The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1886-08-25
THE WASHlNGTONS.

Three Hundred Members of the Family
Residing in the United States.
At the dedication of the Washington
National Monument, invitations were
sent to nearly three hundred members
of the Washington family, by direct de-
scent or by collateral marriages. Thir-
teen gentlemen bearing the name Of
Washington sat together on the floor of
the House of Representatives on the 90.
casion of the dedicatory 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 we'll 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 Vir-
ginia on large and most productive
farms. Charlestown, the county seat Of
Jefferson County, W. Va, was named
after Charles Washington. His brother
Samuel owned an adjoining plan
tation of nearly two thou
sand 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 Washington families are
most numerous in Virginia, Tennessee
and Kentucky, but considerable num-
Der of them also reside in Ohio, Mime
sofa, Pennsylvania, California and
Georgia, where they have usually set
tied on the most productive farm lands.
AS another characteristic it may be
stated that they are unambtious for
public position, but whenever they have
filled positions of trust they have dis
charged their duties with fidelity. The
ability of Judge Bushrod Washington.
a member of the Supreme Court and
his able reports, will suggest themselves
to the minds of every one. George C.
Washington, who represented Mary
land district in Congress, was man Of
fair ability. 1t was his son, Louis A.
Washington, 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 taken.
A few other Washingtons have studied
law, and some medicine, but the greater
number OF them take to mathematics,
surveying and farming. When they
have engaged in merchandising it has
usually been in connection with the
management of their estates. Both the
full brothers OF Washington were de-
ceased before the General The General
died possessed of large amounts of ex-
cellent land in Virginia, West Virginia,
Ohio, Pennsylvania, and devised these
lands to his nephews, who were, in con-
sequence, put in possession of consider
able estates that made them independent,
influential and prosperous citizens in
the neighborhood where they lived.
They nearly all married young and left
families. The Washingtons have al
ways been fond of the gun, and the
most noted horsemen of the sections in
which they lived. Their personal APP
pearance, as class, has been charac-
terized by tall, large-boned frames and
strong, well-cut features. In their
habits they are social and hospitable to
a degree of extravaganza. They have
all been free, good livers, and OCCASION
ally some have INDUCED too freely in
spirits, but cases of inebriates among
them are exceptions. Ben Perley
Poore. IN Boston Budget.