The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-02-22
FINAL PLANS FOR GEORGE WASHINGTON MEMORIAL APPROVED
DIARY COVERING LAST YEAR OF
WASHINGTONS LIFE IS FOUND
Curator and Librarian Discover
Document While Searching
in Library.
tRy rhs AssoeIated Press

YORK, Pa, Feb. 21.-DiScovery of a.
lost diary kept by George Washington
during the last year of his life was an
nounced tonight by George r. Prowell,
curator and librarian of the historical
city of York county.
While searching through unclassi-
fled documents in the library of the
department of state at Washington"
Mr.. Prowell said, another gentleman
and myself found the lost diary of
Washington, written during the time
he was president and until his DEATH"
One of the first entries quoted is
that written by Washington on his
birthday and in this connection lit
tie known fact is brought to light
that in the last year of Washington's
life the people of Virginia observed
February IL instead of February % as
the anniversary of his birth
Mr.. ProweIl explains this by point
ing out that Washington was born in
1892 and it was not until twenty years
later that the Gregorian calendar was
accepted in England and the United
States. Washington's birthday, as
result, was recorded in the family Bi-
BILE as February IL, 1892 Gold style)
and February II continued to be OBJ
served in Virginia until 1910.
The entry of February II, 1893 reads
as follows; February II, 1893. 1
went up to Alexandria to a celebration
of my birthday. Many manouvers We're
performed by the uniformed eompa-
nies and an elegant ball at a supper
at night, on the following day return
ing to my home"
THE diary contains several refer
ences to the marriage of Eleanor Parks
Curtis, adopted daughter OF General
Washington, and to Lawrence Lewis,
favorite nephew. Mr.. Prowell quotes
letter written on Tuesday, February
10, to Captain George Daneale, clerk
of the Fairfax county court. 1t said:
You will please to grant to license
for the marriage of Eleanor Parke
Curtis with Lawrence Lewis, and this
shall be your authority for so doing"
This was followed on February %
by this entry in the diary:
THE Rev. Mr.. Davis and Mr.. George
Calvert came to dinner and Miss Cur
tbs was married about candle light to
Mr.. Lawrence Lewis"
On July 4, 1893 he celebrated 1nde-
pendence Day, by attending banquet
at Kemps Tavern in Alexandria, given
in his honor by the citizens of the
town.
The entire day of July was spent
in writing his last will which consisted
of 29 pages of manuscript, all of which
he wrote himself affixing his signature
at the bottom of each page.
On December IL, while riding, he
caught the cold which resulted two
days later in his death. He was not
i'll enough the following day, Decem-
Der 13, however, to prevent his writ
ing in the diary and he made the fol-
lowing record:
Nor ming showing and about three
inches deep. Wind at northeast and
mercury at 80. Continued showing un-
til o'clock and about four it became
perfect clear, wind in the same place
but not hard" This was the last en-
try of the diary, and Mr.. ProweI said,
was the last piece of writing executed
by him. He became seriously i'll be-
tween two and three o'clock the next
and his death occurred that
night