Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-06
ABINGDON HOUSE
DESTROYED BY FIRE
Old Mansion, Home Of Wash
ington's StepSon, Had
CoIorfuI History.

Long since a ghost-like ruin amid Its
briar-strangled gardens, the romantic
old mansion house of Abingdon just
across the Potomac from Congress
Heights was destroyed by brush fire
yesterday afternoon.
The wind-fanned flames only COM
pleted the work of years and neglect,
and brought to a conclusion in keeping
with its tragic history the days of the
old house on the river rich with as
sociations of George Washington.
For the past three years the house
has been entirely deserted, on a tract
of land owned by the Richmond,
Fredericksburg & Potomac Railroad.
There have been various movements
on the part of patriotic societies to stop
the progress of ruin, but nothing &C
tually has been done.
When Washington married Martha
Gusts in 1859 she had two children,
daughter Martha and sen John. He
became deeply attached to these chill
dren and was almost heart-broken
when the girl died in 1773.
Hopes Conferred on John.
The hopes of both Washington and
his wife were then centered on John.
But the youths ideas were not always
those of his elders and he had will
of his own which not even Washington
could control He fell in love with q
girl across the river, Eleanor Calvert.
daughter of Benedict Calvert of Mount
Airy, Md. and lineal descendant of
Lord Baltimore. Both of them, Wash
ington thought, were too young to
marry.
They finally were married, at the
home of the brides parents. Washing
ton, the records show, attended the
wedding. Martha Washington felt so
badly about 1t that she would not at
tend. She had hoped that her son
would study for one of the learned
professions" but her hopes we're blasted.
A little later, however, she became
reconciled. She wrote the bride:
MY Dear Nellie: God took from me
daughter when the June roses were
blooming. He has now given me an
other daughter about her age, when
Winter winds are blowing, to warm my
heart again.
II am as happy as one so afflicted
and so blest can be. Pray receive my
benediction and wish that you may
long live the loving wife of my happy
son."
Shortly afterward the couple came
to Mount Vernon to live. After two
years Washington purchased for them
from Gerald Alexander, one of the
founders of Alexandria, the beautiful
river estate of Abingdon. For a few
years everything went smoothly. Three
children were born. John Gusts had
plenty of money, inherited from his
father. His mother and Stepfather were
frequent visitors and Abingdon was a
center Of the colorful life of the Colonial
gentry.
Then came the Revolution. John
Gusts served as aide de-camp to his
stepfather. During the closing days of
the Yorktown campaign he was taken
down with a malignant fever and was
taken to the home Of an aunt, a few
miles away.
This took from Washington all the
happiness which might have been ex-
pected from the surrender of Corn
wallis and the end of the Revolution.
Immediately after the surrender he
hurried to the bedside of his sick STEP
son, arriving only a few moments be-
fore the young mans death.
SO the widow was left alone at
Abingdon house with her children.
Washington took the children to Mount
Vernon, where they were cared for by
Mrs. Lund Washington when Martha
Washington was absent in Philadelphia
during her husbands term of Office as
President. %,
Arranged Second Marriage.
The plight of the family was much
In the mind of Washington. He is
credited with arranging a second mar
riage for the widow with DR.. David
Stuart, a close personal friend, whom
he afterward appointed one of the first
Commissioners of the District of CO.
lumbia. With her children restored To
her again, she moved back to Abingdon
and for few years the colorful life of
the old mansion was revived. Washing
ton used to come up the river by boat
to visit them.
But somehow or other there was
defect in the title by which she held the
property. The heirs of Gerald Alex
ander sued to recover it and won in the
courts.
At the time of the Civil War the
property was owned by Mai. Bushrod
Washington Hunter, a descendant of
the AleXanderS. Both he and his son
served in the Confederate army.
The property was confiscated by the
Government. The younger Hunter re-
covered 1t after the war, largely through
the aids Of James A. Garfield. A short
time later he sold It and the house has
been on the decline ever since.
Stripped by souvenir hunters and &C.
cupted by families with little apprecia-
ton OF its historical Significance. it
gradually became q complete ruin, until
its days were ended by fire Yesterday