The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-08-11
The Washington Family.

At the dedication of the Washington
National Monument invitations were sent
to nearly 800 members of the Washing
ton family by direct descent or by collat-
eral marriages. Thirteen gentlemen bear
ing the name of Washington sat together
on the floor of the House of Representa-
tives on the occasion of the dcdicatory
services, and besides, in the gallery, there
were thirty ladies who claimed kindred
with the family. Washington, of course,
had no direct descendants, but he had two
half brothers and one half sister, as well
as two full brothers and one full sister,
all of whom had families. His sister Betty
married and left large -amily. His two
brothers, Charles ard Samuel, both mar
rled and settled in the valley of Virginia
on large and most productive farms.
Charlestown, the county seat Of Jcffcr-
SON County, w. Va, was named after
Charles Washington. His brother Sam
uel owned an adjoining plantation of
nearly 1900 acres of land. Samuel was
married five times, though he died at the
age of forty-six. The descendants OF
Samuel are very numerous. Those of
Charles however are comparatively few
The Was. .ington families arr most nu-
mcrous in Virginia. Tennessee, and Ken
tucky, but considerable number of them
also reside in Ohio, Minnesota, Penn
sylvania, California, and Georgia, where
they have usually settled on the most
productive farm lands. AS another char
acteristic it may be stated that they
are unambitious for public position,
but whenever they have filled positions
of trust they have discharged their
duties with fidelity. The ability of
Judge Bu<hrod Washington. a member
of the Supreme Court, and his able re-
ports, will suggest themselves to the
minds of every one. George c. Wash
ington, who represented a Maryland DIS
trict in Congress, was man OF fair abll-
ity. 1t was his son, Louis A. Washing
ton, who was captured by John Brown,
taken to Harper's Ferry, and shut up
with him when he was besieged by the
United States Marines and aiken. A few
other Washing ons have studied law,
and some medlciLe, but a greater num-
Ler of them take to mathematics, survey
ing, and farming When they have en-
gagged in merchandising it has usually
been in connection with the management
of their estates. Both the full b. Others
of Washington were deceased before the
General. The General died possessed Of
large amounts of exec lent land in Eir-
ginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania. and devised
these lands to his nephews, who were in
consequence put in possession of consid-
cradle estates that made them independ-
ent, influential, and prosperous citizens
in thc neighborhoods where they lived.
They nearly all married young and left
families. The Washingtons have always
been fond of the gun, and the most noted
horscmen of the sections in which they
lived. Their personal appearance, as
class, has been characterized by tall, large
boned frames and strong, we'll cut fca-
lures. In their habits they are social and
hoypitablc to o degree of extravaganza.
They have been free, good livers, and oc-
cas:onally some have indulged too freely
in spirits, but cases of inebrates among
them are exceptions. Ben: Psrley Poors.