Betty Washington Lewis

Betty Washington Lewis
Portrait belongs to Mount Vernon Ladies Association

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Are you a collector of relics from George Washington or a historian interested in the family?

Over the past two years, I have spent time at various research institutions to compile information regarding the sister of George Washington...Betty Washington Lewis and her family...four of her sons were employed by George Washington and there is much to tell about this colonial woman and her children! However, there are still many gaps in the story that I desire to share. If you have an interest in this subject, I am anxious to hear from you!

23 comments:

  1. Hi Monica! Great idea to document stories and people for your project. I'll be checking often!

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  2. Field Lewis and Elizabeth Washington are my 5th-Great Grandparents. I just found your page this morning.

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    1. Patrick:

      I welcome the opportunity to communicate further regarding your line to Betty Washington and Fielding Lewis as I am still in the process of research for a book focused on Betty Washington Lewis and her children. The reason for the delay in responding as that my efforts have focused on the research rather than giving a blog the attention it requires.

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    2. I read that Betty Lewis was the grandmother of John Baptist Warner. I've searched & searched, but can't find the connections. Can you help? My e-mail is "aoneill16@cfl.rr.com"

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    3. Annabelle: Forgive my lack of response. Due to a computer crash I have been re-compiling what genealogical data I have but do not have information on your direct line. What I do have is being placed on Ancestry.com.

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  3. Hi, Monica! My great grandmother, Bernetta Wilson Lannum (Washington Co. KY area) claimed to own a churn passed down to the youngest daughter from HER great grandmother, a grandchild of a sister of Washington. I think that George had only one sister who survived until adulthood. That would, I assume, be Betty Washington Lewis. I can't find a connection to Betty Washington. Bernetta's (Nettie) mother was Emily Amelia Barker Wilson, daughter of Lucy Jane Tamlin (Tamblyn, Tamlyn) Barker. I think Nettie might have been nutty. I know that Betty had 6 natural children and 2 step. Do you know if any of them married a Tamlin and moved to Kentucky? I would love to finally resolve this family legend/myth. Thanks. You have a wonderful website. Barbara Crane

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    1. Barbara:

      I did a basic search regarding the information you shared about the connection you have to the family and I would very much enjoy communicating further. My email is monpesek@aol.com.

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  4. Dear Monica:
    I have emailed you in response and am looking forward to any information you might have positive or negative. I will send you the URL of the newspaper article, if I can find it. Thanks for all of your trouble.
    Barbara Crane

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  5. Monica: here is the newspaper article I referenced. It is not the one that my aunt sent me. Her article stated that her great grandmother was able to knit a pair of socks on the ox drawn wagon ride home to Kentucky.


    http://genealogytrails.com/ken/marion/news_community.html

    Old Churn Used by Martha Washington Found in Marion (News Article)

    Lebanon, KY – April 30 – One of the most prized historical relics in this county is an ordinary two-gallon stone jar churn, the property of Mrs. R.N. Lannum, who lives on a farm several miles east of this city. The churn was once the property of Martha Washington, and first saw service in the house hold of the “father of his country” in their Virginia home during the revolutionary days.
    Mrs. Lannum's great great grandmother was a sister of George Washington, and the churn was given to her daughter, Mrs. Lannum's great grandmother on the occasion of a visit to the Washingtons in Virginia. Since then it has been handed down to the youngest daughter in the family until it reached Mrs. Lannum, who was Miss Bernetta Wilson, daughter of T.O. Wilson, Washington County.
    Date: 1921-05-01; Paper: The Lexington Herald

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    1. Barbara: Thank you for the additional information. I do not think I have properly recognized your contribution!

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  6. Thorough my paternal grandfather Harold R. Hereford, I have traced my heritage to Howell Lewis, the youngest son of Elizabeth Washington. I had read in George Washingtons will that he gave a older Lewis brother a sword from his collection. Any news on that? By the way I am not trying to be anonymous but none of the other options fit.

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    1. I have responded to another post you made to the blog site. You may contact me directly at monpesek@aol.com so we can communicate directly.

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  7. Hi Monica,
    I will try again anonymous seems to be only way to send my e-mail.
    You know me as Peter Morish.
    My heritage is that I am one of the 4th great grandsons of Betty Washington Lewis.

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    1. I have enjoyed our conversations and emails as it is great to be connected with other Lewis and Washington family members.

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    2. Peter,
      I wanted to say how excited I was to learn you were accepted into the SAR on an application for Betty Washington Lewis! We are making progress as the DAR does not recognize her service! I hope that will change!

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  8. Hello,

    I, too, am a direct descendant of Betty Washington.
    My great grandmother, Kate Lewis, was the great grand daughter of Betty.
    She married Theodore Winans. They had my grandfather, Lawrence Winans. They had my Mom, Dorothy,whom I care for & is 91. If I am not mistaken, my Mom is the oldest living direct descendant to George Washington. I have huge amounts of geneology material, so if I can help fill in gaps, I may be able to help. Thanks! Judy Davis-Winski

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    1. Judy,

      I have written to your mother over the years (14 spent researching the genealogy of the family that was lost in a computer crash this past March). So I very much look forward to communicating with you and sharing stories! My email is monpesek@aol.com.

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    2. Has anyone had success in contacting Caroline Miller about her book?

      Chuck Cohenour

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  9. My mother-in-law's cousin Caroline S. Miller finished transcribing a bunch of family letters that include ones from the Lewis' to my husband's direct ancestor Mary Emeline Reynolds Lewis who was married to Howell Lewis' son Dr. Lawrence Lewis. The book is entitled "Letters from Lewisburg" as that is the town in West Virginia that Mary Emeline Reynolds was from. It has information about Ellen Hackley Pollard Lewis who moved in with her daugther Betty Washington Lewis Lovell in Marietta, Ohio. Also John E. Lewis, brother of Dr. Lawrence Lewis who moved to Lewisburg in 1843 and A letter from Ellen Eliza Lewis Nye. I believe the history museum in Lewisburg, VA has some copies for sale.

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    1. Caren: I keep watching for copies of the "Letters from Lewisburg" in hopes of obtaining a copy. Thank you for your comment and I hope to be more responsive to future communications.

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    2. Hi Caren,

      The Greenbrier Historical Society in Lewisburg loves Caroline S. Miller's book, Letters from Lewisburg! We have been trying to get in touch with the publishers to get more copies but can't find any information on them online and their email is no longer working. We also would love to get in touch with Caroline about her research! Do you know how we could get in touch with Caroline or her publishing company? Please let us know we would love to get more copies!

      You can email us at achives@greenbrierhistorical.org. Thanks!

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  10. Hi, I came across this blog while trying to find out some information on an old framed piece I have. It's a hand done family crest almost identical to the one you have pictured. It's an original, not a print and very finely done. The one you have pictured is the closest thing I've found in any of my searches, it only says "Washington" not "George Washington". It has a small signature off to the side of a little crown and the initials "RWR". I'd love to find out more information about it and thought someone here might be curious too. If there is anyone in particular to contact or send a picture to please let me know. Thanks!

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  11. Has anyone had success in contacting Caroline Miller?

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