The log cabin Democrat., 1916-02-21
tome ST Mshzngzon.s Ance5to1o

At Wessyngton this their family coat
And at Mount Vernon myself have noted
An old cast-iron, scutcheoned chimney-back
Charged with that heraldry.
The old building is in excellent state Of
preservation. The main hall has fine fireplace
and oak beam ceiling The ancient oak stair
has very beguiling twisted banisters and
fascinating secret cupboard at the intermediate
landing. The drawing room is the second
floor, as was the custom in the days when it
built, and in of the bedrooms it is said that
Queen Elizabeth slept.
The estate surrounding Sulgrave manor con-
ssts Of about two hundred acres of gently rolling
land substantially all of it in full view of the
manor The ownership carries with it the lord
ship of the manor, with the Rights, Royalties,
Privileges and Appurtenances thereto belonging"
and is subject to "a fee farm rent of lis sd (s2S4
per annum'
Sulgrave Manor is the place in England most
closely associated with the name of Washington,
and yet 1t is true that George Washington him.
self attached little Importance to this fact. In the
early days of the American republic, ancestry
was despised much more than is now the case
In 17SS George Washington refused to accept the
dedication of a book on heraldry because por-
ton of the community were:
"Clamorousy endeavorng to propagate an idea
that those whom they wished invidiously to des-
ignate by the name 'well-born meditating
IN the hrst instance to distinguish themselves
from their compatriots and to wrest the dearest
privileges from the bulk of the people,
But the ability to trace ones ancestors has
greater value in this country today than it had
in the days of the first president Washington
knew very little about his forefathers When
he was asked about them by the Garter Kingof-
Arms, he said the first of his family in Virginia
had come from one OF the northern counties In
England possibly Yorkshire or Lancashire or
even farther north. Later there was considerable
disputation about the root of the family tree
from which he descended. and it was finally
agreed by genealogists that the Washingtons OF
Sugrave and Brighton did actually spring from
the Washingtons in Warton, Lancashire, place on
the Westmoreand border.
Several generations of Washngtons of Warton
are recorded and of these was the father Of
Laurence Washington, mayor of Northampton in
1882 and 1545. He to have taken up his
residence at Sulgrave, though members of his
family continued to remain at Warton for several
generations. This Laurence Washington had for
mother the daughter of Robert Kytson OF Hen.
grave in Suffolk This proved matter of very
considerable Importance in their history, because
it brought them into connection with the Spen-
GERS of Althrop and Wormeighton, through the
marriage of Sir Thomas Kytson's daughter Cath
crime, to Sir John Spencer of Wormleighton,
whose grandson, Sir Robert Spencer was created
Baron Spencer of Wormeighton In 1908
grave appear to have got into financial difficulties
Laurence Washington entered the wool trade per.
haps induced to do by the fact that Lord
Spencer was one of the great fock-masters of his
day. This Laurence acquired considerable riches
in the wool trade. In 1889 he became possessed
Of the Manor of Sulgrave for the of three
hundred and twentyone pounds, fourteen sh
lings. and subsequently he purchased additional
property
Sundial With Washington Arms.
He had many sons, Of whom the oldest was
Robert, the ancestor of George Washington He
succeeded his father in 1855, when he was of the
age of forty, but he does not seem to have been
so prosperous as his father Yet it appears that
he was able to send both his sons, CHRISTOPHER
and William, to Oriel college, Oxford, where they
were in 1885, the year of the great armada
Roberts Oldest was named Laurence, probably
after the mayor of Northampton and in 1910
Robert, in agreement with his son. agreed to sell
Sulgrave to their cousin. Laurence Nakepeace
The second Laurence Washington then removed
to Brington, near Northampton, his iather per
haps going with him. though the latter Sas buried
in the family vault at Sulgrave Laurence Wash