sig
nature from the bottom Of page %,
which goes to show that even the
model of all the ages was human.
Martha Washlngton's will is dated
March 4, 1902, and was admitted to
probate by the county court at Fair
fax June 81. 1902. 1t remained In the
old courthouse until the Civil war.
Union forces occupied Fairfax in 1862
and the will disappeared. For more
than 80 years the Fairfax county au-
thorities could find no trace of 1t.
Upon the death of ]. Pierpont Nor
gan in 1913 1t became known that
the missing will was one Of the most
priced articles Of his great collection
of historic documents. Fairfax county
thereupon undertook to regain posses
sion of II.
J. Pierpont Morgan, Jr, declined to
give up the will. He offered, however,
TO let Fairfax have Photographic
reproduction, provided Fairfax would
LET him have n similar reproduction
Of George Washlngton's will.
This offer was declined. The Vir-
ginla legislature was then appealed to,
with the result that an act was passed
directing the attorney general Of the
state to bring suit TO recover the orig
lnal document. The bill was filed in
the Supreme court.
In the meantime in correspondence
with the Virginia state authorities. Mr..
Morgan first objected to the manner
in which he had been approached. then
offered to return the will provided 1t
was placed at Mount Vernon instead
and In vault TO be constructed BY
him. This and all other conditions
were refused. Finally, In 1915. when
the case was about to come TO trial
Mr.. Morgan capltulated and handed
over the will to the Fairfax county
authorities.
Thereupon the secret Of the dlsap-
pearance and whereabouts of the will
was cleared up. For. pasted on the
fly-leaf of the handsome folder which
the elder Morgan had used to protect
the will. was found the following sign
ed statement by the woman from
whom he had purchased the document
In 1908:
Lieut.. Col David Thomson. COM
handing the Elghty-second regiment.
Ohio Volunteer infantry. was. during
the spring or autumn Of 1862. sta
toned at Fairfax courthouse. Va. His
headquarters were in the courthouse
building. The safes had previous to
this been broken open by the Blenk-
ers, a command Of men noted for their
reckless vandalism. The papers were
on the floor aud had been destroyed
in large quantities (and) used to kin
die fires. My father. going into the
Office, found his men shovellng the
material from the floor for this use
called them TO stop. and. looking over
them, found the document in question.
Just preceding his death. In 1892. he
gave the document 10 me 10 be done
with as I thought proper.
a(sIgned) MARY ESPY THOMSON.
1856 Irving avenue. South. Minneapo,
lis, Mimi"
Martha washington's will Is a long
one. Is written on pages Of foolscnp
and is remarkably well preserved.
Any one who doubts that Martha
Washington was good business wom-
an should read the will.
Also. the win has q postscript.
which shows that the wife Of the
Father" Of this country was also
human.