Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1923-11-01

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with whom he lived at Mount Yer
non from 1746 until the death Of
Lawrence in 1852, was the leading
spirit in founding the city in 1749
and one Of its first trustees.
The site secured for the memorial
was once owned by George Wash
ington and is theh Identical location
selected by Madison and Jefferson
for the site of the United States
capital. This selection was opposed
and defeated by Washington be-
cause of his large land interest in
the community, which fact he
thought would perhaps arouse sus-
picion and subject him to severe
personal criticism.
From early youth to the day OF
his death Washington took an active
part in the public affairs of the To-
cality, as the following brief sum-
mary will show. At Alexandria,
with headquarters at the old City
Tavern, which is still standing. he
recruited his first command In 1854,
and there in 1855, in the now his
toric Carlyle House, he received his
commission as major on Braddock's S
staff, and from there he started in
April, 1855, on that tedious march
| to the fatal field of Monongehela.
He represented the town in the
House of Burgesses from 1853 to
| the beginning of the Revolution in
1774; was a member OF the town
council and it's magisterial court;
vestryman in the parish; Master of
it's Masonic lodge; founder of its
first free school and fire depart
ment; surveyed it's streets and main
tanned an office in the town for the
transaction of local business.
He was stockholder in AleXan-
dria's first bank (organiZed In
1922, and upon his death endowed
the school he established in 1885
with the stock he held in this bank.
There, at Gadsby's Inn, February
III GO. S., 1898, he and his family
joined in the first public celebration
of his birthday, and from the steps
of this same old hostelry in Novem-
Der, 1899, he held his last military
review and gave his last military
command to Alexandria Independent
Blues. 1t was his voting place and
his market.
Alexandria physicians ministered
to his dying wants: Alexandria
Freemasons arranged the funeral
and performed the Masonic cere-
mony its clergy, the religious rites;
it's citizens formed the funeral cor
tege and it's soldiers paid the only
military tribute over the bier of the
departed chieftain. After his death
his will was recorded in Alexandria.
There lived his lifelong friends and
neighbors and the whole community
for miles around is veritable
museum of history redolent with the
spirit and abounding in the tradi-
tions of Washington and his neigh
bors
The Alexandria Blue Lodge pos
sesses priceless collection of
Washington Masonic and other rel
les. 1t possesses the Washington
chair, old desk, altar. lesser lights
and the famous Williams picture OF
General Washington in Masonic re-
gala. This picture is the finest ex-
tant of all those ever painted of the
first president. The artist was in
structed to paint him as he is -
which he did, showing Washington
as he really appeared in his later
days, even to facial defects.
Among other effects of Washing
ton owned by the Alexandria Lodge
/ is the generals Masonic apron, worn
by him when Master and at the lay
! ing of the cornerstone of the nation
al capitol The identical trowel used
! in the laying of the cornerstone of
| the capitol also is in possession
of the Alexandria Lodge and, Incl
dentally, is to be used in the laying
of the cornerstone of the Washing
ton Masonic Memorial. Other Wash
ington relics of the lodge include
the generals wedding gloves and
fam spurs, a pearl handled knife,
a present from his mother when a
boy; his pocket compass, cupping
and bleeding Instruments; a piece
of sealing wax taken from his desk
after his death and last used by
him; boot strap or garter worn by
him the day of Braddock's defeat; a
button cut from the generals coat
at his first Inauguration, a piece ot
canvas from his army tent useC
during the Revolutionary war; anG
many other relics for which fabu
lous sums have been offered
All these relics are to be housed
in the George Washington Masonic
National Memorial, where they will
be secure forever against destruc
ton by fire and against theft 4
few of the Washington articles Were
lost in a fire which burned down thC
old home Of Alexandra Lcuge, an(
American Masons as a whole have
resolved that never again shall i
be possible for the elements to de
stroy any that remain. The me
mortal will be the center and rally
: ing point of the members Of the or
dor. l. will he 9 noble memorial t
a noble man and Mason to him VIII,
J richly deserved TO be called 9Th,
father OF his country" and who il
his every day life. in his every pub
: lie act. eXemplifed the lofty pat
? liotiam Of the Masonic order.
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EA1T WINDSOR
Wm. Lindimore ana tmmet
Gatewood We're callers at Earl Phil