The History of the City of Fredericksburg, VirginiaQuinn, S. J. (Silvanus Jackson)
History
The History of the City of Fredericksburg, Virginia
Quinn, S. J. (Silvanus Jackson)
Fredericksburg (Va.) -- History
Mr. McPherson was interred in the burial ground of St. George's church and
a marble slab erected over his grave, which is now secured to the wall of
the Mission House, at the west end of the lot on Princess Ann street. On
that slab is the following inscription:
"Here lies the body of Archibald McPherson, born in the county of
Murray, in North Britain, who died August 17, 1754, aged 49 years. He
was judicious, a lover of learning, open hearted, generous and
sincere. Devout, without ostentation; disdaining to cringe to vice in
any station. Friend to good men, an affectionate husband.
A heap of dust alone remains of thee,
'Tis all thou art, and all the proud shall be.
"Elizabeth, his disconsolate widow, as a testimony of their mutual
affection, erected this monument to his memory."
COL. JOHN DANDRIDGE.
In the burial ground of St. George's church, near the northeast corner of
the building, lies buried the father of Martha Washington, which fact has
only some years since been brought to light, or if it had been before
known, it was by the citizens of the past generation of the town. The
reason it was unknown to the present generation is accounted for from the
fact that the slab over the grave has been covered with dirt for more than
half a century, most likely from the erection of the present church
building, and was discovered only a few years ago. When the grave was
discovered the slab covering it was cleaned off, and the inscription on it
was found to read as follows:
"Here lies the body of Col. John Dandridge, of New Kent county, who
departed this life the 31st day of August, 1756, aged 56 years."
How he came to be buried in Fredericksburg is not positively known. It has
been claimed by some persons that he was here on a visit to his daughter
Martha, who married Gen. Washington, and the weather was so hot that his
body could not be taken back to New Kent county, but that cannot be true
because he was buried here more than two years before his daughter married
Washington.
The most satisfactory explanation of Col. Dandridge's presence in
Fredericksburg, that we have heard given, is that he was attending the
celebrated races at Chatham, held by Wm. Fitzhugh, which drew to the town
people from all sections of the country. But be that as it may, this Col.
Dandridge is beyond doubt the father of Martha Washington, unless there
were two gentlemen by that name and bearing the same appellation residing
in New Kent county at that time, which is not probable. Haydon's "Virginia
Families" says of Washington:
"Married at White House, New Kent county, Va., Jan. 6, 1759, Martha
Dandridge, daughter of Col. John Dandridge, of New Kent county, and
widow of Daniel Parke Custis."
WM. PAUL--JOHN PAUL JONES.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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