Milford chronicle., 1931-10-23
GEORGE WASHINGTON'S
MOTHER

August 25th marked the 142n
anniversary of the death of Mar
Ball Washington, mother of the ma
whose two hundredth birthday ann
versary the entire world will celt
brate in 1882.
In Fredericksburg, Va, wher
Mary Ball Washington lived tn
greater part of her life, and wher
she lies buried, the shaft erecte
over her resting place bears a singl
line that perhaps tells in it's hal
dozen words the uttermost tina
could be said of her. That simpl
line reads, Mary, the Mother o
George Washington" 1t would seen
to be praise and glory enough TO
any woman.
Not far from her burial plact
stands the simple, white house, tn,
Gift of her devoted son who saw u
it that her declining days were days
of comfort and peace.
According to the little we know o.
Mary Ball Washington, she was {
woman remarkable for sound sense
and force of character, and was pos
sessed of the same reserve as her il
lustrious 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 herself with
such modest comment as, George
was always a good boy"
The death of Washington's father
/ left Mary Ball Washington a widow
without large means and with five
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 Washing
ton to act as head of the family, to
prepare himself to earn his own liv-
ing, and meanwhile to help his mo-
ther 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 security. Though he liv-
ed some distance away at Mount
Vernon, he paid regular visits to her
in Fredericksburg, and she was first
i'll his mind after every signal
achievement. His diary and memo
randa of accounts bear witness to
his continued interest in her well
fare.
The United States George Wash
ington Bicentennial Commission re-
fers to one of these occasions. It
was after the surrender of Corn
wallis at Yorktown, the event that
virtually ended the Revolution and
guaranteed victory to the American
cause. Washington proceeded to
Fredericksburg to call on his mo-
ther. Leaving Lafayette and the
other distinguished French generals |
who accompanied him, the Ameri- |
can commander-in-chief went alone
and on foot to his mothers house. |
What they said to each other has
never been recorded, but the meet
ing may well be imagined.
Afterward, Mary Ball Washington |
was persuaded to appear at a ball
in Fredericksburg, in celebration of
victory. All were so impressed by
her great dignity and simple yet
commanding manner that Lafayette
is recorded as exclaiming, "If such
are the matrons of America, she
may well boast of her illustriOus
sons"
Washington saw his mother for
the last time shortly after his cleo
ton as First President of the Uni
ted States, the honor that crowned
all the others he received and mer-
tied from grateful people. Before
leaving Mount Vernon for his inau-
gural in New York, then the nation
al capital, the newly elected Presi-
dent travelled to Fredericksburg to (
present himself to his mother
George Washington Parke Custis, (
adopted son of Washington, has left !
A touching description Of this last {
time that Washington saw his mo-
her alive. {
He spoke the usual words of look
ing forward to seeing her soon again
but, in the description Of Custis,
she answered, you shall see me no
more; my great age and the disease
hat is fast approaching my vitals.
warn me that l shall not be long in
his world"
Her prediction was only too true.
Her great son was inaugurated in
March, 1889. Less than six months
fterward, on August 25, that year,
lis mother died in her eighty-fifth ]
ear, a victim of cancer.