Fielding Lewis was married twice. He and Catharine Washington, his first wife, had three children: John, Frances and Warner. Both Warner and Frances died leaving John as the sole heir from this first marriage. After Catharine’s death, Fielding married Betty Washington, and not quite a year later Fielding Lewis Jr. was born in 1751. Although … Continue reading Meet the Lewis Family: John and Fielding Jr.
Fielding Lewis
The Man on the Ceiling: Neoclassical Decorating at Kenmore
As with many things at Historic Kenmore, the reasoning behind the choices Fielding and Betty Lewis made for their masterpiece of a house remain a mystery to us. Why are Aesop’s Fables the subject of the decorative plaster overmantel in the Dining Room? Why is there an old-fashioned paneled wall in the Chamber? Why did … Continue reading The Man on the Ceiling: Neoclassical Decorating at Kenmore
A Christmas of Uncertainty, December 1775
When Fielding Lewis moved his family into their new home – the magnificent brick house we call Kenmore – in late 1775 it was the culmination of years of hard work and planning. It might seem as though that year’s holiday season should have been one of continual joy. Unfortunately, the Lewis family’s first Christmas … Continue reading A Christmas of Uncertainty, December 1775
Photos: Fielding’s Story, A Gentleman’s Sacrifice
This past weekend, visitors to George Washington's Ferry Farm and Historic Kenmore learned about Fielding Lewis in the dramatic presentation, Fielding’s Story: A Gentleman’s Sacrifice. They were able to step back in time and see colonial-era Fredericksburg through the eyes of Fielding Lewis—member of Virginia’s gentry, wealthy merchant and leading citizen of Fredericksburg, builder of Kenmore, patriot and … Continue reading Photos: Fielding’s Story, A Gentleman’s Sacrifice
A Colonial Wedding
A wedding is one of the most monumental moments in a person’s life. The celebrations that accompany the ceremony might range from simple to lavish but they are always highly anticipated and joyous. In this enthusiasm for weddings, we share much with our early American ancestors. Although there are extremely important differences between past and … Continue reading A Colonial Wedding
Dining Room vs. Dining Room
Several months ago, Historic Kenmore concluded the refurnishing effort in the Dining Room. After painstaking research and scientific investigation, that room has been returned to a state that would be immensely familiar to Fielding and Betty Washington Lewis. It might look somewhat unfamiliar, however, to later occupants of Kenmore. The first picture below was taken sometime … Continue reading Dining Room vs. Dining Room
Hanging Portraits in Kenmore’s Drawing Room
The George Washington Foundation's curators recently oversaw the hanging of portraits in Historic Kenmore's Drawing Room. Portraits of Fielding and Betty Lewis painted by John Wollaston as well as of John Lewis and Fielding Lewis, Jr. painted by Charles Willson Peale were returned to the room where they hung originally. In this video showing the … Continue reading Hanging Portraits in Kenmore’s Drawing Room
Photos: “Twelfth Night at Kenmore”
Today - January 6 - marks the end of Christmas or, at least, it did two centuries ago. If we lived in the days of George Washington, Betty Washington Lewis, and Fielding Lewis and moved within their social circle, we would all be preparing for the grandest celebration of the Twelve Days of Christmas, which began … Continue reading Photos: “Twelfth Night at Kenmore”
Christmas in Fredericksburg with George Washington, 1769
Six-year-old George Washington and his family moved to the land we call Ferry Farm late in 1738, perhaps even in time to mark Christmas in their new home. If so, it was the first of many. George lived at Ferry Farm into young adulthood. Interestingly, the best documented Christmas he spent in Fredericksburg was actually … Continue reading Christmas in Fredericksburg with George Washington, 1769
Lives & Legacies 