Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1903-01-25
Westn1Ore-

they reared families, and. like their father
and his brother Lawrence before them,
died near the So me time-one In 1876 ana
the other In 1857. Their sister Anne mar
| RED Major Francis Wright, son OF one
| of the early and prominent settlers IN
| NORTHUMBERLAND, and dWelt near her,
brothers.
Lawrence Washington succeeded his
! father in the occupancy of the Bridges
1 Creek home to which he led Mildred
| Warner, OF Gloucester, as his bride about
the year 1855. The Children of this mar
| riage-the second generation born at
Bridges Crcek-were John, Augustine, and
j Mildred. the younger Of the two having
| been named for his grandfather. Angus,
| tine Warner.
These children were left fatherless ere
| they had entered their teens, and to this
| circumstance was PROBABLY due the in
dustrious care and business management
of the son Augustine. which so early and
SO er1inently characterized him.
John Washington, after reaching man
| hood, appears to have res.deu at the pa
| ter1al home; to have married and had
several children born there when he Went
with his family to reside on property in
herited in Gloucester county. Ills brother.
/ Augustine purchased his interets in the
old homestead. and there made his resi-
dence.
Augustine Washington came within
| week or so of celebrating his twenty
| first birthday by mis- marriage with Jane
Butler, the daughter OF a planter living
on Mattox creek, only few miles dis
| tant. His entrance upon manhood was
| marked as well by diligent attention TO
business and rapid prosperity as by his
| marriage.
| On May "a. 1725, he obtained by deed
| signed by Daniel Higdon, John Pope, and
Jane Pope rs acres of land situate, lying
| and being on the south size OF Potow-
mack river. between Popes creek and a
| small creek commonly called Bridges
| creek, and is part Of a pa lent first grant
| ed Henry Brooks. bearing date in the
wear of our Lord lGo7." 1t is entirely
| probable that through this purchase the
| site Of the Wakefield mansion was Sc
, cured. and explains why in the previous
records of the fanny its members are
! set down as born at Bridges Creek, out
| after this are recorded as born at Wake
field. Whether the building on Pope's
| creek had been erected at the date Of
| the purchase or was built soon after
wards. it is not easy to determine. 1t
| is an interesting circumstance that this
| ground. enGeared and memorable in the
| annals Of human freedom, was as the
| property OF It's early patentec. tho refuge
| and asylum of mother with her chlid
| David Wakefield, the first Protestant
! enid born in Maryland), who fed to Viz
| g.nia to enjoy her Protestant faith, and
! married the above Henry Brooks.
On December g. =l12o, Mr.. Washington
| further added to his fine estate by the
purchase from John Pope Of the mill at
the head of Popes creek. which became
| known as Washingtons Mill. and has
| but recently had the name changed to
Potomac Mills.
Augustine Washington's sister Mildred,
| whose early life was associated with this
home, acted as godmother on the ocoA-
| sion of the christening Of her infant
nephew, George Washington She had
! at the time become the wife OF Roger
| Gregory. She was left q widow when
still in youthful wonlanhood. and was
! married a second time to Colonel Henry
j Willis, OF fredericksburg. Her children
/ having intermarried with the ThoruIons,
/ Greens, and others. have left her pos
| ter.ty in many parts of the South and
! West. who cherish her memory and the
/, traditions of her virtues. She died ut
an advanced age near Reeds Station,
| three miles from Danyille, Ky, where a
monument marks her grave. Among her
! honored descendants We're General Duff
Green and Lewis Warner Green. the
| scholarly and eloquent Presbyterian min
| lister, once president Of Hampdcn-Sydney.
| College.
OF John Washington, the brother of
Augustine, the records are not clear. He
i lived at Bridges Greek until about the
year 1928 He had a son, Warner, and
| one named Henry. Catharine,, sister to
] these two. was married to Colonel Field
1 ing Lewis, and died in l750, and lies en-
tombed under the shadow Of the Mary
i Washington monument at Fredericks-
burg.
The first child born to Augustine Wash
ington and his wife Jane was son
named Butler. who died in infancy in
l7ls.
| Two other sons; each highly gifted,
| blessed this union. They were Lawrence
the future founder of Mount Vernon, and
William Augustine the future proprietor
of Wakefield. a daughter, Jane, born IN
| i722. died In her thirteenth year. Her
mother died In It's, when the daughter
| was but years of age. and her two
brothers s and 10, respectively.
me loss Of his wife came to Mr.. Wash
i ington at a time when private. business
and public duties appear to have pressed
| heavily upon him. The purchase and SUI
perintendence Of his plantations and If
a mill. the requirement of additional
lands, the guardianship OF children and
| administration Of estates; ana the duties
of Jusuce-all. In addition to the care
of his own hoid-seenled to have en-
crossed this period Of his life.
| But few. ii any, OF the names OF the
/ Westmoreland gentry of that era show
| more Wilderness OF business activity and
useful service in county and neighborhood
| affairs than did his.
By what fortuitous circumstance Au-.
srstine Washington, q prosperous wid-
over OF Sc years. with three children,
| CANT into contact with Mary Ball,
Young lady OF q. and possessor Of a good
| fortune. we cannot positively tell Never
theless. Major George Eskridge, the
| most prominent attorney at the time In
Westmoreland. was. after Miss Balls 18th
] Year. when she became an orphan. her
guardian: and she appears to have made
her home with Samuel Bonecm. a NEPHEW
; and saesghbor Of EskIidge, who had mar
ried her half sister. Elizabeth johnson
These facts suggest. and probably ex-
plain, the acqua.::tanceship between
Mr.. Washington re Mary Ball, which
led to their hapias union on March 9th.
1870.
re Whether as has been extensively pub
iished. the above marriage occurred in
England during a visit of Miss BAH to
her brother Joseph, who resided there,
II am unable TO say. The Westmoreland
reoords strongly discredit several attrac-
tive features IN the romantic story which
an English writer nrst wove around this
sAvcnt.
Mha1Sar a4rn q ~, Ss.. 1s.,.,.s 1xr.