The Sunday Oregonian., February 21, 1915, MAGAZINE SECTION, Page 4, Image 72

THE SUNDAY OREGOXIAN, PORTEAND, FEBRUARY 21, 1915.
Martha Wshingtow
8ER CHILDREN, AND HER LIFE
AT MOUNT VERNON.
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BY BENE BACHE. , mother. Ilr3. George Washington,
RS. GEORGE WASHINGTON"S Arlington estate had been left to
tirst husband was a very rich ..Jack and on hls demise became the
man. When he died he left her a , hl. r,.nrlr. whin-
mansion, known as the "six-chimney
house" and 1100,000 in money. But
he owned much other property, includ
ing the great Arlington estate, across
the Potomac from "Washington, a por
tion of which is now occupied by a fa
mous National cemetery.
There is so much confusion in most
people's minds about the children of
the Widow Custis that it really seems
worth while to set the matter straight.
It is commonly supposed, for instance.
ton Parke Custis.
The latter had one child, a daughter,
who married Robert E. Lee, afterwards
commander-in-chief of the Confederate
armies. She in turn became, by in
heritance, the owner of Arlington,
which was the home of herself and
husband when the Civil War broke out.
The United States .Government, later
on, seized the property for unpaid
taxes, but eventually acquired full title
to' it by a payment of 1150,000 to the
that Nellie Custis was her daughter heirs.
the fact being, of course, that Nellie Already Washington was quite rich,
was her granddaughter. having been uplifted from poverty to
Mrs. Custis was 27 years old when affluence by inheriting, from his half
she married Mr. Washington, being brother Lawrence, the estate called
nine months his senior. She had two Mount Vernon and a good deal of other
children, both .under 7 John Parks Property. But he was a shrewd busl
Custis and Martha (nicknamed Patsy) ness man, and the widow's money en-
south end and a "banquet hall" at the
north end, the ceilings of both adorned
with elaborate decorations by a French
artist
The equipments of the mansion in all
jne respects represented what was in those
days tne acme or luxury. Mrs. wasn
ington had brought with her, as part of
her dowry, a very handsome service of
pure silver and cut glass. There were
even real silver forks a rarity at that
period, when rich folks were com
monly content with three-tined forks
of steel. It was then considered en
tirely well-bred to eat with one's
knife; and, however shocking It may
seem, there is no question of the fact
that the master and mistress of Mount
Vernon were accustomed to drink tea
out of their saucers.
At meals of ceremony each guest was
waited upon by two slaves assigned to
his exclusive service. This was the '
custom of the day in the mansions of
the Virginian aristocracy. In such
great houses the slaves performing
these duties usually wore the ordinary
plantation garb, but at Mount Vernon
there was a more impressive state, and
at dinners they were attired in the
JVetze
tablishment, comprising a large num
ber of persons, all of whom looked to
Mrs. Washington and her husband as
responsible for their welfare and sub
sistence. The master of the house called
the negroes "my people," and was al-
mained slaves, or vice versa, not to
mention confusion as regards the chil
dren. Mr. Washington, in a letter he once
wrote to his mother, spoke of his
house as being "like a tavern." He
Custis. Patsy died before reaching abled him to extend the lands of Mount gorgeous Washington livery of scarlet, ways mo6t humane and considerate in ad his wife kept open house
womanhood; but "Jack" married, had Vernon by the purchase of several white and igold,
two children of his own, a boy and a farms. She had inherited from her Many comforts,
CTlrl. and served as Washington's aide- first husband 30-odd slaves, who were
de-camp during the Revolution. Camp useful as agricultural laborers.
Cever (typhus) killed him in 1781. The mansion at Mount Vernon was
"Jack's" children were George Wash- built by Lawrence Washington in 1743,
Ington Parke Custis and Eleanor (Nel- when George was only 11 years old,
lie) Custis. Mr. Washington adopted the bulk of the labor being furnished
them, and they came to live at Mount by transported convicts from England.
Vernon, where Nellie was wooed and It was originally a "four-room cottage"
won by Colonel Lewis, Washington's L e., with four rooms on the first
private secretary. Their aunt Patsy floor and with chimneys built outside furnished in the evenings the only 11
nad Inherited from her father $50,000, the gable ends. But, after his marriage, lumination.
which on her death reverted to her Mr. Washlngtn added a library at the It was altogether a patriarchal es-
such as nowadays
are taken for granted even by the
moderately well-to-do, were lacking.
The mansion knew not the luxury of
decent plumbing, or hot water on tap.
There was no means of heating it, save
by open fires in the rooms so that in
Winter the problem of keeping, warm
must have 'been difficult. Wallpaper
had not yet been invented. Candles
dealing with them. There were 49 of
them In 1756 (before Washington's
marriage), 89 in 1-770, and 135 in 1774.
Washington never approved of the
Institution of slavery. He said on a
number of occasions that he would
give to his own negroes their freedom,
were it not that they had become very
much mixed in a matrimonial way
with the dower negroes that is to say,
with those originally belonging to-his
wife. Such being the case, suffering
would Inevitably result from the manu
mission of wives whose husbands re
in
very literal sense all the year round.
Neighbors were constantly dropping in
to meals. Politicians and even strang
ers from afar, armed with letters of
introduction not a few of them from
foreign parts would turn up In a
casual way and stay for days or weeks.
There was no limit to the hospitality
offered, and everybody was welcome.
Often 20 or even 30 people sat down at
dinner.
There were only two meals each day,
breakfast and dinner. The latter was a
huge repast, everything being put on
the table at once. Including meats and
vegetables, game and fish, pies and
puddings. Mrs. Washington would
roll up her sleeves, exposing to view a
pair of plump white arms, and carve
the turkey herself a bird probably
shot on the Mount Vernon demesne.
Wild turkeys were so plentiful in those
days that in the market at Alexandria
they could be bought for 25 cents
apiece.
For dessert there were fruit, nuts and
wine. It was an epoch when heavy
drinking was not only common but
customary, after "the ladies left the
table. If a gentleman took too much,
nothing was thought of it. In case
he was disabled by over-indulgence
the major domo would tea that he was
taken care of and put to bed.
Martha was a notable housewife. She
always muds a point of superintending
the preparation of the dlnni-m. rurlnu
the Revolution all of tho clothlnn worn
by herself and licr ilcpcmtrnts wss
spun and w onion on the extnte. In f.irl,
this was practically the cane at all
times, no fewer thnn Hfro women
bcintf kept ronMtantly employed In the
plnnlng-room, on the recond floor of
a detached brick hoime that still tn!.
Martha's plumpnrpa merged Into some
degree of stoutness by Ilia lima she
readied niUUIle ane but ih tlll re
tained much of her pood looks. Hex
manners were alwas charming" and
unaffected. Of books he knew little,
reading being unfashionable for women
at that period. rho adored her hus
band and, it Is said, prcw to be like
him in many of her little mannerisms
and even in her voice. Purln the
Revolution she acquired the habit of
knitting, for the soldlem, slid this she
kept up in later years, havln-r nearly
always a ball of worsted and an un
flnlHhed stocking In her lap. when not
otherwise employed.
She had a chariot and four. In which
she was uccuftomod to drive, with
roachman and footman and a black
postilion ustrl.lo a forward borne all
three in tho Wahlnrton livery. Wnen
he was living in New York, as the
President's wife. she drove with a
coach and six homes. I'.ut she cared
llttlo for diMlay, beinit !entlally a
home body, and lute In life rhe uned to
refer to tho years of her nucenshlp In
New York und Philadelphia as "lost
years." It was ut Mount Vernon thitt
she found happiness.
Mr. Wuhhlnuton kept In his own
bedroom an Iron chest ulilcli did duty
as savings bank and safe. It contained
an ever-Increasing hoard of silver and
gold coin and In this receptacle, after
his deathj was found no lefcs a sum
than :'9.46 a very satlefactory cash
reserve for his widow to fall back upon.
.She survived him only about a year.
Retiring to a small room on llm third
floor of the mansion, the slnulo window
of which looked out upon her husband s
tomb, she practically Kceluded herself
from society, seeing only a few near
relatives and intimate frlendx. A liolo
which she had made In tlui bottom of
the door served for the entrance and
exit of her pet cat.
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TEE. QAITTHENTIC PORTRAIT FROM LITE OF MAEY BALL "TOSHlN(3TON, THE
MDTHIIB CF GEORGE.' WSHSI?jTDN: OWNED BY" W LAKIER mr&TOXTr
UMRirouCHCb PMOTO&RAPn or the origin- vKitiTnsl, and The SAt-rc rct without LtoA'ioN
SUBSTITUTE.. FOR THE. FACE IN THE. etCTVB-E. OF OEOfct&E WASHINGTON POOuCt.D ABOVE TO SHOW THt
HARKEO RESEMBLANCE. ElETVvELN THIS PORTRAIT OF THE. MOTHtB. Q VtOTMIKtilW ANP MW -OK.
BDTJDOflNVS BUST .OF
&EOI2GE. VS3HINQTOrC
WASHINSTOM'-S
ARMS
GEORGE WASHINGTON'S diary for
the year 17J9 contains the follow
ing entry:
"February 11. Went up to Alexan
dria to the celebration of my birthday.
Many maneuvers were performed by
the uniformed corps, and an elegant
ball and supper at night."
This was the year of his death. He
died on the 14th of the following De
cember, but his dairy 10 years earlier.
In 1789, contains a similar entry, the
date. February 11. being "old style"
and corresponding to February 22 of
the modern calendar.
Thus it appears that Washington's
birthday was celebrated by a grate
ful people while he was still alive. It
was also made every year the occasion
of quiet merrymaking at Mount Ver
non, where all the slaves on the es
tate, who numbered about 150. enjoyed
a special holiday, with much feasting
and drinking of "methlgler" a harm
less brew of fermented honey, water
and spices.
35 r 30 Have Dinner.
Neighbors and old friends were in
vited to dinner as a matter of course
and 25 or 30 people sat down to that
bounteous meal In the "banquet hall" at
the north end of the mansion.
The estate was 13 miles In area,
much of it being forested. It was in a
region exceedingly rich in game, and
the venison, wild turkey, canvasback
duck and partridge served at Mount
Vernon were obtained at the expense
of powder and shot not to mention
the delicious fish which the river sup
plied. The master of this baronial
property raised his own beef and mut
ton and his vegetables were grown in
a kitchen garden which to the present
day produces regular crops of such
"truck" for market.
With all these dishes, put on the
table at one time, after the manner of
the day, each gentleman present, who
might chance to find himself opposite
something that needed carving, was
expected to perform that duty. Pud
dings and pies accompanied the rest
of the provender, leaving nothing for
what we should call dessert except
fruit and nuts, which were brought on
after the cloth was withdrawn from
the polished mahogany.
With the dessert came the wine, and
plenty of it. There was "sack" (which
nowadays wo call sherry), port and
madeira (imported by way of England)
and "Brazil wine," which came from
South America. At that period it was
not the fashion for unmarried women
to touch wine, and the matrons con
tented themselves with a sip, or two;
but the men drank heavily. Washing
ton himself rarely went beyond a
single glass. While his guests were
drinking wine he would accompany
.them with cider, of which he was ex
tremely fond, and which was made in
great quantity from Mount Vernon
apples.
In the evening after the men had left
' their wine to rejoin the ladies there
were games such as "blind man's buff
and "hunt the slipper," with much
romping among the young men and
maidens, and perhaps some kissing. It
was all in the fashion of old-time
Virginia entertainment, with cards for
the older people (played for small
stakes),: and, it is likely, a dance to
follow, winding up, of course, with the
Virginia reel. The music was fur
nished by a white-haired old negro
slave, who kept time by thumping the
floor with his big foot.
At 10:30 o'clock at the latest it was
time for bed.
Alas, for the contrast! Fifty years
later the house stood empty and de
serted, undergoing a slow decay and ex
hibiting every sign of neglect. Window
shutters hung from a single binge; the
grounds about the mansion, which had
been so carefully kept, were overgrown
with tall weeds. The servants' quarters
and other detached buildings were lit
erally falling to pieces. To such a
point had ruin progressed that the
melancholy condition of Mount Vernon
was plainly visible to passengers on
the Potomac steamboats going up and
down the river.
Property Left to Nephew.
How had such a state of affairs come
about? The matter is easily explained.
Washington when he died left the prop,
erty to his nephew, Bushrod Washing
ton, who was a Justice of the United
States Supreme Court, making provi
sion, however, that his wife, Martha,
should retain ownership of it during
her lifetime. She survived him two and
a half years. Bushrod took little in
terest in the place and visited it scarce
a dozen times. The slaves were scat
tered, having been freed by a clause in
the master's will.
Bushrod, and after him his heirs, sold
off the land piece by piece, until only
the house and 204 acres were left. Such
was the state of affairs in 1853. when
a woman, Ann Pamela Cunningham, of
South Carolina, started the movement
which was destined to preserve for the
Nation the most valued of its historic
memorials. At that time Mount Vernon
belonged to John Augustine Washing
ton (Bushrod's son), and to him Miss
Cunningham wrote, asking what price
he would accept for the property. His
answer was a refusal to sell. Never
theless, five years later he agreed to
accept $200,000. . '
To; collect the money was an enor
mous task. Appeals for contributions
were made to women all over the coun
try. Fifty-eight thousands dollars was
raised by Edward Everett, who, to
earn that amount, delivered a lecture
122 times.
The Masons, to which fraternity
Washington belonged, helped substan
tially. The first payment on the pur
chase. 818,000, was made in April, 1858,
and not long afterward the entire sum
required was procured and paid over,
the property being thereupon trans
ferred to the ownership of the Mount
Vernon Association.
The association is an organization of
women. Mount Vernon as It stands to
day owes its existence to women. Men
have nothing to do with its control or
ownership, which is vested in a board
of regents, each state of the Union be--ing
represented in this body by one
vice-regent. In May of every year the
ladies who in this capacity represent
the association spend a week at Mount,
Vernon and take counsel in regard to
its affairs. There is not room for all
of them in the ancient mansion, and so
some of them sleep In the old servants'
quarters andvothers on cots installed
above the splnnlng-room of long ago.
The present regent is Miss Harriet C
Comegys, of Delaware.
Mount Vernon today is self-supporting.
It has an Income of about $20,000
a year, derived mainly from admission
fees paid by 70,000 annual visitors.
Vegetables, fruit and hay raised on the
estate contribute something. There is
also a dairy and the milk is sold.
Few people took the trouble to visit
Mount Vernon when It was . empty and
undergoing a progressive decay. Nowa
days it is different. The place looks
almost exactly as it did when Wash-'
ington lived there. If his ghost were
to revisit the mansion it would find
things but slightly -altered. The houso
is in all Important respects as he left
it. Most of the old furniture remains,
having been returned by various heirs
and other persons who came Into pos
session of it. Even the crockery and
silverware are the very pieces that
Martha Washington knew so well and
used so often.
States Furnish Rooms.
Various state of the Union have
taken pride In furnishing one or an
other of the rooms. Thus, for Instance,
the bedroom formerly occupied by
Nellie Custis is now known as the
"Maryland room," because it owes its
"ameublement" chiefly to patrlotio
Maryland women who have contrib
uted authentic Mount Vernon relics for
Its adornment. The "New Jersey room"
is the chamber in which the Marquis
de Lafayette is understood to have
slept when he was General Washing
ton's guest. Perhaps the only thing
with which the former master would
find fault Is the arrangement of the
lower floor of the mansion, which has
been transformed Into a sort of mu
seum of Washington memorabilia.
What deserves most emphasis, how
ever, is the admirable preservation of
everything about the house and its
surroundings. All possible effort has
been made to restore the mansion. Its
furniture and Its immediate environ
ment to the state and aspect they pre
sented when Washington was alive.
This is a problem which, obviously,
has been beset with many difficulties.
Besides, there has been a fight to be
conducted against the tendencies of
decay.
Just for 'example. Before Washing
ton died lie expresncj u dcxlr and nn
Intention to remove the old family
mausoleum a primitive affair, in which
relatives and forebears of his were
buried. Mostly it was underground
and water had seeped Into IU The
same water lias made a whole lot of
trouble since. It camo from an under
ground stream and only a few years
ago was threatening actually to under
mine the foundations of the mansion
Itself.
Mrfim la I wntcd.
The danger became so serious ami
even alarming that in 1904 the MmiiM
Vernon Association employed an ex
pert engineer to find out what was the
matter and make recommendations, lie
discovered the underground stroam
and recommended that a tunnel b dug
to carry off the water. This was ac
complished at an expense of 87000 and
cured the trouble entirely the really
serious nature of the menace being in
dicated by the circumstance that the
tunnel now delivers S0.OUO gallons lni
the Potomac every 2 hours.
On one occasion, many years ago. a
gambler located his establishment with
in a few hundred yards of the limits of
the estate. The association was anxious
to get rid of the nuisance. The prop
erty occupied by the gambler was to
be bought for a moderate sum of money,
but the cash was not available. Hero,
as usual, lucky chance helpnd.
It so happened that Jay Gould went
up the Potomac on his yacht and paid
a visit to Mount Vernon. He had a
talk with the superintendent of the es
tate, and learning about the offensive
neighbor, ascertained Incidentally wtiat
the situation was. "No nioney7' said
(Cuacludod u !'( ft..