The History of the City of Fredericksburg, Virginia Part 14

MARY WAs.h.i.+NGTON'S WILL.

The last will and testament of Mary Was.h.i.+ngton has for many years attracted general interest, and numerous visitors call at the courthouse to inspect and feast their eyes upon the original doc.u.ment. So precious does the court regard this relic that an order was made for its preservation, and it is now in 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 G.o.d, amen. I, Mary Was.h.i.+ngton, of Fredericksburg, in the county of Spotsylvania, being in good health, but calling to mind the uncertainty of this life and willing to dispose 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 mediation of Jesus Christ, the Saviour of mankind. I dispose of all my worldly estate as follows:

Imprimis. I give to my son General George Was.h.i.+ngton all my lands on Acc.o.keek 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 gla.s.s.

Item. I give and devise to my son, Charles Was.h.i.+ngton my negro man, Tom, to him and his a.s.signs forever.

Item. I give and devise to my daughter, Betty Lewis, my phaeton and my bay horse.

Item. I give and devise to my daughter-in-law, Hannah Was.h.i.+ngton, my purple cloth cloak lined with shay.

Item. I give and bequeath to my grand son, Corbin Was.h.i.+ngton my negro wench, old Bet, my riding chair, and two black horses, to him and his a.s.signs forever.

Item. I give and bequeath to my grand son, Fielding Lewis, my negro man, Frederick, to him and his a.s.signs 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 a.s.signs 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 a.s.signs forever; also my largest looking gla.s.s, 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 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 Was.h.i.+ngton, my next best dressing gla.s.s, 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, f.a.n.n.y Ball and Milly Was.h.i.+ngton; 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 Was.h.i.+ngton, 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 WAs.h.i.+NGTON.

Witness _John Ferneyhough_.

Signed, sealed and published in our presence, and signed by us in the presence of the said Mary Was.h.i.+ngton, 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 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. Was.h.i.+ngton, became attached to him and came to Fredericksburg "to be near him," landing here in 1763. He practised medicine and established a drug store at the corner of Main and Amelia streets.[60] 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 grat.i.tude 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 pa.s.sed 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 Was.h.i.+ngton avenue, in the att.i.tude 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 Was.h.i.+ngton--this heroic defender of America!"

[Ill.u.s.tration: The Presbyterian Church. (See page 207)]

[Ill.u.s.tration: The Methodist Church. (See page 211)]

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 Company--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 increased, 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 necessitated 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 cafes. 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 restorer."

The old time hotels, which have pa.s.sed 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 buildings, and the names of many of their keepers have been lost to the town. A short reference to some of these public resorts will probably refresh the minds of the citizens of what was at one time one of the princ.i.p.al features of the town, and will introduce to the younger generation the names of these hotels and their keepers, so intimately a.s.sociated 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 headquarters for the politicians, and it was there the merits and demerits of candidates were discussed and their success or defeat was determined upon. It was what would be called to-day the Tammany Hall of Fredericksburg. The beginning of the war was the end of this hotel, as it was destroyed during the sh.e.l.ling 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 afterwards 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 apartments and offices. This Farmers' Hotel was regarded as the leading hotel of the town in its day, and was headquarters for both stage lines--Extra Billy (afterwards Governor and Confederate General) Smith's[61] and Colonel Porter's. It was kept at different times by James Young, Wm. E. Bowen, Bowen and Ramsay, Turner 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 a.s.sembly," 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 landlord.

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 popular in its day and was a favorite stopping place for the farmers. It had a very good patronage also from pa.s.sengers on the two stage lines. No hotel has been kept there for many years. In its day it was conducted by James Newby, James Cunningham, Jesse Pullen, Wm. P. Quisenberry and Wm. H. Murphy.

The Alhambra, on Main street, just below the Exchange Hotel, was first kept by James Timberlake, who was succeeded by Samuel Stone, and he by Charles F. Barlosius. After the death of Mr. Barlosius, several years ago, the house was repaired and remodelled by Capt. Thomas P. Wallace and leased to John W. Allison, Jr., who conducted it some time as the Alsonia.

Some years ago it was purchased by Mr. Michael Long, who conducted it until his death. It is now a restaurant.

On the south corner of Main and Charlotte streets stood the Indian Queen Hotel. This was a fine, old building, erected probably in colonial times for a hotel, with a porch the entire length of the building, with colonnade. It was the favorite stopping place for members of Congress and other travellers going to and from Was.h.i.+ngton.[62] The first proprietor of the Indian Queen, in the memory of our oldest inhabitant, was Jacob Herndon. He was succeeded by James Young, John Gray, Robert Blackburn and Mr. Rawlings. The last to occupy it was a Mr. Whiting, and during his occupancy, in May 1832, the building was destroyed by fire and was never rebuilt. The lot to this large building extended to Princess Ann street, and the stage yard and stables were located where the Southern Foundry now stands. It was in this building that the statute of religious liberty was considered, adopted and written, and it is a matter of great regret that the house was destroyed. The committee that produced this wonderful doc.u.ment, which is given elsewhere, was composed of Thomas Jefferson, George Wythe, Archibald Cary, George Mason and Ludwell Lee.

On the south corner of Main and Frederick streets stood Traveller's Rest, a tavern of considerable notoriety and popularity, kept by Jesse Pullen.

It was headquarters for all circuses and manageries, and was frequented by large numbers of laboring men after their day's toil was over. Here were talked politics and the general topics of the day by the ward politicians, and where they laid schemes to carry elections. The house was destroyed some years before the Civil war and the lot remained vacant for nearly sixty years.

The Western Hotel was located at the corner of Commerce and Charles streets, where Mr. Robert T. Knox and Brother keep store. It was a frame building, and the business was conducted first by Thomas Procter, then by Walker Lucas, who was succeeded by Mr. Joseph Sanford. Mr. Sanford, some years before the war, tore the old frame building down and erected the present three and a half story brick structure and changed its name to the Planters' Hotel. During the Civil war it was conducted by Mr. Councellor Cole, and a short time after the war by a Mr. Mitzell. Since then it has not been kept as a hotel.[63]

Liberty Hotel was located on Liberty street, then outside of the corporate limits, but now a part of the town. For many years it was kept by Boswell Alsop and was headquarters for the sporting men of the town. General Sam Houston, after his return from frontier life, spent much of his time at this hotel, and quite a number of the leading men of the South, on their journeys to and from Was.h.i.+ngton, made it their stopping place. It is an old-fas.h.i.+oned frame house, one story and a half high, of the same style of architecture as the Mary Was.h.i.+ngton house, and shows that both of them were built about the same time.

AGRICULTURAL FAIRS.

We have no means of ascertaining where the fairs previously referred to were held or how long they were continued under the act of 1769, or any similar act that might have been pa.s.sed by the Legislature after Virginia became a State. In the first of the nineteenth century an agricultural fair was held on the Kenmore farm, near the Kenmore building. The gate leading to the grounds was on Lewis street, where it intersects with Winchester street. The stock was exhibited on the fair grounds and the ladies' department was kept on the upper floor of the present city hall.

At one time Mr. Samuel Gordon, then proprietor of Kenmore, was president of the a.s.sociation, who was succeeded by Hon. James M. Garnett, of Ess.e.x county. It was the custom of this a.s.sociation to have an address by the president on the first night of the exhibition on agriculture and stock raising, which was one of the main features of the fair, and drew together a large number of farmers and others to hear it.

A silver cup, awarded to Mr. Jacob Gore for the best wheat fan exhibited at one of these fairs, is now in possession of Police Officer Charles A.