7.

Martha Washington's Rings

The ring on top with the blue background is a mourning ring with a lock of the lost one's hair. Yes, it does have a lock of hair in the middle! As I was reading a book on Martha's life, it mentioned that when her two infant children died during her first marriage, she ordered rings similar to this one. This one is actually believed to have been from her nephew George Augustine Washington who died in 1793. These rings were a common way for the wealthy to mourn the loss of a dear one. Surely death was a frequent visitor during the Colonial times. I often think that life seemed a lot shorter and things were not taken for granted so easily. Life is so temporary and I have really been trying to live in each moment and enjoy what comes in to my life. It reminds me of President Hinckley's words, "Life is to be enjoyed not just endured." This advice seems so simple , but in practice it is not easily done.The second ring is one of Martha's that she probably wore during the time of George's presidency. It is a perfect example of the beautiful yet simple accessories Martha wore. The Mount Vernon eMuseum beautifully explains this ring as portraying, "the restrained elegance of the ring bespoke a republican virtue that distinguished her character from the perceived ostentation of European royalty." Martha did not try to dress and act like someone in the British courts of the time. She was classy and influential at the same time.