The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1914-03-14
CATHOLIC WASH|NGTONs
MANY CATHOLIC DESCENDANTS
OF "THE FATHER OF HIS
COUNTRY"

George Washington, although not a
Catholic, was, as we know, well dis.
posed to the Church and to our peo-
pie, 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 picture
of the Immaculate Conception, which
is today to be seen in it's old place at
Mount Vernon.
John Nicholson Washington, mayor
of NeWbern, N. c., was a great-grand-
nephew of General Washington, and a
convert to the Catholic Church. His
daughter, Sallie Vail Washington,
who was known in religion as Mother
Annie, was Sister in the Ursuline
Convert in st. Louis and died in 1885.
Kate Washington, the Oldest daugh-
ter of John Nicholson Washington, is
known in religion as Mother Juliana
and has been member of the Ursu-
line Order in ST. Louis for forty years.
Hermann Bushrod Washington, the
eldest son of John Nicholson Wash
ington, and his family are Catholics
living in Chicago, Ill. Francis J.
| Washington, Katherine Northrup
Washington and Sallie Vail Washing
ton. granddaughter of John Nicholson
Washington, are also Catholics living
in st. Louis, Mo.
Mrs Maud Washington Walsh of
ST. Louis, Mo-, and Mrs. Alice Wash
ington Kleinschmidt Of Brooklyn, N.
Y, daughters of John Nicholson Wash
ington, and their families are also
Catholics. None of the children of
John N. Washington, however, can
be called converts as they were all
brought up Catholics by their father
after his conversion.
Another granddaughter living in
New York City is convert, however,
being the only member Of her imme-
date family to embrace the Catholic
faith. She is Miss Pauline Emery
Washington.
Elizabeth Frances Nash Cecil of
Powhatan county, Virginia, was a de.
scendant of Elizabeth Washington and
Frances Madison. She was well.
known writer Of the last century, and
devout Catholic.
Another convert to come to us from
this historic family was the late Miss
Eugenia Washington of Washington,
d. c., one of the founders and first
registrar general of the Daughters of
the American Revolution. Miss Wash
ington was daughter Of William
Temple Washington, son of General
Washington's favorite nephew and
secretary, George Steptoe Washing
ton. She was, therefore, a great
granddaughter Of Augustine Washing
ton and Mary Ball (the mother of
General George Washington. Miss
Washington was born in 1899, 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, native of Charles Town, JEFF
feson county, w. Va, son of George
Washington Qast number of the
Washington family born at Mount
Vernon), a grandson of John Angus
tine 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-fifth 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 the Rev. Joseph
Magri of st. Peters Church for in
structions in the doctrines Of the
Catholic faith. Business interests hav-
ing called him to Atlanta, Ca, the in
structions were continued under the
Rev. Father Dubois Of the Marist Or
der, who baptized him at the Sacred
Heart Church, Atlanta, Ga, on Febru-
airy 4, 1912. His First Communion
was made the following Easter Sun
day. Having removed to Washington,
d. c., Mr. Washington was confirmed
by Cardinal Gibbons in st. Dominic's
hof ri on nna0rnhoI %