YOUNG FRIENDS INTERPRETERS: Saturday, April 4, 10 a.m.–4 p.m., George Washington’s Boyhood Home at Ferry Farm, 268 Kings Highway, Stafford County. Young LO CA L Friends, first-person interpreters, will offer glimpses into 18th-century life. For all ages. Admission: adults, $5; children and students, $3; under 6, free. 540/370-0732; ferryfarm H I STO RY .o rg . 6 TOWN & COUNTY FREDERICKSBURG, VA. SATU R DAY, M A RC H 28, 2009 THE FREE LANCE–STAR THE WORLD OF MARY BALL: CHAPTER SIX AUGUSTINE WASHINGTON: An ambitious e n t re p re n e u r, 1 694 – 1743 1725 Part six of a seven-part 1742 series that links the early years eek of Mary Ball, the mother of George Washington, to her Bridges Cr 1734 Northern Neck heritage and her Washington connections. 1728 BY PAULA S. FELDER 1718 FOR THE FREE LANCE-STAR UGUSTINE Washing- POPES CREEK ton was the grandson A of John Washington, Dahlgren an early arrival in Westmore- Chotank Creek land County in the Northern “POPES CREEK PLANTATION BIRTHPLACE OF GEORGE WASHINGTON Neck. Augustine’s father In 1718, Augustine Washington acquired land on Popes Creek Lawrence (1659–98), also in Westmoreland County where he built a new home, a prominent county leader, “CHOTANKERS, A FAMILY HISTORY” was schooled in England and Chotank Creek was home to cousins of Augustine Washington. eventually linking his properties up to his inheritance married one of the three in Bridges Creek. heiress daughters of the For the next four years, the powerful Augustine Warner their older brother appointed Butler married Augustine Jr. of Gloucester County. children were under the care John Washington, Augus- of their stepfather, who tine’s brother, remained in as their guardian. Washington, who had just When he came of age, turned 21, and they settled ONLINE >> See Paula Felder’s placed the boys in Appleby, a Gloucester County until his highly regarded school in the death in 1746. however, John Washington on his Bridges Creek inheri- series at f re d e r i c k s b u rg .c o m / did not exercise his right as tance. In 1718, he added land Lake District of northern Mildred, their younger sister, mar yball. eldest son to the Washington on Popes Creek where the England. His years in White- inherited the 2,500 acres land on Bridges Creek, and young family built a new haven and at Appleby made a that was a portion of the first settled instead in Gloucester home (now celebrated as When he died in 1698, he lasting impression on Au- Washington patent on Little County on the Middle Penin- George Washington’s birth- left two sons, John (the elder) gustine, who would later Hunting Creek. Her last sula. p l a ce) . and Augustine, and an infant enroll his older sons there. husband was Henry Willis, daughter, Mildred. But in Westmoreland And so, when Augustine When he was barely 21, who brought her to Freder- turned 21, the 400 acres on Augustine was appointed for His widow remarried into County, Lawrence’s execu- icksburg in 1734. She built a one of the most prominent tors sued George Gale, who Bridges Creek became his. the first of several terms as a large home on a tract that is justice on the Westmoreland merchant families of White- came to Virginia in 1702 to still called Willis Hill, next to haven. With her children, she appear before the Westmore- AUGUSTINE’S FAMILY CIRCLE County Court. what is today a national About 1717, George Es- accompanied her new hus- land grand jury. Representing cemeter y. The families in the Bridges band, George Gale, back to him was George Eskridge. Creek and Popes Creek kridge married as his second Whitehaven on the west The Westmoreland jury neighborhood were typical of wife the stepdaughter of coast of England. found for George Gale, but the tangled genealogies of Caleb Butler, thus becoming She died there in 1701 after its decision was overturned The guardian was tardy in the Northern Neck. Augustine Washington’s childbirth, and was buried in in the General Court of the dividing their father’s estate, Jane Butler was the only brother-in-law as well as the churchyard of St. Nicholas. co l o ny . and so in 1712 the Westmore- child of Caleb Butler and his his mentor. If the instructions in her will And so, in 1704, the Wash- land court approved the peti- wife, Mary, of the Popes had been followed, her children ington children returned to tion of the eldest son, John, Creek neighborhood. The NEW OPPORTUNITIES ARISE would have remained in Eng- Virginia to live on Chotank to receive his share. Augus- household also included Although rural life seems land, where Gale had pledged to Creek near the western bor- tine and Mildred at once children from a prior mar- peaceful from the distance of convey to them their rightful der of Westmoreland County successfully petitioned the riage of Mary Butler. two centuries, it was really i n h e r i ta n ce. with their guardian’s family. Westmoreland court to have In 1715, 16-year-old Jane SEE MARY, PAGE 7