In 2020, many of us spent a great majority of our time at home. This gave us the opportunity to get creative and explore new hobbies. One such hobby that became a viral sensation, plastered across social media, food blogs, and television news outlets, was that of baking bread. Bread has been around in some … Continue reading Bread Talk: A Slice of History in Colonial America
Lewis Family
An Image Captured: The Development of Photography through Lewis Family Descendants
One of my favorite historical objects in the collection are photographs. Not particularly for artistic reasons, but as a documentation of a moment, a time, a person, a world that no longer exists. During the Victorian era (1837-1901), there were extraordinary developments in the field of photography. In a span of forty years, photographs went … Continue reading An Image Captured: The Development of Photography through Lewis Family Descendants
Bane of the Washingtons Part II: The Deaths of Lawrence, Fielding, and Samuel
Welcome back to our 3-Part Blog charting tuberculosis in the extended Washington Family. If you are new to this series, Part I examined how the disease works, charted its history, and explained standard courses of treatments in the 1700s. You can find the blog here, and we encourage a review of the “Treatment” section. In … Continue reading Bane of the Washingtons Part II: The Deaths of Lawrence, Fielding, and Samuel
Family Leaders Guiding a Younger Generation: George and Betty’s Letters
George Washington was the oldest of Augustine and Mary Washington’s five children. The next oldest was daughter Betty, who was born 14 months after George and was his only sister. George and Betty are immensely important to us at George Washington’s Ferry Farm & Historic Kenmore. They spent their formative years at Ferry Farm and … Continue reading Family Leaders Guiding a Younger Generation: George and Betty’s Letters
Where Are the Human Remains?: Fielding and Betty Lewis
You might remember the discovery of Richard III’s grave under a Leicester parking lot back in 2012 and how shocking it was that a former King of England’s gravesite had been lost. For archaeologists, missing gravesites aren’t that uncommon. When put into perspective, it’s not surprising that we can’t locate the graves of many famous … Continue reading Where Are the Human Remains?: Fielding and Betty Lewis
Meet the Lewis Family: John and Fielding Jr.
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.
Meet the Lewis Family: George Lewis
George Washington Lewis was Fielding and Betty Lewis’s fourth son, being born on March 14, 1757. His birth came within months of the deaths of two of his older brothers – Augustine and Warner, ages 4 and 1 – and was a bright spot in dark days for his parents. He was named for his … Continue reading Meet the Lewis Family: George Lewis
Meet the Lewis Family: Lawrence Lewis
Lawrence Lewis was born on April 4, 1767, the ninth child of Fielding and Betty Lewis and nephew of George Washington. His birth was noted by Fielding in the Lewis family bible, “Our Ninth a Son named Lawrence born the 4th of April 1767. Mr. Chas Washington & Mr. Francis Thornton Godfather & Mrs. Mary … Continue reading Meet the Lewis Family: Lawrence Lewis
Lives & Legacies 