For Mother’s Day, Paul Kengor at American Spectator reviewed
a biography of George Washington’s mother, and below is an extract from
it:
Mary Ball Washington, America’s First Mother [Harper, 2019]
Craig Shirley’s biography is a character
study
of the strong woman who raised our first president
“My
great age, and the disease which is fast approaching my vitals, warn me that I
shall not be long in this world. I trust in God that I may be somewhat prepared
for a better.”
So said a weak Mary
Ball Washington, mother of America’s first president, George Washington, to
her son in March 1789 as she lay dying from cancer at roughly age 80 (her exact
age unknown). Her son had come to bid America’s first mother a final goodbye.
He told her about this significant new office that he was assuming for his
country — to which all 69
electors had unanimously chosen him on Jan. 7. The only president ever
selected unanimously.
“But before I can assume the
functions of my office,” he told the frail old woman, “I have come to bid you
an affectionate farewell.”
The 57-year-old Washington
continued, “So soon as the weight of public business, which must necessarily
attend the outset of a new government, can be disposed of, I shall hasten to
Virginia, and—” Here, the mother interrupted the son: “—and you will see me no
more.” . . .
Mr Kengor closes his review:
And as Shirley shows, the
relationship between the two was “laden with difficulty” for both of them. It
was a struggle for anyone to have much affection for Mary. Shirley describes
Mary Ball Washington as “self-centered and acquisitive,” “tutoring and
fashioning” her son but also “driving and admonishing” him. She was not a warm
lady and, frankly, was hard to feel warm about. She was not easy to like. She
was a cold woman, austere, and herself quite a character — an odd one. And
Craig Shirley’s book provides far more than a history of her and her son. He
provides a character study that fascinates.
But whatever her personal
shortcomings, this woman raised a president, our nation’s first. He was our
first president and Mary Ball Washington was our first mother — one who needs
to be remembered, and perhaps particularly so for America’s annual celebration
of Mothers’ Day. Get this book and read and learn and remember.
Read the entire review here.
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