Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-22

iugton's Bible. which some historians say may
have been written by her iTllstrious son George.
The date as originally stated is March 6, but
that is without the addition Of the same II
days which make George Washington's birth
day February % instead of February IL.
Search where you may in contemporary let
tiers, diaries or other documents, you viii ind
nothing TO add to this simple statement and If
Mary Washington gave to her descendants any
details of the affair or any scraps OF her we'd
ding gown they have yet to be discovered BY
the historian. Unfortunately, in 1871 the So
ciety column of the daily newspapers had not
been invented-in fact there was no news
paper in all Virginia at that early date Yet
the event must have been Of some importance
even 200 yeas ago, and from the few facts at
our disposal we can imagine q society reporter
OF 1891 experience composing wedding notice
along such lines as tEfsee:
"On March II, 1881. occurred a marriage Of
special interest throughout the Northern Neck
OF Virginia, uniting, as it did, one Of the most
attractive young ladies of the colony and the
son Of one of its most distinguished families
Miss Mary Ball and Augustine washington,
gentleman. The beautiful ring ceremony was
used
THE bride is the daughter of the late Joseph
Ball of Epring Forest and granddaughter of
Col. William Ball. who settled in Lancaster
County about the middle of the seventeenth
century and did much to help develop the
colony. After the death of her mother in 1T21
Miss Ball was under the guardianship and
tutelage Of Mai. George ESkridge Of Sandy
Point. She has been aptly called the Rose Of
Lancaster and is an accomplished horSewoman.
THE groom is the of the late Mai. Law
renee Washington, who was for many years
member from Westmoreland of the Virginia
House Of Burgesses. In the early days his
grandfather, John Washington, was associated
with Col. William Ball in protecting the colony
from Indian depredations. Through his mother
Mr.. Washington is des .snded from the Warmers,
Ger
for his maternal grandfather, Augustine War
ner, member of the Kings Council Like his
father, Mr.. washington received his education
ut Appleby, England, spending q number of
years at school in the mother country. His
first wife, who died in 1923, was Jane Butler,
daughter of the Honorable Caleb Butler. The
mansion house to which he will take his bride
Is located on part of the Washington family
estate at Popes Greek, Westmoreland County,
near the Potomac"
TT Is safe TO say that no reporter could resist
that reference to the Rose Of Lancaster"
although there seems to be no tangible infor-
nation upon which to base the persistent re-
ports Of the brides youthful charm. Most of
these reports are quotations from some partially
mutilated letters discovered many years ago in
which winSome Mary, or Molly, Bah is de-
0crfbed who had faxen hair and 'chekes like
AGay-blossoms." The description win probably
continue to survive. and the letters were given
an honored place in the cornerstone of the
Mary Washington monument at Fredericks-
burg. But later discoveries have shown that
other statements in the context could not pos
sibly have applied to the bride Of 1871. As
matter of fact, the large number Of Ban families
IN Virginia and the constant repetition of
certain family names have provided q difncult
task for the biographer OF Mary, the mother of
washington
Whether or not this Mary was ever known
during her lifetime as the Rose of Lancaster"
or the Belle of the Northern Neck" there are
documents to prove that much Of her girlhood
was identified with the five counties between
the Potomac and the Rappahannock rivers,
known as the Northern Neck Of Virginia. The
Col. William BAH mentioned by our reporter
settled in the southern part Of Lancaster
County In 1857. His place was called Mlen-
beck, and there Is today a small town of that
name ON the banks of the Corotoman River.
st. Marys White Chapel, standing four miles
west Of Lancaster Court House has possessions
dating from Col. Balls early days in Virginia,
and there are many tombStones in the church,
yard bearing the BAN name. Joseph, one Of
Col williams sons, established Virginia home
In the same county, although he had been
married IN England and some OF his children
were born there. His Virginia estate was called
Epping Forest. and there, IL is supposed, his
youngest daughter, Mary, the only child by his
second wife, was born early IN the eighteenth
century.
Strangely enough, considering that Mary Ball
lived to an advanced age, the mother of the
most famous son in America, and has been the
subject Of several biographies no official record
OF her birth or baptism has been found. Not
that any one has accused her Of concealing her
age, for she is often credited with more years
than belong to her. Documents have been pub
Iisned very recently by c. A. Hoppin, historian
for the Wakefield Association signed by Joseph
Hall early in lT08 by which he appears to
contemplate an immediate second marriage,