Iowa
Old Press
Washington Evening Journal
Washington, Washington co. Iowa
January 19, 1917
CRAWFORDSVILLE MAN HAS PAPER WITH ACCOUNT OF WASHINGTON
FUNERAL
J. W. Kilgore of Crawfordsville has an old newspaper that he
prizes more than any horse he has on the farm. It is an issue of
the Ulster County Gazette published at Kingston, N. Y. January 4,
1800.. The old paper has been handed down thru a number of
generations, first coming into the possession of David Kilgore,
then to John L. Kilgore and later to Joseph Martin Kilgore and
finally to J. W. Kilgore, the present owner. The paper is framed
and protected behind glass.
Of particular interest in the paper is an account of the funeral
of George Washington, held in December 1799. The column rules of
the paper are in heavy black as a symbol of mourning, a fashion
of printing that used to be in vogue when a national personage
died. The phraseology and spelling in this paper of over a
century ago is curious to people of this generation and the
account of the funeral is here reproduced to give readers of the
Journal an idea of how news was given to the readers of the
Ulster County Gazette in 1800. Here it is:
WASHINGTON ENTOMBED
On Wednesday last, the mortal part of WASHINGTON THE GREAT—the Father of His Country, the Friend of man, was consigned to the tomb with solemn honors and funeral pomp. A multitude of persons assembled, from many miles around at Mt. Vernon, the choice abode and last residence of the illustrious chief. There were the groves—the spacious avenues, the beautiful and sublime scenes, the noble mansion—but alas! The august inhabitant was now no more. That great soul was gone. His mortal part was there indeed; but ah! how affecting! how awful the spectacle of such worth and greatness, thus, to mortal eyes fallen!—Yes! Fallen! Fallen!
In the long and lofty portico whereof the hero walked in all his glory, now lay the shrouded corpse. The countenance still composed and serene seemed to depress the dignity of the spirit, which lately dwell in that lifeless form! There those who paid the last sad honours to the benefactor of his country took an impressive—a farewell view.
On the ornament at the head of the coffin was inscribed Surge ad judicium — about the middle of the coffin — gloria deo — and on the silver plate
GENERAL
GEORGE WASHINGTON
Departed this life on the 14th December 1799 Aex. 68
Between three and four o’clock, the sound of artillery from a vessel in the river, firing minute guns, awoke afresh our solemn sorrow--the corpse was removed—a band of music, with mournful melody melted the soul melody melted the soul into all the renderness of woe.
A procession was formed and moved on in the following order:Cavalry, Infantry, Guard, with arms reversed
Cols
Sims
Ramsay
Paynep
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O
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P
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Ep
a
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sCols
Gilpin
Marstellar
Little
Mourners
Masonic Brethren
And Citizens
When the procession had arrived at the bottom of the elevated town, on the bank of the Potomac, where the family vault is place, the cavalry halted, the infantry marched toward the mount and formed their lines—the clergy, the Masonic brothers, and the citizens descended to the vault and the funeral service of the church was performed, the firing was repeated from the vessel in the river and the sounds echoed from the woods and hills around.
Three general discharges by the infantry—the cavalry and eleven pieces of artillery, which lined the banks of the Potomac at the back of the vault, paid the last tribute to the entombed commander in chief of the armies of the United States and to the departed here.
The sun was now setting. Alas! The son of glory was set forever. No, the name of Washington—the American President and general—will triumph over death! The unclouded brightness of his glory will illuminate the future ages!
[transcribed by N.J., Nov. 2005]