Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-02-25
THE WASHINGTONS

DR.. Joseph NJ. Toner, q member OF the
| commission in charge of the ceremonies OF
the dedication of the Washington monu-
ment placed himself in communication with
members of the Washington family now liv.
ing, with the view of extending to them in
yitatioas to attend the ceremonies. The
Doctor says:
II met many of the men bearing the name
of Washington, as we'll as members of the
family by collateral marriage bearing other
names The number of the kin to whom
invitations were sent was about 300. Thr
teen gentlemen bearing the name of Wash
ington had seats together on the floor ofthe
| House of Representatives on The occasion of
the dedicatory services, and besides in the
gallery were seated thirty ladies of tho kin
of Washington.
SIT is not strange, continued DR.. Toner,
'thaL so large a kindred Of Washington
| should list when il is remembered that he
| had two half brothers and one half sists. as
| well as two full brothers and one full sister,
all of whom had families. His sister Betty
married and left large family. His two
brothers, Charles and Samuel, both married
and settled in the valley of Virginia on large
and most productive farms. Charlestown
Virginia, was named after Charles WashI
iugtou. His brother Samuel owned an
adjoining plantation Of nearly 1000 acres of
land. Samuel was married five times
though he died at the age of fprty-six. The
descendants of Samuel are very numerous
Those of Charles, however, are comparative
ly few.
ut may he said to bc q characteristic Of
the Washingtons that they have been and
still are devoted TO agriculture. a few
have studied law, and some medicine, hut
the greater number of them take to mathe-
MATES, surveying and farming. When they
have engaged in merchandising it has usu
ally been in connection with the manage
ment of their estates. Both the full broth.
ers Of Washington were deceased before
the General. The General died possessed
OF large amounts of excellent land in Fir
ginia West Virginia and Pennsylvania, and
devised these lands to his nephews,
who were, in consequence, put in pos
session OF considerable estates that made
them independent, influential and prosper
GUS citizens in the neighborhoods where
they lived. They nearly all married young
and left families. 1t may be said, too, in
this connection, that as II family they are
shortlived. A few exceptions to this rule
is, however, observable. find that the
Washingtons have always been fond Of the
gun and were the most noted horsemen of
the sections in which they lived. Their per-
sonal appearance, as class, has been char
acterized by tall, large boued frames, and
we'll cut features. In their habits they are
social and hospitable to degree of extrav-
agance. They have all been free, good
livers, and occasionally some have in
dulged too freely in spirits, but. cases
of inebriates among them are exceptions.
Their preference for agriculture over
other pursuits is manifested by the char
acter of the sections of country in which
the kin of Washington now reside. They
are most numerous in Virginia, Tennessee
and Kentucky, but considerable number
of them also reside in Ohio, Minnesota,
Pennsylvania, California and Georgia, where
they have usually settled on the most pro-
duotive farm land. As another character
istic it may be stated that they are unambi-
tious for public position, but wherever they
have filled positions of trust they have dis
chaged their duties with fidelity. The abil-
ity OF Judge Bushrod Washington, q mem
Der of the Supreme Court, and his able re-
ports, will suggest themselves to the minds
of every one.
ut was stated to me by members Of vari-
Gus branches of the family that occasionally
would be born in family of the kin one
bearing very striking resemblance to
Washington, while his brothers, and even
his father, might retain only the general
physical characteristics of the Washingtons.
George Washington,w who now lives in Alex
andria, is remarkably like Gen. Washington
in personal appearance"
Dr.. Toner said that "there was not
general in the Revolution that wore
beard, and there is not portrait that
shows that any private engaged in that war
wore beard"