USA > Maryland > Some old historic landmarks of Virginia and Maryland : described in a hand-book for the tourist over the Washington-Virginia railway > Part 9
USA > Virginia > Some old historic landmarks of Virginia and Maryland : described in a hand-book for the tourist over the Washington-Virginia railway > Part 9
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WASHINGTON'S SERVANTS.
Just before the war it was not uncommon to read in the newspapers the announce- ment of the death of "another of Washington's Servants. Then almost every octo- genarian darkey in "Old Fawfax" claimed to have belonged to "Mars Joge," and could tell wonderful stories of old times at Mount Vernon. But of late no mention has been made of these worthies. All of them have passed over the borders and joined the ranks of the plantation armies beyond.
To the latest generation the descendants of the slave families of the Mount Vernon estate have great pride in telling that they are "some of dat breed." In this connec- tion we cannot refrain from giving to the reader the ballad of "Thornton Gray," one of "de old sarvents" whom the writer once interviewed, and who was reputed to have been an offshoot of African royalty.
C
THORNTON GRAY, ONE OF WASHINGTON'S "SARVENTS,"
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OF VIRGINIA AND MARYLAND.
He was an ancient colored man, Ilis age one hundred ten; He hailed from old Virginny, And once a slave had been.
His hair was thin and silver'd, His brow with furrows set, Features fine eut and inoulded, And face as black as jet.
In olden times, the story ran, That kings and noblemen, In Afrie's sultry elimate, His forefathers had been;
And as I gazed upon him, And closely scann'd his mien, It seemed a trace of royalty Full well might yet be seen.
He bow'd him low and tip'd his hat, And laid aside his hoe, The while I briefly interviewed About the long ago.
"My name is Thornton Gray," he said; "Dey calls me 'Unele Thorn,' Lived mos'ly in Old Fairfax, In Wes'mo'land was born.
"Was ris by Mars' Wilkers'n; Great farmer, may depend; Own'd all de big plantation Dey call'd de River Bend.'
"Made heaps of fine tobacco, Had stores of corn and wheat; Hard labor, mind you; but de han's Had plenty den to eat.
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"Times aint de same as den dey was; 'Pears like dey's chang'd all round; De folks dat lived when I was young, All dead and under ground.
"'Taint long I knows for me to stay Here after all de res', I only waits de Lord's good time, Sho'ly he knows de bes'.
"I soon shall yhere de trumpeter Blow on his trumpet horn,
An' call me home to glory, An' de riseriekshum morn."
My good freed man, to him I said, Of agc, one hundred ten, You might relate inuch history, Of former times and men.
I wait to hear the story, Which none ean tell but you, For none have lived- five score of years And ten more added to.
You must have seen the Britishers, And heard the eannons roar; "Why bless you, chil', was mos' a man, And heard and seen de war."
And Washington, you must have seen, That great and good hero, Who led the Continentalers! And fought our battles through.
"Why surely I has seen him, And know'd him well; for, boss,
I was de Gineral's sarvent; Took care de Gineral's hoss!
Fine man he was for sartin, Good friend to all de poor- Dar's none in dese days like him, And none, folks said, before."
Enough, I said! I'm well repaid; And grasped his trembling hand- No honor hath a man like this, In all our glorious land!
No further did I question him About the long ago. And when I said to him good-by, He took his garden hoe.
Who hath beheld our Washington, And lived to tell us so, Deserves as well a story As many others do.
And hence our homely ballad, A tribute slight to pay To this departed colored man, And ancient-Thornton Gray.
The James, the York, the Rappahannock and the Potomac flow from the Blue Ridge and the Alleghanies through their rich and lovely valleys and mingle with the Atlantic waves and form the Chesapeake, which seems a sea of diamonds with its phosphores- cent lights scintillating under the twinkling stars. Virginia has nearly 2000 miles of navigable tide waters, abounding in fish and oysters and other luxuries of the sea.
Along these beautiful valleys are some grand old mansions and magnificent planta- tions. At the gate of one of these old homes, we saw not long ago a relic of a past age-an old decrepit darkey, leaning against the fence looking with sad and wistful eyes over the broad fields and beautiful grounds. Years had passed since I had been in this part of old Virginia, and I had no idea of meeting any one I knew. He came to me with feeble steps and bent form; and as he looked back through the years of long separation he called me to memory and through streaming tears, said. "Lord Massa, has you come back to de old home agin after so many long years?" It was old uncle Ephraim. I asked what he was doing there. "Laws, chil', I was just looking
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SOME OLD HISTORIC LANDMARKS
.
"IT WAS OLD UNCLE EPHRAIM"
"UNCLE JOE AND AUNT DORCUS DEY DANCED DE JIG."
ober de old place once more; old Mistis and old Marster lies yonder in de garden, and all de young folks done gone way off. I is de las one ob de old plantation stock lef. I was thinking ob dem big old corn shuckings we uster have in old Marster's time, when I was de foreman on de plantation. Ah! dem was grand times befo' de war! Big corn shuckings all de fall, plenty good things, wind up wid a great big supper, and den old Uncle Joe and Aunt Dorcus dey danced de jig for de white folks, Laws, chile, dem was good old times befo' de war! Possums ain't fat nor taters ain't sweet and juicy now like dey was in dem good old days befo' de war."
4.11
"DAR COM' MARS' WASH'NGTON. RUN CHIL' AN' OPEN DE GATE."
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OF VIRGINIA AND MARYLAND.
WASHINGTON'S BARN.
Washington had an inventive as well as a systematic and thorough turn of mind, and was always devising some new and better method for the lessening of the labors of the hands on his estate. He greatly improved many of the unwieldly implements then in use, such, as ploughs, harrows, hoes, and axes; for he had carpenter, smith, and smithy always at hand to materialize his ideas.
1.
WASHINGTON'S SIXTEEN-SIDED BARN.
His circular, or sixteen-sided barn of brick and frame, sixty feet in diameter and two stories high, was the wonder of his neighbors. The threshing or treading out floor, ten feet wide was in the second story, all round the centre mows; and the oxen or horses were taken up to it by an inclined plane. The floor of it was of open slats, that the grains might, without the straw, fall through to the floor below. Later, he had constructed, a device, worked by horse power, by which the heads of wheat sheaves, held on a table against rapidly revolving arms, were beaten out: this was probably the first step, after the hoof and flail, towards the power-thresher of the present day.
WASHINGTON'S COACH.
Made in England, 1789. The body and wheels were of cream color, then very fashionable, with gilt relief, and the body was suspended upon the old-fashioned heavy leathern straps, like those of the former day stage coaches. Part of the sides and front were shaded by green Venetian blinds, enclosed by black leather curtains. The lining was of black, glossy leather. The Washington arms were handsomely painted on the doors, with the characteristic motto, "Exitus, acta probat"-the result proves actions. Upon each of the four panels of the coach was a picture of the four seasons. Usually, the General drove but four horses, but on going from Mount Vernon to the seat of government, at Philadelphia or New York, he drove six.
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SOME OLD HISTORIC LANDMARKS
A LOVE SONNET BY WASHINGTON AT THE AGE OF SIXTEEN. FROM HIS DIARY.
Oh ye gods, why should my poor restless heart Stand to oppose your might and power,
At last surrendered to Cupid's feather'd dart, And now lays bleeding every hour
For her that's pitiless of my grief and woes, And will not on me pity take.
He sleeps amongst my most inveterate foes, And witli gladness never wish to wake.
In deluding sleeping let my eyelids close, That in an enraptured dream I may
In a soft, lulling sleep and gentle repose Possess those joys denied by day
By your bright sparkling eyes I was undone; Rays you have; inore transparent than the sun, Amidst its glory in the rising day
None can you equal in your bright array; Constant in your calm and unspotted mind; Equal to all, but will to none prove kind, So knowing, seldom one so young, you'll find, Ah! woe's ine, that I should love and conceal, Long have I wish'd, but never dared reveal, Even though severely love's pains I feel;
Xerxes the great, was not free from Cupid's dart, And all the greatest heroes felt the smart.
A LOVE LETTER WRITTEN AT SIXTEEN, FROM HIS DIARY.
Dea: Sally :- This comes to Fredericksburg fair in hopes of meeting with a speedy passage to you if your not there, which hope you'l get shortly, altho I am almost discouraged from writing to you, as this is my fourth to you since I received any from yourself. I hope you'll not make the old proverb good, out of sight out of mind, as its one of the greatest pleasures I can yet forsee of having in Fairfax, in often hearing from you, hope you'l not deny me.
I pass the time much more agreeably than I imagined I should, as ther's a very agreeable young lady lives in the same house where I reside, (Colonel George Fairfax's wife's sister), that in a great measure cheats my sorrow and dejectedness, tho not so as to draw my thoughts altogether from your parts. I could wish to be with you down there with all my heart, but as a thing almost impracticable shall rest myself where I am with hopes of shortly having some min- utes of your transactions in your parts which will be very welcomely received by your
Geo. W.
EXTRACTS FROM WASHINGTON'S DIARY.
1773.
May I. Went fishing in Broad Creek.
April 13, 1774. . In company with Colonel Basset went fishing in Broad Creek.
1774.
Went to Pohick Church with Mr. Custis.
Went to the barbecue at Accotink.
Colonel Pendleton, Mr. Henry, and Colonel Mason came
in the evening and stayed all night. Colonel Pendleton, Mr. Henry, and I set out on our jour- ney to Philadelphia to attend the Congress.
Dined with Mr. Pleasants (a Quaker).
Dined with Joseph Pemberton (a Quaker).
Went to Quaker meeting in the forenoon, and to St. Peters in the afternoon.
Went to Christ Church, and dined at the New Tavern.
Went to the Presbyterian meeting in the forenoon, and to the Romish church in the afternoon.
Dined at the New Tavern with the Pennsylvania Assem. bly, and went to the Ball afterwards.
WASHINGTON AT THREE SCORE YEARS.
MOUNT VERNON DURING THE CIVIL WAR.
The Mount Vernon home during the four years of the civil war was considered by the soldiers of both armies as sacred and inviolable ground and consequently not to be invaded by the spoiler. The thunders of its neighboring battles echoed over its beau- tiful and quiet seclusion and armed fleets sailed by its still shores on their swift errands of death. It was well that the great hero and patriot after his patriotic services and victories, heard and saw them not -- that he knew nothing of their direful and baleful import. His dying hope and prayer had been that peace and fraternal accord might reign for long generations within the borders of the land he had loved and defended so well. All that was at an end. The internal strife he had so much feared and de-
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OF VIRGINIA AND MARYLAND.
precated had come to his country. The dragon folds of hostile armies were circling the hills and winding over the fair valleys and plains.
THE LAST RESTING PLACE OF WASHINGTON.
Tread lightly !- for the sanctity of death
Speak low !-- the place is holy to the breath Of awful harmonies, of whispered prayer; Broods with a voiceless influence in the air.
The last resting place of Washington is in a secluded hollow at the upper entrance to the deep wooded dell along which lies the pathway from the river. The spacious vault is built of bricks with an arched roof; its iron door opens into a vestibule, also built of bricks, in which seen through a picketed iron gate are two marble sarcophagi con- taining respectively: the one on the right the remains of Washington and the one on the left those of Martha his wife. Over the vault door in a stone panel are the words. "I am the resurrection, and the life; He that believeth in me though He were dead; Yet shall He Live." The vestibule is twelve feet high. The gateway is flanked by brick pilasters surmounted by a stone coping which covers a gothic arch. Over. this arch is a white marble tablet inscribed, "Within this enclosure rest the remains of General George Washington." The coffin or tomb of Mrs. Washington is perfectly plain with a simple inscription. That of the General is plain also, except the lid on which is represented in relief the American shield over the flag of the United States. The latter is hung in festoons, and the whole is surmounted as a sort of crest by an cagle with open wings perched upon the superior bar of the shield. Each tomb consists of an excavation from a solid block of Pennsylvania marble.
This vault and inclosure were erected many years ago in pursuance of instructions given in the following clause of Washington's will: "The family vault at Mount Ver- : non requiring repairs and being improperly situated, besides, I desire a new one of bricks and upon a larger scale at the foot of what is called the Vineyard enclosure, on . the ground which is marked out, in which my remains and those of my deceased rela- tions now in the old vault and such others of my family as may choose to be entombed there, may be deposited."
The old vault referred to was on the brow of a declivity in full view of the river, about three hundred yards south of the mansion on the left of the present pathway from the tomb to the summer house on the edge of the lawn. It is now a ruin. Therein lay the remains of Washington un- disturbed for thirty-seven years, when an attempt was made by some vandal to carry them away. The insecure old vault was en- tered and a skull and some bones taken. But these com- prised no part of the remains of the illustrious dead. The robber was detected and the bones recovered. The new vault was then, 1837, immedi- ately built and all the family remains gathered into it just WASHINGTON'S TOMB. as they lie today. From one of the persons who was pres-
ent at the transfer, we have the following account:
"On entering the vault we found everything in confusion. Decayed fragments of coffins were scattered about, and bones of various parts of the human body were seen promiscuously thrown together. The decayed wood was dripping with moisture. The slimy snail glistened in the light of the door's opening. The brown centipede was dis- turbed by the admission of freslr air and the mouldy cases of the dead gave a pungent and unwholesome odor. The coffins of Washington and his lady were in the deepest recesses of the vault. They were of lead, inclosed in wooden cases. When the sar-
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SOME OLD HISTORIC LANDMARKS
cophagi arrived, the coffin of the chief was brought forth and the decayed wooden case removed. The leaden lid was found to be broken. At the request of Major Lewis the broken part of the lid was turned over exposing to view a head and breast of large dimensions which appeared by candle light to have changed but little in the lapse of time. The eye sockets were large and deep and the breadth across the temples, to- gether with the forehead appeared of unusual size."
These remains were placed in the marble sarcophagus and sealed from sight October 7th, 1837 and since that time have never been disturbed.
IMPROVEMENT AND PROTECTION OF THE MOUNT VERNON ESTATE.
Elsewhere in this "Hand Book," allusion has been made to the changes which have been wrought on the Mount Vernon Estate since the passing away of its distin- guished proprietor at the close of the last century. First, of its rapid decadence, through neglect and improvident culture, from well ordered conditions of agriculture to those of unthrift and desolation, and finally, after the lapse of half a century, of the coming of new hands from places remote, to begin the work of transforming the wasted areas to fields of waving grain and clover, and to orchards of abundant fruitage. The work of restoration has been increasing from year to year since 1852, and, now that the electric railway has made the entire domain suburban to Alexandria and Wash- ington, the prospect of still greater improvements becomes brighter and more encour- aging. With the cheap and rapid transit which is afforded by this road to and from these cities there will doubtless be large accessions of new settlers from localities far less favored, to occupy the divisions and subdivisions of the many large farms of the estate.
Just after the Mexican war when the general government was casting about to find a suitable location for the National Military Asylum, or Soldiers' Home, as it is now called, the Hon. Lewis Mckenzie and other prominent citizens of Alexandria proposed and strenuously urged upon the authorities the acquirement by purchase of a thousand acres of the estate for that purpose. No more fitting choice could have been made for a soldier's refuge, and the property could have been secured at that time for less than thirty thousand dollars.
In 1859, the "Ladies' Association," with their patriotic contributions of two hundred thousand dollars, purchased the "Mansion" and two hundred acres, and began the work of restoring and preserving the buildings and the immediate grounds. How well they have succeeded in their efforts, the present attractive appearance of the premises and the orderly arrangements of policeing and other daily duties incident to the reception of visitors most satisfactorily attest. And while a grateful and appreciative public are ready and willing to accord to the patriotic association all due credit and praise for their earnest and continuing care and solicitude, there is a rapidly increasing conviction, nevertheless, among all such as reverence the name and goodly fame of Washington, all over our land, that the time has come for the control of the "Home and Tomb" to pass into the hands of the general government, that our people may be relieved from the odium of laying all pilgrims to this much frequented shrine under capitation tribute before allowing them permission to enter the gates of its enclosures. As Washington was above and beyond all merely mercenary motives, and despised undignified schem- ings, so the place which was honored by his living presence and which holds his ashes ought to be accessible without money or price. In Europe every mausoleum of note is freely opened to visitors without charge, and not only every mausoleum but every depository of arts and literature; and reproachful allusions are not unfrequently heard by American tourists abroad from foreigners who have been required to pay a fee at the entrance to the mausoleum of George Washington.
May we not hope that among the many unreasonable customs of our country which are doomed to pass away before the march of progress, this discreditable custom of levying tribute at the gate of Mount Vernon may be among the first to be discontinued. To the objection so often urged by those who look with disfavor upon the change pro- posed, that the place under government control would not be so well cared for and guarded from depredations as under the present provident management of the ladies, it
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OF VIRGINIA AND MARYLAND.
seems only necessary to refer to the result through many years of that control of the Smithsonian and National museums, the agricultural grounds, and public parks, the Congressional library, Arlington and other public charges now under exclusive govern- ment care. A tithe of the yearly appropriations wasted on worthless fortifications, and warships would amply suffice to keep up ad needed repairs at Mt. Vernon, and a small detail of soldiers from the army would supply the required work of policeing and pro- tecting all from the hands of the spoiler.
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WASHINGTON'S OLD MILL AT EPSEWASSON, HEAD OF DOGUE BAY.
WASHINGTON'S MILL AT EPSEWASSON.
Lord Thomas Culpeper was vice regal governor of the colony of Virginia one year, that of 1679. On his return to England at the close of his administration, he, with several associates, obtained, as a court favor, a royal grant of all the lands, timbers and water ways of the Northern Neck of Virginia, which included all the territory lying be- tween the Potomac and the Rappahannock rivers, and the head of the waters thereof. The rights of his associates to the grant, Culpeper subsequently purchased and became sole proprietor, and as it was for his interest to have his millions of acres settled and
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SOME OLD HISTORIC LANDMARKS
improved, he took advantage of the provisions of a law which had been passed by the colonial legislature allowing to every person who would import from England a settler, the reward of a title to fifty acres of unseated lands, and thus it came to pass that Lieut. Col. John Washington, a great grandfather of the General, and Col. Nicholas Spencer, a cousin of the proprietor, both of whom had served in the legislature of Virginia in 1666-67, and the latter as president of the council, for and in consideration of having, at their own expense, imported one hundred English immigrants into the colony, re- ceived in the "twenty-seventh year of the reign of our Sovereigne Lord, King Charles ye second, Anno Domini 1674," a grant from the proprietor of five thousand acres of land "scituate, lying and being in the county of Stafford,* in the freshes of Pottomeek river and neare opposite to Piscataway, Indian towne of . Mariland and, neare the land of Capt. Giles Brent on the north side, and neare the land surveyed for Mr. Wm. Dudley and others on the south side, being a necke of land bounded betweene two creeks and the maine river on the east side, and by the said maine river of Pottomack on the north, and by a creeke called by ye English, Little Hunting Creek and the maine branches thereof. On the south by a creek named and called by the Indians Epsewasson Creek and the maine branch thereof, which creeke, divides this land of Griene and Dudley and others on the west side by a right lyne drawne from the branches of the aforesaid Epsewasson and Little Hunting creek, including the aforesaid quantity of 5,000 acres, together with all trees, profits, comodyties, emoluments, and additions whatso- ever therein belonging, and all manner of mines of gold, silver and copper. And pro- vided that if the said Lieut. Colonel John Washington and Col. Nicholas Spencer, their heirs or assigns, shall not plant or seate the said lands within the term of three years next ensuing, then this grant and everything herein contained to be null and void."
This grant or tract remained undivided and but little improved until the year 1690, when by an order of the court of Stafford one John Washington and George Brent were commissioned to make an equal division of it between Lawrence, son and heir of Col. John Washington, and the heirs of Col. Spencer. The division was made so that each share should have half of the river boundary and half of the back line as nearly as in point of quality could be made, and that one creek should belong entirely to one share, and the other creek to the other share. The part next to Epsewasson creek fell to the Spencers, and the part next to Little Hunting creek fell to Lawrence Washington with the contingent that the former was to pay to the latter twenty-five hundred pounds of tobacco and a certain amount in cash to make up for estimated differences. of value.
Some time after this division, Lawrence Washington, dying, left his share of 2500 acres to his daughter, Mildred, who married Roger Gregory: and in 1726 they both united in a deed for the same property to Capt. Augustine Washington, the father of the General, for the consideration of about nine hundred dollars. He was a sea faring man. In 1725 he was captain of a ship, carrying iron from Agokeek, Colchester and other iron furnaces and bringing back convicts as settlers. He was born in 1694 and died in 1743 in King George county. In the year 1734 or 35, he came up from the lower river lands of Westmoreland which he had deemed unhealthy, to make improve- ments on the upper Potomac grant. He brought with him his family consisting of Mary, his wife, and their children consisting of Augustine, Jane, George, Betty and Samuel. He settled down with them at the head of that beautiful arm of the river next below Mount Vernon known as Doeg Bay and on the banks of the Epsewasson, a stream flowing into it, constructed a grist and saw mill. All the surrounding lands were at that time in process of settlement, and as they came into cultivation, mills for sawing the timbers for habitations and grinding the grains for feeding the pioneers be- came an urgent necessity, and Captain Augustine, with his keen foresight, was among the first to anticipate and provide for these wants. Nearby the grist mill, he erected a small dwelling, where the prudent and matronly housewife, Mary, went her rounds of busy care, "looking well to her household and eating not the bread of idleness," where the youthful George, the hope afterwards of unborn millions, passed several years of
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