Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-01-09
Augustine and Nj airy
Washington Early Resi-
dents of Village.
THOUGHT NOR OF PLOW
THAN SHE DID OF SWORD
Refused Georges Horses for
Army Until After
Planting.
ny ponA G. JETr.

IL INC WISH were y wen Us
with one accord. wpuid pray that the
little fairy wan. might touch the in
falliblc spot. ana lift the i,npenetrablc
veil OF obscurity. mystery and uacer-
tainty. which envclop3 beyond it's
Opaque folds some of the pertinent
and interesting history of old Fred
ericksburg, and the real facts in the
lives OF Augustine and Mary Wash
ington. Mildred Washington Gregory.
Colonel Henry Willis. Colonel Field
ing Lewis and Betty Lewis. and num-
bcrless others.
notwithstanding this obscuri;y in
some phases Of it's life, this charming
cid town is replcte with well authcn-
tlcated history. and no reason can
warran; the publishing OF unfounlcd
tradition. to be exposed 10 an UNI
suspccting public. as fact. Only to-
day l read from a book published as
late as 1907. and which ] have heard
quoted several times lately, this SEN
tence, Mary Washington Died at
MI. Vernon. Fairfax County. August
20. 1889" Some poor guiiible soul
might search to the end of his life for
Mary's demise in the records of Fair
fax County. Far better TO leave an
unauthenticatcd story clothed In mys-
terry. or hidden under a light cloak of
clever irony. as he did. who said the
old colonial home of John and Abigail
Adams in Massachusetts, was built in
i1l6. according TO n truthful brick
found In the quaint old chimney"
Story liz Gnrbied.
In one OF Mrs. Pryor's delightful
books. she tells this story. which |
am afraid / shall spoil by abridging:
When at one of the critical. periods
In the life Of our young republic.
General Washington sent TO his
| mothers farm for horses Mary po-
itely told the men that George viii!
have to wait until my field is fin
:shed," illustrating her higher, esti-
nation OF the piowshare than of the
sword. verified version Of the
story from the West reads this way:
Leave the place instantly"
said the irate old woman. Go
i and tell your conmandcr-in in chief
with great scorn and der1sion) shat
lis mothers horses are not far sale.
| and that he can't borrow 'em until
my spring blowing is done" Mrs.
Pryor says. Given another hundred
years. and we will find that Mary
Washington laid violent hands on the
men who claimed the horses. and
| severely chnstised the plowman who
surrendered them"
Midway between fredericksburg
and Falmouth is charming Bit OF
seventeenth century architecture: a
ilttle cottage with dormer windows.
half hidden from view by the terraced
hiiisides. This is all that now rep
resents the immense Falls plantation,
that tract OF land which In associated
with Francis Thornton the first. that
staiwart product OF Yorkshire. Eng
land,. always the victor in his en-
counters with the Rappahannock In
dians. and the conuueror in that
singular and interesting story of his
COMBAT with an immense sturgeon.
which species of fish still abound in
the nearby waters. Also associated
MIN W ms place is the jolly, squire.
| second wife-shc retaliated by select
ing him for her second husband
Miidred Washington. of Westmoreland
OF General Washington. Foremost at
me June races. riding behind his ia
Sorite pack; in his place at the meets
aud dancing at numerous balls: his
name was synonym for good times.
Endowed ny Nature.
between this tract and the falls
OF thu, Rappahannock. nature has
created, without any assistance from
man to mar the beauty and the rus
ground. and equipped it with ali the
paraphernalia appropriate to the tenn
per OF these two marked characters.
Here may be found fresh. soft green
masses OF grassy sward. and here on
this undulating surface the stately
cedar; sycamore and poplar trees are
dotted; over there the gnarled old oak
spreads It's hoary branches. the honey
locusts and elms are there. and climb
Ing honcysuckle everywhere, while
piled high. one above another. at ir-
that is sublime: are those numberless
moss-covered boulders, peculiar 10
this region. and the waters Of the
old kappahannock fash and sparkle
splash and spray over their stony OBJ
structions.
s. Not Not many yards from the roadside
solid rock by Roger Gregory himself.
ans, q, WHERE, where he entertained his friends
and 6ar we rsctn Sh-fr RE and fox hunts
therein. was not dry" punch either!
Inc date on one side OF the semi
S wills on 1t ~ Is very distinct today.
are are h ;, discipherable, but ] have
SlofO.
Were Charming Trio.
:, Roger Gregory and Mildred Wash
lngton iLewisl Gregory became the
parents Of that charming trio OF
Gresory girls, so conspicuous socially
IN the past life OF the old town.
Frances. Mildred and Elizabeth. whom
delineators love 20 dress in big
cloaks, and quaint poke bonneta tied
under their chins. who were often
observed on the rond from their
highland homo to sec aunt Mary"
and to hear the latest achievements
or their cousin George.
4, The hearts OF these th"ee captivat-
Ing beauties-for tradition and the
more truthful daguerreotypes now in
possession of the family. both de-
clare them beautiful-must all have
turned In like direction. for Frances
Gregory gave her heart and hand to
Colonel Francis Thornton. II. of the
Fall Hill estate. (whose daughter
Mildred became the wife of Colonel
Charles Washington. the youngest
brother of the general). Tho aches
OF Colonel Thornton and his infant
.granddapghter, Mildred Washington,
are lreposing In the ancient and In,
terestings graveyard, still to be seen,
at the Falls Plantation Mildred
Gregory became the wife Sof Colonel