Betty Washington Lewis

Betty Washington Lewis
Portrait belongs to Mount Vernon Ladies Association

Thursday, March 24, 2011

The Children of Betty Washington and Fielding Lewis Who Survived to Adulthood

Betty Washington Lewis married Fielding Lewis, a widower with three children, on 7 May 1750. The couple had eleven children with six surviving to adulthood and the family included:



Step-son John Lewis born 22 June 1747 in Fredericksburg, Virginia and died 23 November 1825 in Russellville, Logan County, Kentucky. He married five times. During his lifetime, he spent time in Fredericksburg, Virginia. He also lived and had land holdings in Spotsylvania County, Culpeper County, and Loudoun County, Virginia, as well as Logan County, Kentucky. He served as land agent for his Uncle George Washington. He was a revolutionary war patriot.



Step-daughter Frances Lewis, of whom very little is known. She was godmother to Betty Lewis.



Fielding Lewis, the eldest son of Betty Washington and Fielding Lewis, was born 14 February 1751 in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, and died 5 July 1803 in Spotsylvania County, Virginia. During his lifetime, he spent time in Fairfax County, Virginia, where his wife Ann Alexander had family connections. He also lived and had land holdings in Frederick County, Clarke County, and Fauquier County, Virginia. He was a revolutionary war patriot. Current research indicates that Fielding Lewis Sr. may have died at the home of his son Fielding Lewis Jr. in Frederick County, Virginia.



George Lewis was born 14 March 1757 in Fredericksburg, Virginia and died 13 November 1821 in King George County, Virginia. He married Catherine Daingerfield. During his lifetime, he lived in Fredericksburg, Virginia. He also lived and had land holdings in Spotsylvania County, Frederick County, Clarke County, and King George County, Virginia. There are indications he and his step-brother John Lewis ran a distillery in 1792 in addition to growing crops. He was a revolutionary war patriot. George Lewis served as aide-de-camp to George Washington until his marriage.



Betty Lewis, the only daughter to survive, was born 23 February 1765 in Fredericksburg, Virginia, and died 9 April 1830 in Clarke County, Virginia. She married Charles Carter on the anniversary of her parents 7 May 1781. During her lifetime, she and her husband lived in Fredericksburg, Virginia. The couple also lived and had land holdings in Spotsylvania County, Albemarle County, Stafford County, Frederick County, Clarke County, and Culpeper County, Virginia. Family accounts indicate Betty Washington Lewis died in the home of her daughter and son-in-law known as Western View in Culpeper County, Virginia.



Lawrence Lewis was born 4 April 1767 in Spotsylvania County, Virginia and died 20 November 1839 in Fairfax County, Virginia, at the home of his brother-in-law George Washington Parke Custis. During his lifetime, he lived in Fredericksburg, Virginia. He married first Susannah Edmondson who had family connections in Essex County, Virginia. Upon her death he lived and had land holdings in Spotsylvania County, Fredrick County, and Clarke County, Virginia. When he married Eleanor Parke Custis, his uncle George Washington gave the couple jointly the land in Fairfax County, Virginia, upon which their home Woodlawn is built. The couple also spent time at Audley in Clarke County, Virginia. Eleanor Parke Custis Lewis died at Audley where she lived after the death of Lawrence Lewis. Woodlawn was sold out of the Lewis family ownership in 1846. Upon George Washington’s return to Mount Vernon when retiring from public service, Lawrence Lewis assisted his uncle with correspondence and entertaining. Lawrence Lewis was also one of five nephews identified as executors of George Washington’s estate. He was the last surviving executor directly related to George Washington.



Robert Lewis was born 25 June 1769 in Fredericksburg, Virginia and died 1 January 1829 in Fredericksburg, Virginia. He married Judith Walker Browne. During his lifetime, he lived in Fredericksburg, Virginia. He also lived and had land holdings in Spotsylvania County, Stafford County, Fauquier County, and Frederick County, Virginia. Robert Lewis served as personal secretary to his uncle George Washington while President in New York until his marriage when he assumed duties as land agent for his uncle. Robert Lewis also served as Mayor of Fredericksburg, Virginia, and welcomed the Marquis de Lafayette during his 1824 visit.



Howell Lewis was born 23 December 1771 in Culpeper County, Virginia, and died 26 December 1822 in West Virginia. During his lifetime, he lived in Fredericksburg, Virginia. He also lived and had land holdings in Culpeper County and Clarke County, Virginia. He married Ellen Hackley Pollard. Prior to his marriage, Howell Lewis served as personal secretary to his uncle George Washington while President in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and later as temporary manager at Mount Vernon.



Betty Washington Lewis welcomed her brother Samuel Washington’s orphaned daughter Harriot Washington into her home during the years 1792 until 1796 when she married Andrew Parks, a merchant in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Harriot Washington was born 2 August 1776 in Berkeley County, Virginia, and died 3 January 1822 in Kanawha County, Virginia. George Washington was her guardian upon the death of her father.

25 comments:

  1. I'm very glad to have found your blog. I wanted to know if Fielding Lewis Jr had a plantation in Nelson County, VA. I'm tracing my own Lewis family history. I have a relative named Eliza who may have been a slave on a Lewis plantation. Her son, Washington Lewis, is mentioned as being born in Nelson County. If you do have any information that could help me can you please contact me at feelslikestartingover@gmail.com

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    1. I sent you an email some time ago and am now updating this blog and wanted to contact you again. I am very interested in sharing information and plan to visit some of the family quarters where farming was conducted. You may contact me directly at monpesek@aol.com.

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  2. I came across your website while trying to validate an excerpt from a passage in "History of Hickory, Polk, Cedar, Dade, and Barton Counties, Missouri" 1889, pages 926-927. Publisher: Chicago, Illinois: Goodspeed Publishing Company.

    While the passage focuses on Dr. Samuel N Martin, an excerpt references his wife Lucinda Halley-Martin Lucinda Halley-Martin, b.abt 1823 in Gallia Co., OH (dau. of Samuel M Halley and Letitia Thomas-Halley is a descendent of Elizabeth Lewis.

    Specifically the excerpt reads, "The maiden name of the Doctor's mother was Halley, and she was a great-niece of Gen. George Washington. She is a descendant of Col. Fielding Lewis, who married Elizabeth Washington, only sister of Gen. Washington."

    Unsure if this is a verifiable fact or an extension of a family story repeated in the late 1880's, I thought I'd post the reference and ask your opinion here. - Thanks in advance for your reply.

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  3. Per your question regarding Lucinda Halley-Martin, I have no information. However, if you have information regarding any generations prior to her parents, I can reference the database that I have compiled in hopes of responding to such questions. It is always encouraging when additional family information is gained. I appreciate your contacting me and would welcome the opportunity to discuss what information might be shared! I will also check with other individuals researching the family as well!

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    1. I know this thread is old, but today I came across the same article mentioning Lucinda Halley as a great-niece of Gen. Washington. Samuel is the son of Giles Halley and Sarah W. Hawley. I am still looking for information on Letitia Thomas' parents.

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  4. Betty Washington is my 5th great grandmother through her son Fielding. I am very much interested in learning more about the female side of history. I am also interested in sharing information.

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    1. Please let me know how I can contact you further as I also am a descendant through her son Fielding Lewis. My email is monpesek@aol.com.

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  5. John Bell Lewis of Bellville,Texas was my Great Uncle. He had three daughters, Mrs. Charles Krueger, Mrs. Max Bader and Miss Edna Lewis.

    The Historical Marker for John Bell Lewis in Bellville, Texas indicates tha Betty Washington Lewis was his Grandmother.

    I want to know Who was his Father.

    William Garland Johnson, P. O Box 3 of Beaumont, Texas 77704

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  6. William:

    I have sent you a second package of information. I hope we can soon determine how our lines connect.

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  7. Betty Washington Lewis is my children's 8th great gradmother through Fielding Lewis as well. Their great grandfather is still alive and that would make Betty his 4th great grandmother I believe. I think it is really cool that my children's great grandfather's name is Fielding Lewis, so even though I have never traced it back it is very interesting.

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  8. I have been researching my family hisotry. I was always told when that we I was related to George Washington's sister through the Lewis side. So I got on Ancestry.com and started with my great grandmother Lanorna Lewis Moses. In researching this I found the obituary for her dad Robert Lewis that died in 1933. It indicated that one of his great grandfather is Fielding Lewis. I have been able to trace it to Edward Lewis. But not directly to Fielding Lewis. After furter research. I did trace our line to John Lewis Sr. (1635-1689) and then go back down the line. So I guess Fielding's great grand father (john Lewis Sr. is also my 9th great grandfather) so that makes Betty Washington relation to me wife of 2nd cousin 8 x removed. Oh well It is still exiting to discover all of this.

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  9. With additional research conducted, updates are required. Cohasco, Inc. quoted this blog for an item that appeared in their 12 November 2013 Auction Catalogue. In reading the description, I realized that the blog stated George Washington had five executors. He had five nephews he appointed as executors plus Martha Dandridge Custis Washington and his ward George Washington Parke Custis who was the last surviving executive. Lawrence Lewis was the last surviving nephew who was appointed by George Washington as an executor. Current efforts focus on identifying a publisher for a photograph book that highlights portraits and other objects belonging to the Lewis family. Permissions from the various institutions who own the objects is required before the photograph book can be more widely distributed. The book also shows surveys of land and pictures of the property as it looks present-day for sites where the Washington and Lewis family members lived.

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  10. Hello my name is Kadrian Moon and I am the 7th great grandson and direct descendant of Betty Washington and Fielding Lewis. My connection is through my great-great-great grandmother Mary Evelyn Hereford of Mason County, West Virginia who in-turn was the granddaughter of Howell Lewis and the great-granddaughter of Betty Washington and Fielding Lewis. Mary Evelyn Hereford's husband was Edwin Lafayette Withers of Clendenin, Kanawha County, West Virginia. He was the great-great-great grandson of a 17th century planter James Withers of Overton Parish, Stafford County, Virginia who lived in close proximity of Augustine Washington's (my 8th great-grandfather) home Ferry Farms as well. My Hereford descendants also lived in the Westmoreland County, Stafford County, and Fairfax County area as wealthy planters and frequented the Truro Parish Anglican Church in Fairfax. From what I have been told almost all of the Virginia planter gentry came from the same area in North-Western England as landowners and military members. I would like any additional information that you have available on any of the information provided above please.

    My email is: kadrian.moon@yahoo.com

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    1. Kadrian:

      Please forgive the delay in responding. I will be contacting you directly so we can share information! You have very exciting information in the post above and it will be a pleasure to visit with you!

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  11. I'm wondering if you have any information on the branch of the Lewis family who migrated to Halifax Co., Va, and adjoining Caswell/Person Co. NC.
    There are court records from 1787 indicating an estate inventory and sale of Fielding Lewis with Elizabeth Lewis administrator.
    There is also a July 1790 will probate for John Lewis of Halifax Co, Va identifiing wife Catherine, son John, dau Sarah Taylor and dau Apphea Allen.
    In addition I have seen guardian account filings from March 1804 for the ophans of Fielding Lewis, includiing Elizabeth Lewis Henshaw, with Hiram Lewis guardian.
    Several marriage bonds and census records for John, Robert, Charles, Fielding, Hiram, Burnell ..... from early 19th century.
    I am ultimately joping to identify Anny Lewis married to Williiam Warren in 1823.
    Any leads would be appreciated.
    Tom Warren

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    1. Tom:

      Your post has my mind spinning as the Lewis family has so many interesting connections. However, it will be best if we can email each other to exchange information including the titles of a couple of book that were extremely helpful in solving conflicts encountered in the line I am most familiar with. I look forward to communicating further with you...monpesek@aol.com

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    2. This John Lewis that married Catherine Fauntleroy was my daddy's fifth grandfather

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  12. Hi, I have found family papers and letters indicating that I am a descendant of Betty Washington & Fielding Lewis. The person I am supposed to be related to is Mary Lewis Phillips. Her husbands name was Robert Oscar Pritchett from Partlow, Virginia, a rural area outside of Fredericksburg, in Spotsylvania County. Mary Lewis Phillips' Grandfather was Captain Partlow for which the town is named. Can you help me put the missing pieces into place? Thanks so much, Amanda Herrin Kruger, Oklahoma City, OK you may e mail me at amandakruger20@yahoo.com

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  13. I have read that Betty Washington Lewis was the grand mother of John Baptist Warner, who was the Mayor of Peoria. I can not find this connection. Can yu help?

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  14. I am a descendant of Betty Washington Lewis, although I do not have the complete genealogy and list of my ancestors. My grandparents on my father's side have an invitation to the dedication of the Washington monument in 1885. Supposedly some of my family or someone in my family received the invitation due to their relation to President George Washington via his sister. (President George Washington had no children... even though he is considered a founding father.)

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  15. Greetings, Im COL.L.D.DANIELL.IM 4th gr grandson of Betty W Lewis. Meryweather Lewis, Priness Diana Spencer, H.R.H. are nephew , ,,,, and neice. IM a bit off,figuring,, Meryweather Lewis ,,, any information out there?. Thank you all. Col.L.Daniell (kingtuttut1923@gmail.com)

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  17. Hi All - Excited to have found this blog spot. I'm currently trying to verify my connection to you all after getting DNA testing results connecting me to Betty Washington. I realize that these results need to be verified through the paper genealogy record and am currently seeking help to do just that. Thanks for sharing any resources that you all have found helpful. rick.t.reed@gmail.com

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  18. Where did you get the information that Frances Lewis was Betty Lewis Carter’s god mother?

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