Evening star., 1941-05-25
Br John CidqeH Proctor.

y
and song and praise to mark the graves
and honor the names of their deceased
heroes But Logan, by his order of
May 5, 1868, to the Grand Army of the
Republic, did begin a custom in this
country of decorating the graves of our
departed soldiers annually on May 80
custom that will no doubt be kept up
for ages to come.
Mrs. John A. Logan, who naturally
took much interest in this matter. never
claimed that Gen. Logan originated the
idea of decorating burial places of the
dead with flowers and in her "Reminis
cences of Soldiers Wife" gives the fol-
lowing account of how the General got
his idea which prompted the issuing Of
the order. Mrs. Logan says:
After trip with Col. Charles L. Will
son, editor of the Chicago journal, &C
companied by his niece and his flancee
Miss Farrar OF Boston, our daughter
Dallie and baby son, John A. Logan jr.,
in a church yard near Petersburg We
saw hundreds of graves of Confederate
soldiers These graves had upon them
small, bleached Confederate flags, faded
flowers and wreaths that had been laid
upon them by loving hands on the occa-
sion of their Decoration Day. Upon our
return, Gen. Logan was much interested
in our account of what We had seen, and
I remarked to him I had never been so
touched as l was by seeing the little flags
and the withered flowers that had been
laid on these graves"
At this Gen. Logan said it was a beau
tiful revival OF the custom of the an
clients in thus preserving the memory of
the dead and issued his order accord
ingly Indeed, if any of US have strayed
from observing this day in proper way
We surely have, in doing so, not needed
the intention of President Andrew
johnson in his order closing the Federal
departments on May 80, 1868, which
follows:
The chairman of the Committee Of
Arrangements having requested that an
opportunity may be given to those en-
ployed in the several executive depart
ments of the Government to unite with
their fellow citizens in paying a fitting
tribute to the memory OF the brave
men whose remains repose in the ma
tional cemeteries, the President directs
that, as far as may be consistent with
law and public interest, persons who
desire to participate in the ceremonies
be permitted to absent themselves from
their duties on Saturday. the 30th in
slant. w. G. MOORE. Secretary"
Naturally, though the graves of ali Fed
eral soldiers, buried in the District of
Columbia. are decorated by the various
veteran bodies in Washington, in num-
ber of cemeteries, not only Is this done,
but exercises are held as well. Arlington
however, being the largest and most
noted of all the national cemeteries, here
are conducted the most elaborate exer-
cises OF all, and large crowd, and many
noted personages are always in attend
ance.
Arlington History.
The history OF this burial shrine shows
that it was once a part of a grant from
Sir William Berkeley, Governor of Vir-
ginla. to Robert Howser, dated October
81. 1869. under which John and Gerard
Alexander asserted title as late as 1875,
and that the latter. as late as 1850, de-
vised the same to his son Gerard. Sub
seQuently, on July Is, 1778, John Parke
Gusts is found negotiating for the pur-
chase of this tract of land, which, by
this time. had descended to Robert,
Philip and Gerard Alexander. sons of
Gerard Alexander, ST.. and that, on De-
cember 25, 1778, Gerard Alexander and
Jane, his wife. conveyed their interests
to Mr.. CustiS, who soon thereafter erect
ed Abingdon House, the old dwelling
that stood until recent years on the site
of the Gravelly Point Airport. It's exact
location is said to have been about 800
yards back from the Potomac River and
half a mile north OF Four Mile Run. In
1873 Abingdon and 500 acres were owned
by Alexander Hunter, and the Hunter
burying ground was nearby. One of the
more recent tenants of the house was a
Mr. Allwine, foreman of brick COM
pany of that vicinity and George Robb
was near neighbor. In late years Lewis
E. Smoot was the owner of this part of
the original Custis purchase.
At the time John Parke Custis bought
the Arlington tract, it consisted of LOO
acres and the only house on the prop
erty was that of the Alexanders, which
stood near the main building erected
many years later, by the Department of
Agriculture for use in connection with
that departments experimental gardens,
and which building stood east of the
old Georgetown Alexandria road. A few
of the bricks of the old Alexander home,
according to- report. were put in the
corners of this experiment building. 1t
is possible that the old Alexander house
may also have been called Abingdon.
Gen Washington is known to have Wis
tied the Abingdon House of the more
recent date.
John Parke Custis who was the ward
and stepson of President Washington,
served as an aide to his foster parent
and was at the Battle of Yorktown, but
died of camp fever on November 5, 1871,
Just after the surrender OF Lord Corn
wallis, at the home of his uncle, Col
Bassett. at Ethan, about IS miles from
Yorktown.
Soon after the capitulation Washing
ton was informed of the serious turn in
the condition OF lis stepson and hastened