Mercy Adams Writes

Throughout her life, [Nelly Custis] Lewis regarded herself as the keeper of George Washington’s legacy. She shared memories and mementos, entertained and corresponded with those seeking information, and verified or debunked new accounts. Her husband had been one of Washington’s executors and was instrumental in having a grand tomb erected at Mount Vernon, completed in 1835. At the time of Lewis’s death, she had little fortune to leave but her remaining Mount Vernon artifacts, which she distributed among her grandchildren. Woodlawn was sold in 1846, and after numerous vicissitudes, in 1951 the house and a portion of the grounds became the first property of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Nelly Custis was the delight of George and Martha Washington’s lives and the most accurate purveyor of information about them. During her long life, stretching from the American Revolution until the crucial decade leading up to the  American Civil War  (1861–1865), she was a livin...

Eleanor Parke Custis Lewis (Mrs. Lawrence Lewis), 1804, by Gilbert Stuart. (Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington/ The Journal of the American Revolution) Nelly was raised in an environment where she was denied very little. The product of upper-class Virginia gentry and the influence of Washington’s status, her life was comfortable and privileged. She was accustomed to not only wealth, but the relationship of two parent figures who had a mutual love and respect for each other. Devoid of both wealth and affection, Nelly was forced to reconcile with the fact that the comforts of her childhood could not be replicated in her marriage. The Journal of the American Revolution has published a biography of Eleanor Parke Custis Lewis, the granddaughter of George Washington, by Elizabeth Reese that I think personalizes the Washington family and brings their story to life. George Washington is an icon in America, which causes us to think of him as some sort of superhuman and his family mem...

"I shall rely, therefore, confidently on that Providence, which has heretofore preserved and been bountiful to me, not doubting but that I shall return safe to you in the fall." George Washington, Letter to Martha Washington, Philadelphia, Philadelphia, June 18, 1775 Compliments of George Washington Society Source: George Washington/Facebook ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Martha's Early Life Wikipedia tells us a bit of her early years (1731 - 1748) , which also gives us insight into her adventurous personality: Martha Dandridge was born on June 2, 1731, on her parents' tobacco plantation [2] : 9 , Chestnut Grove Plantation in New Kent County the Colony of Virginia . She was the oldest daughter of Frances Jones , the granddaughter of an Anglican rector [3] : 2  and John Dandridge , a Virginia planter [3] : 2  and county clerk [2] : 9  who emigrated from England . She had three brothers and four sisters... Dandridge's father was well-connected with the Virginia...

Portrait of George Washington (1732–1799) Source:  George Washington - Wikipedia ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Description:   George Washington is central to understanding America's founding. He was the crucial figure in winning the American Revolution, in creating the Constitution, and in establishing the precedents for effective self-government as our first president.  (Full Documentary - 1 hour and 34 minutes) Direct Link:  The Father Of America | The First American | Full Documentary | Documentary Central - YouTube

 What were the religious practices of George and Martha Washington, you might ask? Let's take a look and see if their Christian faith played an important part of their lives. Sampler made by Martha Parke Custis (Martha Washington’s second granddaughter) in 1784 at age seven. Her rendering of the Lord’s Prayer and the Ten Commandments can be seen as lessons in sewing, reading, writing, and also as instruction in the Christian faith.  Image Source:  George Washington's Mount Vernon The website  George Washington's Mount Vernon   reports   that  " Martha Washington was a devout Christian, her granddaughter Eleanor 'Nelly' Parke Custis Lewis noted that she 'never omitted her private devotions, or her public duties…'" and goes on to say "Mrs. Washington regularly retired to her room between 9 and 10 o'clock in the morning 'for an hour of meditation reading & prayer and that hour no one was ever allowed to interfere with.' She and Ne...