The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1914-03-14
CATHOLICS IN THE WASHINGTON
FAMILY-12 PIT BLACK

FAM1LY-12 PIT BLACK
Many Relatives Of the Father Of Our
Country Were converts-PrIest at
Death Bed Of Washington.
The following interesting account
of the Washington family was sent
to the Missionary by subscriber in
Richmond, Va:
George Washington, although not
Catholic, was, as we know, we'll dis
posed to the Church and to our people.
and counted among his intimate
friends Charles Carroll, General Moy.
Ian, Colonel Fitzgerald, George Mead.
Archbishop Marechal, and other noted
Catholics. We are told that always
he. kept hanging over his bed a pic.
ture of the Immaculate Conception,
which is today to be seen In its old
place at Mount Vernon. There is, too,
a tradition that on the night on which
Washington died Father Neale, s. J.,
of the Maryland province was hur-
riedly sent for, and that he rowed
across the Potomac and remained for
four hours with the dying patriot. If
true, this is significant, in view Of
the fact that no Protestant clergyman
attended Washington in his last mo
ments.
If Washington was received into
the Church on his deathbed he was
but returning to the Church Of his
forefathers. In the Magazine of
American History for 1879, we are
told that James Washington, broth
er Of General Washington's great
grandfather, john went to Holland in
1850, the year his brother came to
America and settled in Rotterdam. His
descendants today are all Catholics,
and are named Washington.
But If we cannot claim the first
President as one of our own, we num-
Der several of his relatives among
our converts. Here are a few names
of such persons:
In Mign's "Dictionaire des CONVEX
sions'' paris, 1852, appears the name
of Mr.. Washington, set down as a
Grandson" of President Washington.
He espoused the cause of the Greeks,
for whom he fought, and became a
Catholic in 1920. This was probably
nephew of General Washington,
but what nephew?
Another Catholic Washington was
John Nicholson Washington, Mayor
of Newburn, N. c., who graduated
at Yale in 1841, and was a great
grandnephew Of General Washington.
A daughter of John Washington,
Mother Sallie Vail Washington, was
for years Superior of the Ursulines in
st. Louis.
Elizabeth Francis Nash Cecil Of
Powhatan, Va, was descendant Of
Elizabeth Washington and Frances
Madison. She was we'll known
writer Of the last century, and de-
vout Catholic.
Another convert to come to US from
this historic family was the late Eu.
genia Washington of Washington, D.
c., one Of the founders and first Reg
istrar-General Of the Daughters of the
American Revolution. Miss Washing.
ton was daughter of William Temple
Washington, a son of General Wash.
ington's favorite nephew and secre-
tary, George Steptoe Washington. She
was, therefore, a great-granddaughter
of Augustine Washington and Mary
Ball (the mother of George Wash
ington). Miss Washington was born
in 1889, and died in 1899, under most
distressing circumstances. Her sister
is the last surviving member Of this
particular branch Of the Washington
family.
Still another convert from the his.
torical family Of the Father of our
Country is Richard Blackburn Wash.
ington, a native Of Charles Town,
Jefferson county, w. Va, son Of
George Washington (last member Of
the Washington family born at Mount
vernon) and a grandson Of John Au.
gustine Washington, the last owner of
Mount Vernon, who sold this historic
property to the ladies Of the associa-:
ton. Richard Blackburn Washington
is quite young man, being now in
his twenty.hfth year. Although he
was attracted towards the Church in
early boyhood, it was not until 1909.
during his residence in Richmond.
Va, that he applied to Rev. Joseph
Magri Of st. Peters Church for in.
structions in the doctrines Of the
Catholic faith. Business interests
having called him to Atlanta, Ca, the
instructions were continued under Rev.