USA > Virginia > City of Fredericksburg > City of Fredericksburg > The history of the city of Fredericksburg, Virginia > Part 14
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* See War of the Rebellion, Series 1, Vol. 21, page 590.
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seeing it was John Dawson, the candidate, the crowd parted and he was escorted through to the stand, amid thundering applause. It is needless to say he was reëlected to Congress.
The old, frame building on the south corner of Main and Amelia streets, one and a half stories high, for many years of the first of the nineteenth century was occupied by a Mr. Henderson as a store, and was known for more than a century as Henderson's corner. It is a very old building and prior to the Revolutionary war, while political feeling was almost at fever heat, those who opposed resistance to the Mother Country congregated at this corner and discussed the "state of the country." This gave it the name of "Tory Corner," by which it was known for many years afterwards. This was the only building left in the track of the great fire of 1807, and has not been used as a storehouse for more than half a century.
The venerable brick mansion, known as "Kenmore," facing Washington avenue, and the residence of Clarance Randolph Howard, Esq., was built by Colonel Fielding Lewis, a man of great wealth, and who owned a large body of land west of the town. The bricks of which the house was built, tradition had it, came from England, but that is hardly possible, as elegant bricks were manu- factured in this country at that time-in the seventeen forties- and the best of clay is found in that locality, where signs of a brick-yard can now be found. The interior stucco work of this colonial mansion is probably equal in workmanship to the best in this country, and is said to have been done by expert Englishmen. It has stood for a century and a half without repairs, so far as is known, until some fifteen years ago, when Mr. Wm. Key Howard gave it some slight touches, which compare favorably with the old work. Col. Lewis, for his second wife, selected Miss Bettie Washing- ton, sister of Gen. George Washington, and to this beautiful mansion she was taken as a bride, and lived there until a few years before her death. Col. Lewis was an officer in the Patriot army and com- manded a division at the Siege of Yorktown, where Cornwallis sur- rendered and where the Seven Years' war ended. He was an ardent patriot, and during the Revolutionary war, at one time,
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superintended the manufacture of arms, shells and shot on the north side of the Rappahannock river, just above Falmouth. The ruins of the old forge are still to be seen there, and also the old prison barracks, where some German prisoners were kept during that struggle. The garrison was commanded by Colonel Enever. Colonel Lewis was also a magistrate in the town after the war, a member of the City Council and represented the county in the Leg- islature.
He died in December, 1781, and, it is said, is buried under the front steps of St. George's Episcopal church. His wife, Bettie, survived him sixteen years. In the latter part of her life she went to Culpeper county and lived with one of her children, where she died and was buried. Colonal Fielding Lewis was the father of Captain Robert Lewis, who was one of President Washington's private secretaries, and Mayor of Fredericksburg from 1821 to the day of his death, February 11, 1829. Captain Lewis delivered the address of welcome to General Lafayette on his visit to the town in 1824.
Mary, the mother of Washington, must have lived in Fredericks- burg the most of her widowhood, which was about forty-six years. Some time after her husband's death, on the opposite side of the Rappahannock river, she moved into the town, where she brought up her illustrious son George to manhood. The dwelling she occu- pied during that time is now standing on the west corner of Charles and Lewis streets. Until some fifteen years ago this old residence was owned and occupied by private individuals, but just prior to the World's Fair in Chicago a party from that city was negotiating for it, with a view of transferring it to Chicago. While a difference of five hundred dollars in the price was under consideration some ladies of Fredericksburg, who opposed its being disturbed, communicated the condition of things to the Society for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities, at Richmond, who at once purchased the property at four thousand and five hundred dollars. The Society had the buildings put in good repairs and the pur- chase is considered a valuable addition to the possessions of the Society.
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It is a plain, substantial, old fashioned one and a half story dwelling, of the prevailing order of architecture of that period, and though it has been thoroughly overhauled and repaired, the distinctive features of architecture and general appearance have been faithfully preserved. Mrs. Mary Washington died in the front room of this building in 1789, and was buried on a spot which she had selected for her grave there, on a part of the Ken- more tract, which belonged to the estate of Colonel Fielding Lewis, her son-in-law.
THE MARY WASHINGTON MONUMENT.
Within a few steps of the place where Mary, the mother of Wash- ington, was buried is a ledge of rocks and a beautiful grove of original oak trees, much larger then in area than at present, to which she used often to resort for private reading, meditation and prayer. The grave was marked by a small, marble slab, appropriately inscribed. About forty-five years after her death a stately marble monument, designed to mark her grave and perpetuate her memory, was partly constructed by the private munificence of Mr. Silas Burrows, a wealthy merchant of New York.
The corner-stone of this proposed monument was laid on the 7th of May, 1833, with an imposing military and civic display, by Fredericksburg Lodge, No. 4, Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons, President Andrew Jackson, Past Grand Master of Masons in Ten- nessee, being present and participating. This monument, because of the failure of Mr. Burrows in business, remained in a half com- pleted condition for nearly sixty years and was greatly mutilated by time and relic hunters.
An appeal for a Congressional appropriation to restore and com- plete the structure by the United States Government, made by a bill, introduced in the Forty-third Congress by Hon. James B. Sener, then representing this Congressional district, was unsuccess- ful, notwithstanding his patriotic efforts were seconded by a strong appeal of the Mayor and Common Council of Fredericksburg and
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unanimously recommended by a Congressional committee, who visited the place, of which Hon. Horace Manard, of Tennessee, afterward Post-Master General, was chairman. A similar effort was made some years thereafter by Hon. George T. Garrison, re- presenting this district in Congress with the same result.
Upon the failure of the efforts of these two members of Congress, aided by the city authorities, to secure the completion of the monu- ment by the government, came the women's opportunity. They were deeply interested in the subject, and cherished an honest pride in having the monument completed to perpetuate the memory and virtues of the greatest of American women.
In 1889, the centennial year of the death of this venerated lady, an association was formed by the devoted and patriotic ladies of Fredericksburg, with Mrs. James P. Smith as their leader, who resolved to spare no time or effort to raise the necessary money to complete the structure, and thus save the grave of this sainted woman from oblivion. A systematic correspondence and appeals were commenced, and in a short time, mainly, if not altogether, through the influence of the Fredericksburg association, a national association was formed in Washington, with Mrs. Chief-Justice Waite as president. These two associations cooperating, other strong appeals were sent out to the patriotic women of the United States, soliciting contributions, and soon money began to flow into the treasury of the association, until a sufficient sum was raised to complete the work.
A sufficient amount of money being in hand this perplexing question arose-should the old monument be renovated and com- pleted, or should it be set aside and a new one constructed ? This gave rise to considerable controversy, because there was quite a division of sentiment, and serious results were feared by members of both associations. This difficulty was met, however, by an order to have the unfinished monument examined by an expert, who, upon a thorough investigation, reported that it was so broken and muti- lated that it could not be repaired, and so plans for a new monu-
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ment were ordered. The plan submitted by Mr. Wm. J. Crawford, of Buffalo, New York, was adopted by the ladies and to him was intrusted the work of erecting the monument on the site of the unfinished structure, under which the remains of this venerable and venerated woman reposed. The monument is a square base, with a solid granite shaft fifty-one and a half feet high-total height, fifty-five feet-with the words "Mary, the Mother of Washington," in raised letters, cut on the base. The material of the old monu- ment was broken up and placed in the foundation of the new one, except such of the fluted columns as remained unbroken, which were donated to different institutions. One of them was given to Fred- ericksburg Lodge of Masons, of this place, by Mr. Crawford, the architect, which is now in the lodge room.
In due time the monument was finished to the satisfaction of both the Fredericksburg and Washington associations, which was accepted, and the 10th of May, 1894, was designated as the time for its dedication. The Fredericksburg Masonic Lodge, which had laid the corner-stone of the old monument, was invited to conduct the ceremonies of dedicating the new, but it gracefully turned that honor over to the Grand Lodge of Virginia, which performed the work in good style, escorted and assisted by Lodges No. 4 and No. 22 of Alexandria.
The day for the dedication of the monument dawned beautiful and clear and found everything in readiness for the grand event. Besides the National Association being largely represented from Washington, headed by Mrs. Waite, there were President Grover Cleveland, with most of his cabinet and their wives ; Vice-President A. E. Stevenson and lady, Chief-Justice Fuller, Justice Harlan. Senators and Representatives, Governor Charles T. O'Ferrall and Staff, the volunteer militia from different portions of the State, the Grand Lodge of Masons of Virginia, with Fredericksburg Lodge. No. 4, and Alexandria-Washington Lodge, No. 22, and distin- guished men and Masons from different parts of the country.
The streets of the town were thronged with thousands of people from far and near, eager and anxious to witness the ceremonies. Never before was such a vast number of people seen in Fredericks-
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burg, except at the great battle in December, 1862. The dedi- catory services were conducted by the Grand Lodge of Masons of Virginia, Major Mann Page, Jr., Grand Master,* which were solemn and impressive. Addresses, appropriate to the occasion, were made by Mayor A. P. Rowe, Governor Charles T. O'Ferrall, President Grover Cleveland and Mr. Blair Lee, who were followed by Senator John W. Daniel, the orator of the occasion.
Fredericksburg Lodge, No. 4, gave a grand banquet at the opera house in the afternoon to the Masonic fraternity and several hun- dred invited guests, which was presided over by Judge James B. Sener. On that interesting occasion addresses were made by sev- eral distinguished guests, including President Cleveland, Vice- President Stevenson, Justice Harlan and others. The Marine band was present and furnished music of the highest order for both the dedication and banquet. Since the monument was finished the associations have erected a comfortable granite building on the grounds for a residence and office for the custodian of the monument and the grounds, and Mrs. John T. Goolrick, a de- scendant of George Mason, occupies that position.
MARY WASHINGTON'S WILL.
The last will and testament of Mary Washington has for many years attracted general interest, and numerous visitors call at the courthouse to inspect and feast their eyes upon the original docu- ment. So precious does the court regard this relic that an order was made for its preservation, and it is now is a case and receives the special attention and care of Mr. A. B. Yates, the polite and accommodating clerk of the court. The will is in these words :
"In the name of God, amen. I, Mary Washington, of Freder- icksburg, in the county of Spotsylvania, being in good health, but calling to mind the uncertainty of this life and willing to dispose
* In his excitement, Grand Master Page dedicated the monument to Mary, the mother of our illustrious brother, George H. Washington. A brother re- marked to another, "I didn't know there was an H in Washington's name. What does it stand for?" As quick as thought the shrewd Essex lawyer re- sponded, "Hatchet-George Hatchet!" The fun that incident excited is not over with yet.
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of what remains of my earthly estate, do make and publish this my last will, recommending my soul into the hands of my Creator, hoping for a remission of all my sins through the merits and media- tion of Jesus Christ, the Saviour of mankind. I dispose of all my worldly estate as follows :
Imprimis. I give to my son General George Washington all my lands on Accokeek Run, in the county of Stafford, and also my negro boy, George, to him and his heirs forever; also my best bed, bedstead, and Virginia cloth curtains (the same that stands in my best room), my quilted blue-and-white quilt and my best dressing glass.
Item. I give and devise to my son, Charles Washington my negro man, Tom, to him and his assigns forever.
Item. I give and devise to my daughter, Betty Lewis, my phæton and my bay horse.
Item. I give and devise to my daughter-in-law, Hannah Wash- ington, my purple cloth cloak lined with shay.
Item. I give and bequeath to my grand son, Corbin Washington my negro wench, old Bet, my riding chair, and two black horses, to him and his assigns forever.
Item. I give and bequeath to my grand son, Fielding Lewis, my negro man, Frederick, to him and his assigns forever; also eight silver table spoons, half of my crockery ware, and the blue- and-white tea china, with book-case, oval table, one bed, bedstead, one pair sheets, one pair blankets and white cotton counterpane, two table cloths, six red leather chairs, half my pewter, and one half of my iron kitchen furniture.
Item. I give and devise to my grand son, Lawrence Lewis, my negro wench, Lydia, to him and his assigns forever.
Item. I give and bequeath to my grand daughter, Betty Carter, my negro woman, little Bet, and her future increase, to her and her assigns forever ; also my largest looking glass, my walnut writing desk with drawers, a square dining table, one bed, bedstead, bolster, one pillow, one blanket and pair of sheets, white Virginia cloth counterpane and purple curtains, my red-and-white tea china, tea
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spoons and the other half of my pewter, crockery-ware, and the remainder of my iron kitchen furniture.
Item. I give to my grand son, George Washington, my next best dressing glass, one bed, bedstead, bolster, one pillow, one pair sheets, one blanket and counterpane.
Item. I devise all my wearing apparel to be equally divided between my grand daughters, Betty Carter, Fanny Ball and Milly Washington ; but should my daughter, Betty Lewis, fancy any one, two or three articles, she is to have them before a division thereof.
Lastly. I nominate and appoint my said son, General George Washington, executor of this my will, and as I owe few or no debts, I desire my executor to give no security nor to appraise my estate, but desire the same may be allotted to my devisees with as little trouble and delay as may be, desiring their acceptance thereof as all the token I now have to give them of my love for them.
In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 20th day of May, 1788.
MARY WASHINGTON.
Witness John Ferneyhough.
Signed, sealed and published in our presence, and signed by us in the presence of the said Mary Washington, and at her desire.
J. MERCER, JOSEPH WALKER."
The will was written by Judge James Mercer, first President of the Court of Appeals, or "Chief-Justice of the General Court."
THE MERCER MONUMENT.
In the year 1906 the government of the United States erected a monument to General Hugh Mercer, who was mortally wounded at Princeton, N. J., while gallantly leading his men in a charge against the British in 1777. He lived one week in great suffering, when he died and was buried near where he fell, but afterwards removed to Philadelphia, Pa., where he now sleeps. Gen. Mercer was born in Scotland, studied medicine at Aberdeen and graduated with high honors. After graduating he soon rose to distinction as
The Presbyterian Church. (See page 207)
The Methodist Church. (See page 211)
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a surgeon and physician and did much service in the army. He was at the battle of Culloden Moor, Scotland, where his party was badly defeated, and those not taken prisoners fled to other countries to save their lives. Gen. Mercer came to this country and settled in Pennsylvania. He was with Gen. Braddock, who was killed at Fort Duquesne, and, being thrown with Gen. Washington, became attached to him and came to Fredericksburg "to be near him," land- ing here in 1763. He practised medicine and established a drug store at the corner of Main and Amelia streets .* Gen. Mercer married Isabella Wallace and lived at the "Sentry Box" with Geo. Weedon, who married his wife's sister, until the beginning of the Revolutionary War. Soon after his death Congress appropriated $5,000 for the erection of a monument in this place to his memory, but the matter was overlooked and the gratitude of the government for his services was not exhibited to the extent of a memorial until the year 1906, one hundred and twenty-nine years after his death. In 1905 a bill was passed by Congress appropriating $25,000 to erect a monument to perpetuate the memory of the grand hero- two-thirds of the interest of the amount appropriated in 1777- and he now appears in heroic size, on his pedestal, on Washington avenue, in the attitude of a patriot, drawn sword in hand, ready to strike for Home and Country-Liberty and Independence.
We naturally uncover our heads while we "behold this friend of Washington-this heroic defender of America !"
* One tradition is that this drug store was at the corner of Princess Ann and Amelia streets, where Mr. John Stansbury Wallace lives ; but another tra- dition locates it at the corner of Main and Amelia, most likely adjoining the corner house. This tradition is strengthened by finding, some time ago, while repairing the house, many old papers and other things that must have come from a drug store, and no other such store was ever known at that place.
CHAPTER XII
Hotels of the Town, old and new-Agricultural Fairs-Ferries and Toll Bridges-Care of the Dependent Poor-City Water Works-City Gas Works-Electric Light-Telephone Com- pany-Fire Department, &c.
Fredericksburg, from the time it was first chartered, found itself on the main line of travel from North to South and vice versa. For this reason it was the main point for stopping, if the traveller could reach it even by journeying a few hours after dark. As the postoffice department came into existence and the mail matter in- creased, the pony had to give way for the small vehicle, and the small vehicle for a larger one, and the larger one for the stage, and the one stage for two, three, four and five, for Fredericksburg was a great mail distributing office, and the travel to and fro, stopping in the town, became immense. This. necessi- tated the construction and opening of inns, and so the town became famous for its many elegant hotels. This continued until broken up by the rapid transit of steamboats and railroads, where the travellers found floating palaces and moving cafés. They look not for the hotel in small towns-they have their dining cars of eatables and drinkables. But let us not forget the village hotel, our former friend "where we slaked our thirst, ate to the full," and where we lost ourselves in "balmy sleep, nature's kind re- storer."
The old time hotels, which have passed out of the memory of the present generation, will no doubt prove one of the most interesting chapters of this historical sketch of the town. The ground upon which many of them stood is now bare or occupied by other build- ings, and the names of many of their keepers have been lost to the town. A short reference to some of these public resorts will prob-
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ably refresh the minds of the citizens of what was at one time one of the principal features of the town, and will introduce to the younger generation the names of these hotels and their keepers, so intimately associated with the "good old times." For most of these references we are indebted to the memory and pen of Mr. Wm. F. Farish, who died at Lanhams, Md., a few years since. He was born here eighty-four years ago and spent his boyhood days in the town.
Near the present opera house, on Main street, was a hotel and oyster house, kept by Mr. Thomas Curtis. This place was. head- quarters for the politicians, and it was there the merits and de- merits of candidates were discussed and their success or defeat was determined upon. It was what would be called to-day the Tam- many Hall of Fredericksburg. The beginning of the war was the end of this hotel, as it was destroyed during the shelling of the town in December, 1862.
The Rappahannock House was located on the east side of Main street, about half way between George and Hanover streets. It was kept by Thomas Goodwin. The name of this house was after- wards changed to the Shakespeare, and was conducted by a Mr. Parker. It was burned down soon after the close of the Civil war and store houses were built on the ground it occupied.
The Farmers' Hotel was situated on the west corner of Main and Hanover streets, and extended up Hanover street to Jail alley, then known as Hay Scales alley. A part of this building is still standing on the corner of Hanover street and Jail Alley and is now owned and occupied by Mr. M. E. Ferrell, who has changed it into a residence. The main part of the building, on the corner of Main and Hanover streets, was burnt many years ago. In its stead a large, brick structure has recently been erected, called the. Enterprise Building, the lower part of which is used for store and postoffice and the upper floors for a public hall, sleeping apart- ments and offices. This Farmers' Hotel was regarded as the lead- ing hotel of the town in its day, and was headquarters for both stage lines-Extra Billy (afterwards Governor and Confederate
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General) Smith's* and Colonel Porter's. It was kept at different times by James Young, Wm. E. Bowen, Bowen and Ramsay, Tur- ner H. Ramsay, Charles E. Tackett, Peter Goolrick and Daniel Bradford.
The Exchange Hotel, so well known and in operation to-day, on the south corner of Main and Hanover streets, was built in 1837 by Wm. D. Green. The brick work of this building, which was destroyed by fire in 1850, is said to have been the handsomest in the State. The front walls were of pressed brick, oil finished and were of a beautiful red. The first building had three stories and a hall for theatrical purposes, with an entrance on Hanover street. This hall was known as "Green's Assembly," and very fine companies occupied it, many of them for several nights in succession. The present three-story building was commenced soon after the first one was burnt, but was not fully completed until after the late Civil war. The Exchange was first opened by Mrs. Wm. D. Green and was succeeded by Mrs. Fenton Brooke Smith. Since the Civil war it has been conducted respectively by W. T. Freaner, Captain George Henry Peyton, Cadmus B. Luck, Cotton and Hills, H. B. Tuttle, John Ultz and W. L. Laughlin, who is the present land- lord.
Just above the Exchange Hotel, on Hanover street, was the Eagle Hotel. It has recently been refitted for families and room- renters and is known as the "Eagle Flats." The Eagle was very
* General Smith got his name Extra Billy while in the stage business, long before he was either General or Governor Smith. It is reported to have hap- pened in this way : At certain seasons of the year, before the days of rail- roads, travel was very heavy and far beyond the capacity of the regular stages on the road, which was the only means of travel over land at that time. When this occurred Billy Smith, as he was called, would put on an extra stage, and if the travel still increased he would put on another, and so on, until some- times he would have on the road four or five stages, where one usually did the work. On this account, and because of his unsurpassed politeness, he became popular with travellers. On this occasion a traveller was anxious to get to Washington, and could get no seat in the stage. In hustling around he found two or three others who were anxious to go, but, like himself, could not get accommodations on any part of the stage, and the agent declared it impossible to provide for them. The impatient and anxious traveller cried out "Where is Extra Billy ?". Extra Billy was sent for, an extra stage was provided and the travellers went on their way rejoicing, but "Extra Billy" remained with Mr. Smith, following him to his grave.
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