Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1931-08-27
George Washin8ton's
Mother a Noble Woman

august ZOLn marks the l4~Hu ami
versary Of the death Of Mary Ball
Washington, mother OF the man whose
two hundreth birthday anniversary the
entire world will celebrate in 1882.
In Fredericksburg Va, where Mary
Ball Washington lived the greater part
Of her life, and where she lies buried,
the shaft erected over her resting place
bears a single line that perhaps tells
in its half dozen words the uttermost
that could be said of her. That simple
line reads, Mary, the Mother OF
George Washington 1t would seem
to be praise and glory enough for any
woman
Not far from her burial place stands
the simple, white house, the gift of her
devoted son who saw to it that her
declining days were days of comfort
and peace.
According to the little we know Of
Mary Ball Washington. she was a
woman remarkable for sound sense and
force of character and was possessed
of the same reserve as her illustrious
son. OF his military achievements she
is said never to have spoken. She was
proud. rather, of his character. Yet
even in this regard she contented her
! self with such modest comment as,
/ George was always good boy.
The death of Washington's father
left Mary Ball Washington widow
without large means and with i've
children besides her eldest boy George,
then eleven years Of age. The farm on
which they lived, near Fredericksburg,
had been willed to George, but his
mother was given the use Of it during
her life. The situation meant careful
management on the part Of the mother,
and it obliged the young George Wash
ington to act as head of the family to
prepare himself to earn his own liv-
ing and meanwhile to help his mother
support the family
As George grew up, prospered, and
entered on his great career, he saw to
| it that his mother lived in comfort and
4 security. Though he lived some dis
/ lance away at Mount Vernon, he paid
regular visits to her in Fredericksburg
and she was first in his mind after
every signal achievement His diary
and memoranda of accounts bear wit
ness to his continued interest in her
welfare.
The United States George Washing
ton Bicentennial Commission refers to
!, one Of these occasions. 1t was after the
surrender of CORVALLIS at Yorktown,
the event that virtually ended the Rev
olution and guaranteed victory to the
] American cause Washington proceeded
! to Fredericksburg to call on his mother
Leaving Lafayette and the other dis
tinguished French generals who ac-
cornpanied him the American com
mander-in-chi went alone and or
foot to his mothers house What they
said to each other has never been re-
corded. but the meeting may well be
imagined
Afterward, Mary Ball Washington
was persuaded to appear at ball in
Fredericksburg, in celebration of vic
tory. All were so impressed by hel
dignity and simple yet commanding
manner that Lafayette is recorded az
exclaiming, IF such are the matron:
Of America, she may well boast of hel
illustrious sons
Washington saw his mother for The
last time shortly after his election al
first president Of the United States
the honor that crowned all the other
he received and merited from a CRATE
full people. Before leaving Mount Yer
non for his inaugural in New York
then the national capital, the newl,
elected President travelled to Freder-
icksburg to present himself to hi
mother. George Washington Park
Gusts, adopted son of Washington, ha
left touching description of this las
time that Washington saw his mothe
alive
He spoke the usual words Of LOOKING
forward to seeing her soon again, but
in the description of Gusts, sh
answered, you shall see me no more
my great age and the disease that !
fast approaching my vitals, warn m
that / shall not be long in this world.
Her prediction was only too true
Her great son was naugurated !
March, 1889. Less than six months at
terward. on August 25 that year, hi
mother died in her eighty-fifth yeai
victim of cancer.