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MOUNT VERNON LIBRARY . - .- The Mtl1/orio! Mansion, ~~©[f3~~ GJ]Jrro~[M]~~~~©~ ~~[f3~[M][F)[Lrro~~ ~ 00lr0@ ~ 00 ~ [f[ffi @ ~ l!JJ [f[ffi ~ ~ lr VIRGINIA GEORGE WASHINGTON BIRTHPLACE NATIONAL MONUMENT United States Department of the Interior HAROLD L. ICKES. Secretary National Park Service. Nt;WTON B. DRURY, Director He who has gone down in history char- colonies to obtain .a cargo of tobacco. acterized as ..... first in war, first in peace John Washington soon married Ann and first in the hearts of his countrymen," Pope, daughter of Col. Nathaniel Pope, first saw life in the simple countryside of a wealthy landowner living near Mattox Tidewater Virginia. Here, in a land known Creek. Colonel Pope settled his daughter for its many places of serene beauty, few and son-in-law on a 700-acre tract of land scenes impress the senses and mind as do nearby, which was given to them as a those at the birthplace of George Wash- wedding gift. In 1664 John Washington ington. The courage, wholesome char- moved to a new home 4 miles to the east- acter. unselfish devotion, and wise leader- ward on Bridges Creek. ship of the man who was born here will John Washington, his son, Lawrence forever make this a revered historical site Washington, and the later's son, Augus- for all Americans. tine, the great-grandfather, grandfather, and father, respectively, of George all had THE WASHINGTON FAMILY active and distinguished careers as plant. The first Washington ancestor of our ers and civic minded leaders in Virginia first President came to Virginia in 1656. affairs. Augustine, the father of George, On February 28 of that year an English was sent to Appleby School in England. ship, named "Seahorse of London," Tan In 1718 Augustine Washington bought aground during a storm and foundered from Joseph Abbington 150 acres of land in the Potomac River near the mouth of fronting on Popes Creek a mile east of the Mattox Creek. John Washington, the Bridges Creek home. It is not known great grandfather of George, was second precisely when Augustine moved to this officer on this ship which had come to the land. All that is known with certainty is that 9 years after its purchase, on Feb- ruary 23, 1726, a deed of uses, execu ted by Augustine Washington and his wife, mentions owning the land in fee simple "where he now Jives which land he ... purchased of one Joseph Abbin~ton." From other documentary evidence It may be inferred that Augustine Washington's house on Popes Creek was built by him- self and was occupied some lime around 1725-1726. Augustine's first wife, Jane Butler, died in 1729, survived by 3 of her 4 children, Lawrence, Augustine Jr., and jane. Au- gustine married his second wire, Mary Ball, a daughter of Col. Joseph Ball, of Lancaster County, Va., on March 6, 1730. Their first child, George, was born at the Popes Creek home on February II, 1732, according to the old ~tyle calendar, or on February 22, 1732, according to the new Bottle seals found in excavations at Wake- style calendar, the date which is now field. Top seal bears name of John Washing- ton; the bottom seal has monogram A W, the celebrated as the anniversary. initials for Augustine Washington. After George, 5 other children were born to Augustine Washington and Mary Ball. They were: Elizabeth, Samuel, PUBLIC OWNERSHIP OF THE Charles, John Augustine, and Mildred, BIRTHPLACE SITE the last of whom died in infancy. In 1882 the Washington heir and the The first 3 years of Geoq~e Washing- State of Virginia donated to the United ton's life WCTC spent at his birthplace on States the old Washington Family Burial Popes Creek. In 1735 Augustine Wash- Ground and a 60-foot square plot of lanel ington moved his family LO the Hunting at the house site, together with a right of Creek plantation, now known as Mount way to each. In 1883 the United States Vernon, and in ]739 to the "Strother Government bought some I J acres of land estate" on the Rappahannock River op- at the birthsite for greater protection and posite Fredericksburg. Here he died in for necessary connecting roads. In 1896 a 1743. In accordance with his request granite shaft was erected at the site of the Augustine ''''ashingLOn was buried with birthplace house by the Federal Govern- his ancestors at Bridges Creek. ment, LOreplace an earlier stone marker The Washington birthplace on Popes set by members of the family and friends Creek hael gone to Augustine Washing- in 1815. ton, Jr., a hair-brother of George, in 1743 In 1923 the Wakefield National Memo- upon the death of Augustine Washington. rial Association was organized under the Augustine, [r., lived there until his death leadership of Mrs. Josephine Wheel_, in J 762 and an inventory oE his personal wright Rust. The stated purpose of this property offers valuable evidence of the Association was to recover the birthplace old home. The farm passed to his son, grounds of George Washington, iestore VVilliam Augustine Washington, who was them,. and make the place a shrine or tl:e living in the birthplace house when it American people. An act of Congress 111 was accidentally destroyed by fire during 1926 authorized the Association to make the Revolutionary War. Tradition and these improvements, including buildin~s. some indirect evidence support the claim The '¥akefield National Memorial that the house was destroyed on Christ- Association and Mr. John D. Rockefeller, mas Day, 1779. The house was not [r., spent considerable money in acqu ir- rebuilt. Ing land at "Wakefield." These holdings were turned over to the United States in National Memorial Association in erect- 1931. Formal ceremonies were held at ing the Memorial Mansion and in devel- "Wakefield," May 14, 1932, when Secre- oping the grounds. The granite shaft tary of the Interior Ray Lyman Wilbur was moved to its present location in the accepted the lands and improvements on course of this work. The Memorial Man- behalf of the United States. sian was erected in 1930-1931, and was immediately opened to the public. THE MEMORIAL MANSION The lilt top table in the dining room of Extensive research undertaken by the the Memorial Mansion is the only surviv- ,"Vakefield National Memorial Associa- ing piece of furniture known to have lion relative LO the birthplace house and been in the original birthplace home. grounds failed to discover reliable infor- The house has been furnished by the mation concerning the appearance of the ''''akefield National Memorial Associa- original house. The structure that was tion to portray Jiving conditions as they erected therefore represents generally a were in the time of ''''.ashington's parents Virginia plantation house of the first half in the early 18th century. of the 18th century. Since no authentic Near the land-front door of the house picture of the house could be round, tradi- are situated an old Hackberry tree, fig tion and various clues in old documents bushes, herbs and flowers, undoubtedly' guided the design of the Memorial Man- derived from plants which grew on the sion, a house of 8 r00111S, 4 downstairs and place when ''''ashington lived there as a 4 in the half story upstairs, with a central boy. The boxwood, well over 100 years hallway on each Hoor. Inventories of old, was brou~ht from the home of Sarah records in the courthouse indicated the Tayloe Washington and probably is de- number of fireplaces and gave other help- rived from boxwood originally at Wake- ful information. The bricks used in con- field. structing the Memorial Mansion were Situated about 50 feet from the Memo- made by hand on the place from clay rial Mansion is a typical colonial period obtained in a field adjoining the house frame kitchen built on the traditional site. site of the old kitchen. l t is now being The United States appropriated a por- furnished by the Wakefield National tion of the money used by the Wakefield Memorial Association to portray a plan- tation cooking establishment of the period of Washington's youth. In the quiet old-fashioned garden established near the Memorial Mansion will be found only those plants, flowers, vines, herbs, and berries that were corn- mon LO Virginia gardens during the period of Washington's youth. OLD WASHtNGTON FAMILY BURIAL GROUND Situated about one mile northwest of the Memorial Mansion, near the banks of Bridges Creek, are the sites of the 1664 home of Col. John Washington and of Tile "ll'ater front" view of the Memorial Mansion. the old Washington family burial plot. Among the members of the Washington about 35 miles east of Fredericksburg. It family whose remains are interred in the is reached by an entrance road off Vir- vault in this burial ground are Col. John ginia State Highway No.3. A system of Washington, who came from England, to- good highways connect the area with gether with his wife Ann Pope; his Washington, D. C., Fredericksburg, brother Lawrence; his sons Maj. Law- Richmond, and Williamsburg. rence Washington and Capt. john Wash- ington; Augustine Washington, the father SERVICES TO THE PUBLIC of George. together with his first wife, The George Washington Birthplace is Jane Butler; and Augustine washington open to the public throughout the year II, hall- brother of George. There are 32 [rom 8 a.ru, until dark. A fcc of 10 cents burials in all within the enclosure. Two is charged visi tors over 16 years of age for original gravestones remain, one dated admission to the Memorial Mansion 1690 and 1696 and the other 1729.

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