Part 32 (1/2)
It was in Fredericksburg, and by the ladies of Fredericksburg, Virginians, that the first memorial a.s.sociation was organized and chartered for looking after the dead soldiers, for providing them a final resting place in some convenient cemetery laid out for the purpose, and strewing their graves with the first flowers of spring as the years pa.s.s by. This was their second care after their return to their homes at the close of the Civil war, their first being their own homes, which were almost in ruins; and since the organization of that memorial a.s.sociation no season of flowers has pa.s.sed that these graves have not been piously remembered.
MARY WAs.h.i.+NGTON MONUMENT.
It was the ladies of Fredericksburg, Virginians, who inaugurated the move, and carried it on to complete success, to raise a monument to a woman, the tallest and most imposing of its kind that is to be found on this continent. It towers over fifty feet high, the shaft is solid granite, and it marks the grave of the greatest of American women--Mary, the mother of Was.h.i.+ngton. It is true, that after the work was commenced, the plans laid, and some money raised, the ladies were a.s.sisted by the National Mary Was.h.i.+ngton Monument a.s.sociation, which did good service, but even that a.s.sociation, brought into being through the local a.s.sociation at Fredericksburg, was made more active and efficient by the energy and persistence of the pioneers in the movement. That monument is grand and beautiful, and reaches high into the heavens, and while it marks the last resting place of that sainted woman, it reflects great honor upon all the ladies who a.s.sisted in its erection.
[Ill.u.s.tration: Commodore Matthew Fontaine Maury, the ”Path Finder of the Seas.” (See page 315)]
These are some of the things in which Virginians took the lead and which were accomplished by them. There may be omissions of n.o.ble acts and brave deeds that might have been mentioned of whose existence we are in ignorance, but these we have mentioned will suffice to show that they were the leading spirits in throwing off the British yoke of oppression, in uniting the colonies for common defence, in proclaiming to the world our grievances and declaring for freedom, in waging a long and b.l.o.o.d.y war and securing independence, in forming and conducting the government from its infancy through its experimental period, in extending its territorial limits and in contributing to its national greatness. If for all this--if for what has been achieved by their ancestors in field and forum, on land and sea, an honest pride should well up in the breast of the Virginians of the living present, that should find expression in words, where is the individual that can rise up and charge them with vain boasting?
CHAPTER XXII
_Fredericksburg at Present--The Health of the City--Its Financial Solidity--Its Commercial Prosperity--Its Lines of Transportation--Its Water Power--Its Official Calendar--List of Mayors, &c._
We now come to the closing words of the history of our venerable city, and what we shall add in closing will be of Fredericksburg as it is at present, without going into tiresome details, but before proceeding with that interesting topic we must turn aside to mention some useful and honored organizations of the ladies of the town, which failed to receive attention in a former chapter, after which our subject. ”Fredericksburg at Present,” will be resumed.
DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION.[91]
The Betty Was.h.i.+ngton Lewis Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, was organized in 1899 at the Exchange Hotel. Several prominent members of the National Society were present and explained the scope and work of the a.s.sociation. Mrs. Wm. Key Howard, of Kenmore, was appointed regent, by Mrs. Hugh N. Page, State regent, and twelve charter members were obtained.
At the end of the first year Mrs. Howard resigned, and, in February, 1900, at a meeting at Kenmore, once the home of the sister of Was.h.i.+ngton, whose name the chapter adopted, Mrs. John T. Goolrick was elected regent; Mrs.
H. M. D. Martin, vice-regent; Mrs. B. C. Chancellor, registrar; Mrs. V. S.
F. Doggett, treasurer; Miss Sallie N. Gravatt, secretary, and Mrs. V. M.
Fleming, historian. In addition to these officers the following charter members were present: Mrs. Marion Maria Mason Daniel, Mrs. Kate Tichenor Dill, Mrs. C. R. Howard, Mrs. Florence C. Richards, Mrs. Lettie M. Spencer and Mrs. Florence F. Weir.
In the preliminary work of organization, which was undertaken by Mrs. John T. Goolrick, one of her warmest supporters was Mrs. Martin. She actively interested herself in the cause, her house was always open for meetings and through her several members were added to the chapter. The work of Mrs. V. S. F. Doggett was valuable and effective, and to the time of her death her zeal and interest were unabated. Mrs. Lucilla S. Bradley, a ”real daughter,” and Mrs. Maria Jefferson Carr Mason, a great granddaughter of Thomas Jefferson, were honorary members.
This chapter has aided many worthy causes outside and inside of the society, both local and foreign. Colonial b.a.l.l.s and other entertainments have, at different intervals, been given, among the handsomest being a reception at Kenmore, where an address on John Paul Jones was delivered by Capt. S. J. Quinn, before a large and appreciative audience.
In 1904 the State Conference was entertained by the Fredericksburg Chapter, and the guests were unstinted in their praises of the hospitality accorded them here. The chapter is at present as vital a force as when organized, and prepared to use opportunities when found to do work along historical and helpful lines. The officers elected at a recent meeting are Mrs. John T. Goolrick, regent; Mrs. W. H. Richards, vice-regent; Mrs. B.
C. Chancellor, registrar; Mrs. H. M. Eckenrode, treasurer, and Miss Sallie N. Gravatt, secretary.
DAUGHTERS OF THE CONFEDERACY.
The Daughters of the Confederacy was organized on the 28th of February, 1896, with the following officers: Mrs. Joseph Nicholas Barney, president; Mrs. J. Horace Lacy, vice-president; Mrs. Vivian M. Fleming, secretary, and Miss Sallie Nelson Gravatt, treasurer, and an executive committee of fourteen ex-Confederates. The chapter rapidly grew in numbers and at one time had upon the roll nearly two hundred names. This society has been quite active since its organization and has done much good in the way of helping dest.i.tute veterans, looking after and administering to the sick and burying the dead. It has been the channel of distributing the Confederate crosses, and if any cross has been bestowed upon the unworthy, it was because of the ability of the unworthy to obtain vouchers from genuine Confederates. This chapter has done a good work in looking after the remains of Confederate soldiers, when found upon the battle-fields or elsewhere, and having them interred in the Confederate cemetery. One of the praiseworthy acts of the society, a few years ago, was to disinter the remains of the brave Gen. Abner Perrin, killed at the ”b.l.o.o.d.y Angle” while gallantly leading his brigade, and buried on the Hicks farm near the courthouse, and Lieut. Wm. H. Richardson, of Alabama, killed at the same time, and buried by the General, and to place them side by side in the Confederate cemetery. And yet there is other work for these self-sacrificing ladies to do. By annual elections Mrs. Barney has remained at the head of the chapter and is the present presiding officer, with Miss Sallie M. Lacy as secretary, who is an active support to the president.
a.s.sOCIATION FOR THE PRESERVATION OF VIRGINIA ANTIQUITIES.[92]
The Fredericksburg Branch of the a.s.sociation for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities is a small but active band. They have acquired the Mary Was.h.i.+ngton House and ”Rising Sun Tavern.” The ”Tavern” has been recently repaired, but retains in all respects its original style of architecture. Both buildings are furnished in ”ye olden style,” and are centers of great interest to visitors. The officers of this branch are Mrs. Vivian M. Fleming, directress; Miss Rebecca C. Mander, secretary, and Mrs. Charles Wallace, treasurer.
THE CITY MISSION.
The City Mission was organized on the 14th of March, 1901, mainly through the efforts of Rev. W. D. Smith, rector of St. George's church, and Mrs.
J. B. Ficklen. It has been quite an active society and much good has resulted from its labors. The main object of the society is to afford relief to the dest.i.tute of the town, especially the sick, and as it is composed altogether of benevolent and kind hearted ladies, we know, from this and their splendid labors in the past, that their mission will be well performed. They do more than look after the sick. These ladies gather up secondhand clothing from those who can spare it and sell the same at a cheap rate to those able to purchase and give to the dest.i.tute. The society is composed of ladies from all religious denominations, and the city is laid out in districts, each of which is placed in charge of three ladies, to whom applications for a.s.sistance by parties living therein are referred. By this method impositions are rare and needy persons are not overlooked. The present officers of the society are Mrs. J. B. Ficklen, president; Mrs. B. B. Montgomery and Miss Jennie Hurkamp vice-presidents; Miss Rebecca C. Mander, secretary; Miss Annie Myer, treasurer, and Mrs.
Isaac Hirsh, purchasing agent.