Betty Washington Lewis place of death Culpeper
The Kenmore Years and Later Life
After her marriage to Fielding Lewis in 1750 at age 17, Fielding Lewis bought 861 acres of Land close to Fredericksburg, Virginia. The property was 1270 acres including inherited land. Soon construction of Millbrook House (renamed "Kenmore House" in 1794) ensued where Betty Washington Lewis and Fielding Lewis would spend most of their lives, frequently visited by George Washington who maintained close connections to his family. The growing involvement of Fielding in the Revolution not only strained the estate's budget but also left Betty Washington Lewis mostly in charge of the household and the property. Her tasks were widely expanded after her husband Fielding Lewis died, age fifty-six. Apart from managing Kenmore and her husband's businesses, ownership of the Lewis Store was also passed on to her. After Betty Washington's death in 1797, her stepson John inherited the estate. After the revolution and Fielding Lewis' death, Betty Washington alone was in charge of running Kenmore estate which was heavily mortgaged in order to finance Fielding Lewis' engagement in the Revolution. The debts were paid off by selling the land surrounding the estate and Betty's efforts in running a small boarding School. After 14 years of running the estate, Betty Washington Lewis moved to live with her daughter, Betty Carter at Western View in Culpepper County, Virginia. Betty Washington Lewis died at her daughter's estate on March 31, 1797, aged 63. Shortly after her death, Kenmore estate was sold off.
location of death death place place where they died place of passing final resting place