The Arvada enterprise., 1916-02-17

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 a fine fireplace
and an oak beam ceiling. The ancient oak stair.
case has very beguilng twisted banisters and a
fascinating secret cupboard at the intermediate
landing. The drawing room is the second
lloor as was the custom in the days when 1t
built and in one of the bedrooms 1t is said that
Queen Elizabeth slept
The estate surrounding Sugrave manor
sists OF about two hundred acres of gently rolling
land. substantially all of 1t in full view of the
manor. The ownership carries with it the lord.
ship or the manor. with the Rights Royalties
Privileges and Appurtenances thereto belonging"
and Is subject to "a fee farm rent OF lis sd ts2sD
per annum.'
Su!Gravc Manor is the place in England most
closely associated with the name of Washington.
and yet it is true tina, George Washington him.
self attached little importance this fact In the
early days of the American republic. ancestry
was despised much more than is the case
In 1888 George Washington refused to accept the
dedication of a book on heradry because a Dor.
tion OF the community were:
"Clamorously endeavoring to propagate an idea
that those whom they wished nvidiously to des.
ignate by the name 'well.born' were mcditatng
IN the first instance to distinguish themselves
from their compariots and to wrest the dearest
privileges from the bulk of the people"
But the ability to trace ones ancestors has a
greater value in this country today than 1t had
in the days OF the first president Washington
knew very little about his own forcfathers When
he was asked about them by the Garter King.of
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 was descended, and 1t was finally
agreed by genealogists that the Washingtons OF
sulgravc and Brighton did actually spring from
the Washingtons in Warton, Lancashire. "A place on
the Westmorcand border.
Several generations of Washngtons OF Warton
are recorded. and one of these was the father Of
Laurence Washington, mayor of Northampton in
1882 and l5ij. He seems to have taken up his
residence at Sulgravc though members OF his
family continued TO remain at Warton Tor several
generations, This Laurence Washington had for
mother the daughter of Robert Kytson OF Hen.
grave In Suffolk. This proved n matter of very
considerable importance in their history. because
II brought them into connection with tho Spcn.
GERS Of Althrop and Wormcighton through the
marriage of Sir Thomas Kytson's daughter. Cath.
crime. to Sir John Spencer of WormloightUn
whose grandson, Sir Robert Spencer. WAS created
Baron Spencer of Wormcighton In 1903
In the process OF time the Washingtons of Sui.
grave appear TO have got into financial difficulties
Laurence Washington entered the wool trade per.
haps induced to do so by the fact that Lord
Spencer was one OF the great nock.mastcrs Of his
day. This Laurence acquired considerable riches
IN the wool trade. In 1889 he became possessed
of the Manor OF Sulgravo for the sum OF three
hundred and twenty one pounds, fourteen ,BhlI
lings and subsequently he purchased additional
property
sundal WIN Washington Arms
He had many sons. OF whom the oldest was
Robert the ancestor Of George Washington na
succeeded his father In 1885. when he was OF the
ngc OF forty, but he docs not seem to have boon
30 prosporoua M his father. Yet II appears that
he ablo TO scnd both his sons, ChrlHtophcr
and william. to Oricl college. oxford, whcrc thoy
were IN l5SS, the year Of tho great armada
Roberts oldest was named Laurence probably
af,or the mayor Of northampton, and IN 1910
Robert In agreement with hlR son. agreed to sell
Sulgravo to their cousin. Laurence Mukopcaco
Tho second Laurence Washington then removed
to BrIuRton ncnr northampton, his father per.
haps going with him, though tho latter was buried
In the family vault at s-lgrayn Laurence Wash
ngton had seventeen children. two Of whom roBo