New Britain herald., 1929-02-22
WASHINGT0N LIKED
 WOMEN AND LIQUOI
Brohtr's Descendant Says First
 President "Wls No An6d'

WeStpOrt, rep. -S (CfJ-1eOIEc
 Washington was no angel; he was
 typical early colonial country gen tieman who drank. swore. smoked and enjoyed risque story as he did a trim ankle. according 10 his brothers direct descendant. Will liam Lanier Washington of West port.
 Washington traces his lineage di- iectly to Augustine Washington, brother of the first president Of the United States. The president had no children.
 A grey haired man who will ob- serve his 64th birthday the 30th Of next month, Washington's occupa ton is chiefly custodian of the most precious collection of Washingtonia in the country. The old colonial style home of the descendant over- looking the Boston Post road is named ''Waketicld" after the old Washington homestead in Vest moreland county. Virginia. and is an almost exact replica of the home from which it took its name. Its walls are covered with likeness of the Father Of His Country and scarcely an important article of furniture was not used y the pa triot.
 William I.anier Washington de- scribes his famed ancestor as tall. powerful. but flat chested man with blue eyes, sandy hair, misshapen mouth and pasty complexion scared by smallpox contracted in his travels in the West Indies. He had high pitched voice and was quick to temper according to Washington
 Even if he drank, smoked, played cards and enjoyed a risque story or d pretty woman. he was only like most of the country gentlemen of his time." Washington said. "But for all his high living. he was the soul of honor and little liquor did not make him any the worse"
 Had there been baseball clubs in colonial times.' Washington said, l George Washington probably would i have been a player"
 He referred to the old story that ! the general once threw silver | dollar across the Potomac river.
 At present, William Lanier Wash ington is working on a history of the Washington family. Besides his !, own literary work. his desk is crowd- ! ed with the writings of other men | upon George Washington.
 William Lanier Washington lives i in the past. Present day politics 1 have little interest for him. He pre-. fers to discuss he life and accom- | plishmcnts of his illustrious ances- . tors to the news of the government | today. As custodian of the Wash | ington relics he hopes 10 live out his allotted years and on his death ! probably will leave Wakefield and | Is precious contents as national I. lnusoum.
 Ninth in Direct Descent
 Nfll'am I.anicr Washington Is ' i in ,'ir"ct ,'es"cnt from Angus ! f er Wa .hin~ton. older brother of a ilfr man who was to become first lsrc@idcut of fhc United Colonies. He eEnlaincd to the correspondent lhat while he may not b" termed . a linral' descendant. he is the old ,-t direct descendant of the family Of wh; h Washington was q mem- bnr. and as such is recognized as the head cf thc family by the So- ciety Of Cincinnati composed Of ! members Of the Washington line.
 The living Washington does not Il wish to surrender his precious relics fl 10 q museum, but he always glad fl 10 display them to visitors at Wake field. In the collection here are many of Washington's personal pos ssSiODs, rings, shoe buckles, sur vcyor's instruments. his official seal. letters, manuscripts and furniture. On q wall hangs the Washington cscutcheon. This, Washington point ed out indicates the close assocja- lion of the Washington family and the Farrers. whose earlJom is one of the oldest in England. There are documents in Washington's col lection indicating that the great American patriot traced his anceS- try directly 10 King Edward of England. A portrait of the monarch who earned the name of Long shanks," hanging in Washington's home shows a marked resemblance 10 pictures Of George Washington.
 Related to I4anier
 William Lanier Washington is re- lated on his mothers side to Sidney I Lanier the poet. Although in his earlier years, Washington was an ardent sportsman, owning the New castle, Pa, baseball team in the old International league, today his chief interest is in the past. Here among the relics of his noted ancestor, he says he is contented to live out his slan.