The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1916-02-19

At Washington, this was 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 an excellent state of
preservation. The main hall has a fine fireplace
and oak beam ceiling. The ancient oak stair
case has very beguiling twisted banisters and a
fascinating secret cupboard at the intermediate
landing. The drawing is the second
floor, was the custom in the days when it
built, and in one of the bedrooms it is said that
Queen Elizabeth slept.
The estate surrounding SuIgrave 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 (S284)
per annum"
Sulgrave Manor is the place in England most
closely associated with the name of Washington,
and yet it 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 than is the case.
In 178S George Washington refused to accept the
dedication of a book heraldry because a por-
ton of the community were:
"Clamorously endeavoring to propagate an idea
that those whom they wished invidiously to des-
ignate by the name 'wellborn' were meditating
in the first instance to distinguish themselves
from their compatriots and to wrest the dearest
privileges from the bulk of the people,
ancestors
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 King-of-
Arms he said the first of his family in Virginia
had come from one Of the northern counties III
England, possibly Yorkshire 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 Washngtons of
Sulgrave and Brighton did actually spring from
the Washingtons in Warrior, Lancashire, a place on
the Westmoreland border.
Several generations of Washingtons of Warrior
are recorded, and one OF these was the father of
Laurence Washington, mayor of Northampton in
1882 and 1915. He seems to have taken up his
residence at Sulgrave, though members of his
family continued to remain at Warrior for several
generations. This Laurence Washington had for
mother the daughter of Robert Kytson of Hen
grave in Suffolk. This proved a matter of very
considerable Importance in their history, because
it brought them into connection with the Spen-
GERS Of Althrop and Wormleighton, 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 Wormleighton 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 of the great fockmasters of his
day. This Laurence acquired considerable riches
in the wool trade. In 1889 he became possessed
of the Manor of Sulgrave for the sum of three
hundred and twenty-one pounds. fourteen shil-
Ings, and subsequently he purchased additional
property.
Sundia 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 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 1883, 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
SulgraYe to their cousin Laurence Makepeace
The second Laurence Washington then removed
to Brington, near Northampton, his father per-
haps going with him. though the latter was buried
in the family vault at Sulgrave. Laurence Wash
ington had seventeen children, two of whom rose