• General Notes

  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  JOHN    WASHINGTON    HISTORY,   1631 to 1677
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  
  Born into comfort and wealth
  
  John Washington was born in 1631 - 2 most likely in the Parish Purleigh, in Northern England. His parents Lawrence and Amphillis Twigden enjoyed the comforts of life near the rural village of Sulgrave. His father Lawrence was both a scholar and a cleric. The Washington ancestral home of Sulgrave Manor, situated near Banbury and about 30 miles from both Stratford-upon-Avon and Oxford, was a palatial home. The family's comfortable life was established by John's grandfather Lawrence Washington in 1539 based on his wealth as a wool merchant and his position as Mayor of Northampton during the reign of King Henery VIII. The Washingtons were Royalists and property owners, which placed them in the upper classes of English society. At the age of 8 years in 1640, young John Washington was enrolled in a prestigious education program at Sutton's Hospital in London based on a nomination by King Charles I of England. His future looked very promising.
  
  
  English civil war and Washington family despair
  
  From 1642-48 a conflict between King Charles I of England and large body of his subjects known as parliamentarians led by the zealous Oliver Cromwell erupted. King Charles was overthrown and executed on the chopping block at the hands of an ax wielding and masked executioner. Oliver Cromwell set about to establish a republican Commonwealth or a legal rule by the masses. The parliamentary army turned on any English citizen allied with the King. Unfortunately this included the Washingtons. The countryside was turned upside down, property was seized, some churches and graves desecrated. The Washington home at Sulgrave was seized after 120 years of ownership. The Washingtons were forced out of their comfortable life style. Lawrence and Amphillis Twigden were forced to move from the Parish Purleigh to the lesser Parish of Littled Braxted, Essex. John's promising education and comfortable future abruptly ended. In 1655 as a young adult, John Washington had no other option, but to seek success and attempt to continue the Washington family level of wealth elsewhere. He departed England with his brother-in-law Edward Prescott by sail ship in route to the young colonies in the Americas. It is ironic that John's great-grandson George Washington would embrace the exact opposite of what forced John from Great Britain- popular rule versus a monarchy.
  
  Arriving in the Virginia Colony
  
  
  John Washington and Edward Prescott arrived in Virginia in 1655 and in the next year or so travel as merchants between England and the Virginia Colony. During one of the later voyages their ship was wrecked in a storm. With the life of a merchant loosing its appeal, John Washington abandoned his partnership and remained in the Virginia Colony. The two partners embarked on a period of conflict and accusations. Prescott sought legal remedy against John Washington for his abandonment of their partnership and the subsequent loss of capital. At one point John Washington, in a Maryland court, retaliated by accusing Prescott of a witch hanging aboard his ship. John's Fortunes turned for the better when he is befriended by Nathaniel Pope, a well seated land owner in Westmoreland County, Virginia. Pope financially bailed young Washington out of his debts, and assisted him in severing ties with Prescott. Pope grew very fond of John and eventually John married Nathaniel Pope's daughter Ann. For their wedding present Nathaniel gave his new son-in-law John Washington and his bride Ann Pope Washington 700 acres of land on Mattox Creek (approximately 5 miles from the present National Monument).
  
  John Washington becomes land rich in Virginia
  
  
  John Washington built a home on Mattox creek and began his new life with his lovely bride Ann. In 1659 and 1660 he purchased an additional 1,000 acres to his already luxurious 700 acres at Mattox Creek. John takes advantage of the "headright" system where by an English land owner in the Virginia colony would receive 50 acres for every indentured servant he agreed to receive in the colony. In 1664 John purchased acreage at Bridges Creek where he made his permanent home. His largest single purchase was in 1674 at Hunting Creek across the Potomac River from the "Piscataway Indian Towne" in Maryland. This land would obtain everlasting fame as the location for Mount Vernon. By 1668 and in a span of 10 years, John Washington by use of headright and shrewd investment had amassed his land holdings to 5,000 acres. For a man in late 30s, John had reclaimed the Washington position that was lost during the oppressive English Civil War. Yet, this new and resurrected Washington family legacy was now in a wide open, untamed, and largely unexplored America.
  
  
  
  Prominent citizen and family man
  
  John Washington dedicated himself to his new wife Ann Pope Washington. The two had 4 children. Lawrence their eldest son was born in 1659, with John II following in 1661, Ann in 1662, and a child unknown to historians (dying in childhood) most likely born in 1663. Soon thereafter, John Washington and family established a home a Bridges Creek. With John enjoying the comforts of family life, and the prosperity of farming and land ownership, he began to rise as a leader of Westmoreland County. He was elected as county judge and coroner. This post was offered only to the leading members of the community. Interestingly, other prominent members of the Westmoreland court (over a period of years) would include James Monroe's father and grand father, as well as Robert E. Lee's grand father, and uncles. Many Washington descendants would continue this family honor as well. As a dedicated member of the Church of England, John Washington also served as vestryman in the local Episcopal parish which would eventually be renamed in his honor - Washington Parish. John received a commission in the Virginia Militia and would rise to the rank of Colonel. All of this civic honor would culminate with John Washington's appointment to the Virginia House of Burgesses. His service in Jamestown would lead to a friendship with Virginia Governor Berkley.
  
  John Washington made his permanent home at Bridges Creek (located at George Washington Birthplace NM).
  
  
  Bacon's Rebellion and the seizure of John's home
  
  In 1675 raids by the Doeg (Dogue) Indians began to plague Virginia plantations, especially on the frontier of the colony. Compounding this problem was frustration by lower income planters towards trade with indians. Bacon's Rebellion occurred when this seizable group of Virginians attempted to seize or stop trade with Indians. Governor Berkley supported the trade with the Indians (some believe he privately profited from such trade). At the request of the Govenor, Colonel John Washington was called to arms to investigate indian raids on the Northern Potomac. Leading a unit of Virginia militia, Colonel John Washington met with Maryland militia members. The armed men were met by a couple of Dogue tribe members seeking to avoid bloodshed. The site of the encounter is believed to be modern day Washington D.C. Colonel Washington welcomed a peaceful solution, but before progress could be had, members of the Maryland Militia proceeded to execute the Indians.
  
  There is some evidence that the indian raids were carried out by members of the Seneca tribe who were willing to blame to the Dogues. With some justice given to the indians, the Marylanders were punished. While Colonel Washington was quelling Indian conflicts, his home a Bridge Creek was overtaken by Bacon supporters led by Daniel White who physically constrained servants from loading or selling any tobacco or other trade items. By 1676 Bacon's rebellion failed, and Daniel White was ousted by John Washington from Bridges Creek. White was handed over the courts for proper trial. There is some evidence that he was hanged for his misdeeds.
  
  End of an era for John and Ann
  
  John Washington left three children from his marriage to Anne Pope upon his death in 1677. Lawrence, the eldest, married Mildred and had three children, including the second son Augustine. This particular Washington produced eleven children by marriages to two wives. By his first marriage to Jane Butler, there were four children, including Lawrence the oldest surviving son. His second marriage was to Mary Ball, an orphan, who was raised by a family friend, George Eskeridge. This marriage produced seven children. The first born was George who was named for Mary Ball's guardian.
  
  Ann Pope died about the time of John's dispatch with the militia. Luckily the Washington children were in their teen years and were able to take care of themselves probably somewhere removed from Bridges Creek (perhaps in England). John remarried a second time to Ann Gerrad who soon thereafter died, and then John married a third time to Ann's sister Frances. Two years after Ann Pope's death, and perhaps only a year after the short marriage to Ann Gerrad and later Frances Gerrad, John Washington died at Bridges Creek in 1677 at the age of 46.
  
  
  Source: http://www.nps.gov/gewa/historypage.htm
  http://www.sar.org/sarmag/GW.html.

Details of John's family with Anne Pope