The Moore Messenger. (Moore, Okla.), Vol. 1, No. 15, Ed. 1 Saturday, February 20, 1909 Page: 3 of 8
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WASHING! ON
j&r-HaecE&T
r. JACKSON So-
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WASHINGTON __
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*Ei/.l.CUTJ:iZ. •>- ■ mgde major nt the ase of 22
HOUGH the pages of Amerl- and sent on a
can history are adorned
with the names of many
great men, none are bright-
and more beautifnlly
described in letters of
chased gold than those of
Washington and Lincoln
Students of history
ney of over a thousand miles.
He had many narrow es-
capes in his journey over
mountains, fording streams
and through forests when
Indians lay in hiding. After
TRCAO
m
are divided in their
judgment which of
the two men is the greater. Rut it is
not really important that this question
be decided. Destiny planned a certain
line of work for both men, and they did
that work well. Their innate ability is
only partly responsible for their suc-
cess; It was their unselfishness and de-
sire to do well whatever they under-
took which helped them to succeed
■where others might have failed. If Lin-
coln deserves praise because necessity
spurred him on to greatness, Washing-
ton deserves as much credit because he
became great without being driven on
by necessity. Destiny demanded a
<louble role of Washington—she made
him a soldier and a statesman, and he
performed both well. His trials as
president were almost as great as those
he encountered as commander ln-chief
of the army. He was placed at the head
of a new form of government, and did
not have precedents to guide him in
his undertaking. It was his early train-
ing which taught him to think calmly
and with judgment. His mind once
made up, to act without fear.
He was born on the banks of the Po-
tomac river in a farmhouse; though the
house was far better than a log cabin.
it was not the mansion it is supposed
to have been. It was a large, roomy
place, with a deep sloping roof and a
big outside chimney at either end. He
was one of many children. His father
was rich in crops and land, though he
had little real money. Most Virginia
farmers planted tobacco, and when mon-
ey was scarce they traded this product
for food and clothing. His early years
were spent on the farm, with plenty of
exercise and little schooling. George loved to
tramp across the fields, forests and to swim
in the streams. His education was gained at
a country school where he was taught for three
hours a day. Limited as his education was,
he was fond of reading, and he had a book
into which he copied everything he wished to
remember. In this book he put many rules
which he himself had formulated. These are
only a few of the many:
"Labor to keep alive in your breast that lit-
tle spark ot celestial fire called conscience."
"Think before you speak."
"Whisper not in the company of others."
Lawrence, one of the half-brothers, had been
sent to England to school, and the parents
had planned the same for George, but the
father died suddenly, and Mrs. Washington
realized she could not afford to send him across
the ocean. The boy had spent considerable
time on the wharf and talking to seamen had
awakened a desire for adventure. These sto-
ries created a desire to earn a living as a sail-
or, and he suggested it to his mother. Mrs.
Washington did not like the idea of having
George leave home nor did she approve of his
career. He was sent back to school to study
surveying. When not studying he was training
his company of boys to become soldiers, and he
often got very impatient when they made mis-
takes.
Shortly after his brother Lawrence had mar-
ked the daughter of Lord Fairfax a member of
this family took a great interest in the boy.
He had such a fancy for the lad he put him to
surveying a large tract of land in the Shenan-
doah valley. Though the work was 110 easy
task, he was so strong and enthusiastic he
acquitted himself exceedingly well. He did
not go alone—a boy, George Fairfax, went as
his aid. They rather enjoyed the new expe-
rience of hunger, cold and facing Indian strat-
egy In later years George recalled his expe-
rience of roughing it in the Shenandoah val-
ley with great pleasure. This work was sud-
denly interrupted by sickness in the family.
Lawrence, his half-brother, was ill and the phy-
eicians sent him to the West Indies. George
went along to keep him company, only to be
taken with smallpox. Although Lawrence
started for home, he died after his return.
This was a great shock to George, for the
brothers were exceedingly devoted; but the
sting of this loss was partly forgotten by a
commission to go to the French who were
building forts on English territory. He was
WJS'WHG-roM _ __
>S!T Tjes/MTOM J?yfAE.0
his interview with the French commander he
started for home. The journey back was
worse than going, for the rivers were exceed-
ingly treacherous. The French governor re-
fused to heed English commands and continued
to build forts, so George Washington was ap-
pointed to command soldiers to inarch against
the French in the spring. This was the begin-
ning of a war between the French and English,
which lasted seven years. Gen. Braddock was
sent over from England and George was made
a colonel and commanded the Virginia troops.
Though Braddock was a capable general, he
did not understand the art of fighting the In-
dians and refused to heed young Washington's
advice. The general was shot in one of these
engagements. With this the Redcoats began
to run, but Washington tried to call them back.
All day he was in the midst of the fight. Four
bullets went through his coat and two horses
were shot under him.
The war at an end, Washington returned
home. He was anxious to see his mother, whom
he had not seen in some time. Though Mrs.
Washington was not, a brilliant woman, she
had plenty of good judgment and common
sense, and was always ready to give her son
wise counsel. Proud though she was of her
boy's energy and desire to serve his country
she was careful not to spoil him by excessive
praise. She loved to hear of the hazards of
war, but she emphasized the dangers more
than her boy's success.
Hardships and long-fought campaigns had
done much to impair his health, and he went
to Williamsburg to consult a physician. On
this trip he met Mrs. Martha Custis, widow of
Daniel Parke Custis, one of the wealthiest
planters in the colony. They '--ere married
some five months later. Very tie is known
of her except that she was petite, pretly and
exceedingly devoted to her husband. She was
very proud of his successes, and used all her
energy to make 1.1s trials as easy as she could.
There are those who attribute Washington's
first step upward to his marriage. This is cer-
tainly untrue, for he was on the road to suc-
cess when he marrit her. Whenever Wash-
ington went on a long campaign his wife took
up headquarters where she might be near him.
These winterings gradually became a regular
custom. She seldom complained, although she
frequently had to put up with inconvenient
headquarters. Whsn Washington was chosen
commander-in-chief of the army he did not ac-
cept the place with great eagerness, for he
knew it was to be a long and
hard fought war, and a posi-
tion latent with responsibili-
ty. The struggle was as dif-
ficult as he Imagined, for
many times during the war
I he soldiers were ready to
lay down their arms and go
home, but his courage never failed him and
he pushed on.
When the sky lookea blackest he would plan
some campaign to make of defeat a victory.
A happy illustration of this was when one
Christmas night the soldiers were quite ready
to give up and go home. They were camping
on the banks of the Delaware. Pointing to
the other side, he said: "Our enemy is camp-
ing there." They were Hessian soldiers, and
since it was Christmas night, they were cele-
brating. It was with difficulty the army
crossed, for the night was wild, dark and cold.
But in spite of the great blocks of Ice on the
river, Washington managed to get his army
across, and a victory was the result. A more
difficult year was spent in Valley Forge. It
was a long, cold winter, the soldiers hungry
for food, and they did not have enough clothing
and blankets to keep themselves warm. Many
times they were on the verge of mutineerlng.
It was only by means of his tact and good
judgment that he brought harmony into camp
and gave the war a successful ending.
After leaving the army he went back home
and spent much time improving the farm. The
Mount Vernon eslate gradually became an ex-
pensive affair. Here he kept open house, and
never a day went by without his receiving call-
ers and friends. Some of the dinners and
levees were often elaborate, and he struggled
hard not, to appear bored. He had hoped to
spend the rest of his life among these pleasant
surroundings. He often told his friends: "Let
those who wish such things as office be at the
head of things. I do not wish them. All I de-
sire now is to settle down at Mount Vernon
and to enjoy my farm." But after the constitu-
tion was ratified and the votes of the electors
were opened and counted it was found that,
everyone had voted for Washington. During
his presidency he had many knotty problems,
but he met them all with good sense and judg-
ment. Because he played the double ro|p of
commander of the ,-rmy and the first president
of this nation equally well he is entitled to the
name, the Father of His Country.
"END JUSTIFIES THE MEANS."
"The end justifies the means." This motto,
from the coat-of-arms of Washington, will no
doubt flash into the minds of certain admirers
of the father of his country who glance at the
genealogical tree, which is England's latest
contribution to the oft-debated question of
Washington's ancestry.
"Let no man fancy he knows sport," said the
late Moncure D. Conway, "unless he has family
treed an ancestor of George Washington." Yet,
despite the many clover scholars and antiquar-
ians of America who have tried their hands at
this "sport," it has remained for a fellow of
the Royal Historical society of England, Rev.
Frederick W. Ragg, to convey to us the latest
interesting revelation regarding the ancestry
of our first president.
Barring those that champion the truly demo-
cratic standpoint, less prevalent to-day than
it. was in 1620, which scorns to connect Itself
with old world titles and abhors royalty, there
remain many liberal souls among us who do
not grudge to one who was acknowledged first
in war and first in peace a share In the homage
accorded the first family of England.
Edward I. was himself a mighty warrior, and
first in many wars; his prowess was early exer-
cised on the Turks, during the last crusade
ever embarked on by England's kings, and
when the throne became his own he success-
fully carried out his project of uniting England,
Scotland and Wales. He brought the famous
stone of Scone to Westminster abbey, and
under him England became a mighty nation.
He was a monarch wise and great, even though
he had little leaning toward democratic govern-
ment and did not display special fondness for
Magna Charter. Edward Longshanks was not
an ancestor to be despised by his descendant
George, of kingly bearing and equally long legs.
That this direct line of descent has not until
now been established may seem a bit surpris-
ing in view of the exhaustive research that has
been devoted to the Washington ancestry. The
reason is, however, not difficult to understand
when one reflects that such research has been
concerned exclusively with the male line, while
this royal blood is introduced into the family
by Margaret Butler, who married Laurence
Washington In 1588.
Mr. Worthlngton Chauncey Ford and others
who have made a special study of the Washing-
ton pedigree trace the line back to John Wash-
ington of Whitfield, five generations back of
the aforesaid Laurence and his wife Margaret.
These students state that this Margaret Butler
was the daughter of William Butler of Tighes,
Sussex, but do not follow the Butler pedigree
back of this point. Here Mr. Ragg has taken
up the quest, and after careful study of old
records, lombstones, and entries in church reg-
isters has proved that William Butler, father of
Mrs. Laurence Washington, stands tenth in
direct descent from Edward I.
Reference to the above genealogical tree just
completed by Mr. Ragg, and verified since its
arrival in America by various genealogical ex-
perts, who have pronounced It satisfactory, will
show conclusively that George Washington is
in the sixteenth generation in direct descent
from the monarch in question, and is, there-
fore, the great-great-great-great-great-great-
great-great-great- great-great-great-great - grand-
uou of Edward 1. Plantagenet.
MONEY MADE IN LIVE STOGA
IH CENTRAL CANADA.
W. J. Henderson, visiting Seattle,
writes the Canadian Government
Agent at Spokane, Wash., and says:
"I have neighbors in Central Canada
raising wheat, barley and oats for Ihu
past 20 years, and are now getting
from the same land 20 to 30 bushels of
wheat per acre, 40 to CO bushels of
oats.
"It was the first week of May when I
got my tent pitched, but the farmers
all around had finished putting In
their cropB, so I only got fifteen acres
broke and seeded. They advised me
as It was late not to put In much
wheat, so I put in five acres of wheat
and ten acres oats, one-half acre pota-
toes and vegetables. All kinds of veg-
etables grow well up there, sweet com.
tomatoes, onions, carrots, peas, beans,
cabbage. My wheat yielded about 20
bushels per acre, for which 1 got 7G
cents, others got 80 cents; oats
threshed 35 bushels per acre, for which
I got 35 cents per bushel. You see I
was throe weeks late in getting them
In. still I was satisfied.
"From my observation, there is more
money made in stock, such as cattle,
horses and sheep, as prices are high
for such, and it costs nothing to raise
them, ns horBes live the year around
out on the grass. In fact, farmers turn
their work horses out for the winter,
and they come in fresh and fat In the
spring. Cattle live out seven or eight
months. They mow the prairie gras t
and stack It for winter and give oat
straw. My neighbors sold steers at
$10 each, and any kind of a horee
that can plow, from $150 00 up. 1 raised
60 chickens and 5 pigs, as pork, chick-
ens, butter and eggs pay well and al-
ways a good market for anything a
man raises, so I have every reason to
be thankful, besides, at the end of
three years I get my patent for home-
stead. I heard of no homestead sell-
ing for less than $2,000, so where un-
der the sun could an old man or
young man do better?"
Helen Had Ambition.
Helen, aged six, was telling Mary,
aged seven, of her plans for the fu
ture. "I'm going to be married," she
announced, "and have 18 children.
"Oh," gasped Mary, her eyes wide
with amazement, "you mercenary
wretch!"—Delineator.
Better make your digestion better.
The real mint leaf juice of WR1G-
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Women wouldn't be so talkative
If they only spoke their minds.
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Crooks understand the art of get-
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taken in hand prompt-
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get a bottle of Peruna
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your case.
For a free illustrated booklet entitled
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Mailed postpaid.
ROLL IT UNDER
YOUR TONGUE!
The flavor lasts! You cant
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juice of real crushed mint
leases. Fine for teeth!
Fine for digestion!
M
Look for the spear
Oklahoma Directory
ENqrr DEERE IMPLEMENTS
and Velie Vehicles ask your dealer 01
JOHN DEERE PLOW CO„OklahomaCity
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Simms, P. R. The Moore Messenger. (Moore, Okla.), Vol. 1, No. 15, Ed. 1 Saturday, February 20, 1909, newspaper, February 20, 1909; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc109092/m1/3/?q=Hughes: accessed April 18, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.