Lewis Washington
Encyclopedia
Lewis William Washington (November 30, 1812 - October 1, 1871) was a great-grandnephew of President George Washington
, who is principally remembered as a hostage of abolitionist John Brown
's raid on Harpers Ferry, Virginia
and as a prosecution witness in the subsequent trial of Brown.
Lewis Washington was the son of George Corbin Washington
, the grandson of William Augustine Washington, and a great-grandson of Augustine Washington, half-brother of George Washington. Lewis Washington inherited Beall-Air
near Halltown, West Virginia
through his mother, Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Beall. He made his home at Beal-Air from 1840 until his death in 1871.
, where more hostages were taken. Ultimately, Washington and the others were held at Brown's base in the fire engine house of the Harpers Ferry federal arsenal
. All survived their captivity, and Washington identified Brown to the Marine rescue party. During the assault on John Brown's Fort
, a saber thrust by Marine Lieutenant Green at Brown was allegedly deflected by the belt buckle securing the Washington sword.
During John Brown's trial for treason against the Commonwealth of Virginia
, Lewis Washington testified as a witness for the prosecution. During cross-examination, Washington testified that Brown treated his hostages well and gave orders not to harm civilians.
When the Civil War began, Washington sided with the Confederacy. On July 17, 1865, he was pardoned by President Andrew Johnson
. Many pieces from Lewis Washington's collection of Washington family items, including the sword given him by Frederick the Great and the Lafayette pistols, were donated to the New York State Library
by his widow in 1872. Lewis Washington married twice, first to Mary Ann Barroll and then to Ella Bassett. He was survived by two sons and two daughters, James Barroll Washington, who served in the Confederate army, Mary Ann Washington (married to Henry Irving Keyser), Eliza Ridgeley Washington (married Elias Glenn Perine), and William De Hertbrun Washington.
William De Hertbrun Washington died without issue on August 30, 1914. James Barroll Washington was survived by one son, William Lanier Washington who died without surviving children on September 11, 1933 after selling the remainder of his family collection of Washington heirlooms at public auction on April 19, 1917.
Children of Lewis William Washington and Mary Ann Barroll:
Children of Lewis William Washington and Ella Bassett:
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
, who is principally remembered as a hostage of abolitionist John Brown
John Brown (abolitionist)
John Brown was an American revolutionary abolitionist, who in the 1850s advocated and practiced armed insurrection as a means to abolish slavery in the United States. He led the Pottawatomie Massacre during which five men were killed, in 1856 in Bleeding Kansas, and made his name in the...
's raid on Harpers Ferry, Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
and as a prosecution witness in the subsequent trial of Brown.
Lewis Washington was the son of George Corbin Washington
George Corbin Washington
George Corbin Washington was a United States Congressman from the third and fifth districts of Maryland, serving four terms from 1827 to 1833, and 1835 to 1837. He was also a grandnephew of U.S. President George Washington.Washington was born at Haywood Farms near Oak Grove of Westmoreland County,...
, the grandson of William Augustine Washington, and a great-grandson of Augustine Washington, half-brother of George Washington. Lewis Washington inherited Beall-Air
Beall-Air
Beall-Air, also known as the Colonel Lewis William Washington House, is a two-story stuccoed brick house in classical revival style near Halltown, West Virginia...
near Halltown, West Virginia
Halltown, West Virginia
Halltown is an unincorporated community along Flowing Springs Run in Jefferson County, West Virginia, USA. Halltown is located off of US 340 on West Virginia Route 230 between Charles Town and Bolivar. A few houses, a fork in the road, a tiny post office, and the large Halltown Paper Plant are the...
through his mother, Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Beall. He made his home at Beal-Air from 1840 until his death in 1871.
The Harpers Ferry Raid
Lewis William Washington inherited several relics of George Washington, including a sword allegedly given by Frederick the Great to Washington and a pair of pistols given by Lafayette. John Cook, who served as John Brown's advance party at Harpers Ferry, befriended Washington and noted the relics, as well as the slave population at Beall-Air. Brown was fascinated with the Washington relics. During Brown's October 16, 1859 raid on Harpers Ferry a detachment from his force led by Cook seized the sword and pistols along with Washington at Beall-Air, taking along three of Washington's slaves. The hostages were taken to Harpers Ferry by way of the Allstadt House and OrdinaryAllstadt House and Ordinary
The Allstadt House and Ordinary was built about 1790 on land owned by the Lee family near Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, including Phillip Ludwell Lee, Richard Bland Lee and Henry Lee III. The house at the crossroads was sold to the Jacob Allstadt family of Berks County, Pennsylvania in 1811...
, where more hostages were taken. Ultimately, Washington and the others were held at Brown's base in the fire engine house of the Harpers Ferry federal arsenal
John Brown's Fort
John Brown's Fort was the building built in 1848 that was originally constructed for use as a guard and fire engine house for the federal Harpers Ferry Armory in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, then a part of Virginia....
. All survived their captivity, and Washington identified Brown to the Marine rescue party. During the assault on John Brown's Fort
John Brown's Fort
John Brown's Fort was the building built in 1848 that was originally constructed for use as a guard and fire engine house for the federal Harpers Ferry Armory in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, then a part of Virginia....
, a saber thrust by Marine Lieutenant Green at Brown was allegedly deflected by the belt buckle securing the Washington sword.
During John Brown's trial for treason against the Commonwealth of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, Lewis Washington testified as a witness for the prosecution. During cross-examination, Washington testified that Brown treated his hostages well and gave orders not to harm civilians.
When the Civil War began, Washington sided with the Confederacy. On July 17, 1865, he was pardoned by President Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson was the 17th President of the United States . As Vice-President of the United States in 1865, he succeeded Abraham Lincoln following the latter's assassination. Johnson then presided over the initial and contentious Reconstruction era of the United States following the American...
. Many pieces from Lewis Washington's collection of Washington family items, including the sword given him by Frederick the Great and the Lafayette pistols, were donated to the New York State Library
New York State Library
The New York State Library is part of the New York State Education Department. The Library and its sister institutions, the New York State Museum and New York State Archives, are housed in the Cultural Education Center...
by his widow in 1872. Lewis Washington married twice, first to Mary Ann Barroll and then to Ella Bassett. He was survived by two sons and two daughters, James Barroll Washington, who served in the Confederate army, Mary Ann Washington (married to Henry Irving Keyser), Eliza Ridgeley Washington (married Elias Glenn Perine), and William De Hertbrun Washington.
William De Hertbrun Washington died without issue on August 30, 1914. James Barroll Washington was survived by one son, William Lanier Washington who died without surviving children on September 11, 1933 after selling the remainder of his family collection of Washington heirlooms at public auction on April 19, 1917.
Children of Lewis William Washington and Mary Ann Barroll:
- George Corbin Washington (1837–1843)
- James Barroll Washington (1839–1899)
- Mary Ann Washington (1841–1931)
- Eliza Ridgeley Washington (1844–1919)
Children of Lewis William Washington and Ella Bassett:
- Betty Lewis Washington (1861–1862)
- William De Hertbrun Washington (1863–1914)