“CAMBRIDGE, February 22, 1861.
“DEAR SIR,--I enclose a copy of a highly interesting letter
from Mr. Charles Sumner, describing the church at Brington,
near Althorp, in Northamptonshire. In this church were
deposited the remains of Lawrence Washington, who was the
father of John and Lawrence Washington, the emigrants to
America, and who was therefore the last English ancestor
of George Washington. A copy of the inscription on the
stone which covers the grave of Lawrence Washington, and
also of another inscription over the grave of his brother,
Robert Washington, who was buried in the same church, are
given with exactness in Mr. Sumner’s letter. As far as I am
aware, these inscriptions are now for the first time made
known in this country.
“Earl Spencer has sent to Mr. Sumner two stones, being from
the same quarry, and having the same form and dimensions,
as the originals, and containing a _fac-simile_ of the
inscriptions. It has been suggested that these stones
ought to be placed in the State-House, where they may be
accessible to the public, and my opinion on the subject has
been asked. As they are unquestionably genuine memorials
of the Washington family, and possess on this account a
singular historical interest, I cannot imagine that a more
appropriate disposition of them could be made. I understand
that Mr. Sumner would cheerfully assent to such an
arrangement, and I cannot doubt that your Excellency will
be well inclined to take such measures as may effectually
aid in attaining so desirable an object.
“I am, Sir, very respectfully yours,
“JARED SPARKS.
“His Excellency JOHN A. ANDREW, _Governor of
Massachusetts_.”
* * * * *
“COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS.
“HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, March 23, 1861.
“The Committee on the State-House, to whom was referred
the Message of His Excellency the Governor, presenting
to the General Court, as a gift from the Hon. Charles
Sumner, certain memorials of Washington, of great historic
interest, report that they consider it a matter of special
congratulation that the interesting facts concerning the
Father of his Country, contained in the papers accompanying
the Message, should have been first made known to us by a
citizen of Massachusetts; and deeming it important that
these valuable memorials should be permanently preserved
in the capitol of the State, they report the accompanying
resolves.
“Per order,
“R. WARD.”
* * * * *
“_Resolves in relation to certain Memorials of the
Ancestors of Washington._
“_Resolved_, That the thanks of the General Court be and
hereby are presented to the Hon. Charles Sumner for his
interesting and patriotic gift to the Commonwealth, of two
Memorial Tablets in imitation of the originals which mark
the final resting-place of the last English ancestors of
GEORGE WASHINGTON.
“_Resolved_, That the Commissioners on the State-House
cause the same to be prepared and placed, with appropriate
inscriptions, in some convenient place in the Doric Hall of
the State-House, near the statue of Washington.--_Approved
April 6, 1861._”
* * * * *
“OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONERS ON THE STATE-HOUSE,
BOSTON, January 1, 1862.
“The undersigned, Commissioners on the State-House,
hereby certify, that, in compliance with the Resolves of
the Legislature of Massachusetts, passed April 6, 1861,
they have caused the abovenamed Memorial Tablets of the
Washington Family to be permanently placed upon the marble
floor of the area in which the statue of Washington stands,
within the railing in front of said statue.
“JOHN MORISSEY, _Sergeant-at-Arms_.
OLIVER WARNER, _Secretary_.
HENRY K. OLIVER, _Treasurer_.
A white marble tablet, placed by the Commissioners near the
Washington Memorials, bears the following inscription:--
THESE FAC-SIMILES OF THE MEMORIAL STONES OF THE WASHINGTON
FAMILY IN THE PARISH CHURCH OF BRINGTON, THE BURIAL-PLACE
OF THE SPENCERS, NEAR ALTHORP, NORTHAMPTONSHIRE, ENGLAND,
WERE PRESENTED BY THE RIGHT HONORABLE EARL SPENCER TO
CHARLES SUMNER OF MASSACHUSETTS, AND BY HIM OFFERED TO THE
COMMONWEALTH 22 FEBRUARY, 1861.
LAWRENCE WAS FATHER, AND ROBERT UNCLE, OF THE ENGLISH
EMIGRANT TO VIRGINIA, WHO WAS GREAT-GRANDFATHER OF GEORGE
WASHINGTON.