Beall-Air, also known as the Colonel Lewis William Washington House, is a two-story

stucco Stucco or render is a construction material made of aggregates, a binder, and water. Stucco is applied wet and hardens to a very dense solid. It is used as a decorative coating for walls and ceilings, exterior walls, and as a sculptural and a ...

ed brick

house A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air condi ...

in classical revival style near

Halltown, West Virginia Halltown is an unincorporated community on land that was originally owned by William Hall along Flowing Springs Run in Jefferson County, West Virginia. Halltown is located off U.S. Route 340 on West Virginia Route 230 West Virginia Route 230 is ...

. It was the home of Colonel

Lewis William Washington Lewis William Washington (November 30, 1812 – October 1, 1871) was an American planter and great-grandnephew of George Washington, President George Washington. He is most remembered today for his involuntary participation in John Brown's rai ...

, great-great nephew of President

George Washington George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of th ...

and hostage in

John Brown John Brown most often refers to: *John Brown (abolitionist) (1800–1859), American who led an anti-slavery raid in Harpers Ferry, Virginia in 1859 John Brown or Johnny Brown may also refer to: Academia * John Brown (educator) (1763–1842), Ir ...

's raid on

Harpers Ferry, West Virginia Harpers Ferry is a historic town in Jefferson County, West Virginia. It is located in the lower Shenandoah Valley. The population was 285 at the 2020 census. Situated at the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers, where the U.S. stat ...

. The original house, now the rear portion of the house, is believed to have been built by Thomas Beall prior to 1800. Beall's daughter Elizabeth married

George Corbin Washington George Corbin Washington (August 20, 1789 – July 17, 1854) was a United States Congressman from the third and fifth districts of Maryland, serving four terms from 1827 to 1833, and 1835 to 1837. Early life and education Washington was bor ...

in 1807. George Corbin was the grandson of

Augustine Washington Augustine Washington Sr. (November 12, 1694 – April 12, 1743) was the father of the first U.S. president, George Washington. He served as an officer in the British Navy during the War of Jenkin's Ear although he belonged to the Colony of Virg ...

, half-brother of George Washington. The present front of the house was added in 1820.

Description

The main (1820) portion of the house is a two-story stucco-faced brick structure on a stone foundation. The corners of the three-bay house are thickened by pilasters, with a similar frieze-like thickening extending horizontally above the second floor windows. The front, or south elevation has a small portico with a flat roof and four Ionic columns. The front door has sidelights and an overlight, echoed by the second floor window immediately above the portico. The east and west ends have stepped gables with central chimneys and the "shadow" of a porch. A small 2½ story structure to the north of the main house connects to the main house with a two-story link. This structure has a gabled roof with dormers and is also stuccoed. Its windows are late 18th century in detail.

The Harpers Ferry Raid

Lewis William inherited several relics of George Washington, including a sword allegedly given by

Frederick the Great Frederick II (german: Friedrich II.; 24 January 171217 August 1786) was King in Prussia from 1740 until 1772, and King of Prussia from 1772 until his death in 1786. His most significant accomplishments include his military successes in the Sil ...

to Washington and a pair of pistols given by

Lafayette Lafayette or La Fayette may refer to: People * Lafayette (name), a list of people with the surname Lafayette or La Fayette or the given name Lafayette * House of La Fayette, a French noble family ** Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette (1757� ...

. John Cook, who served as John Brown's advance party at Harpers Ferry, befriended Washington and noted the relics, as well as the slave population at Beall-Air. Brown was fascinated with the Washington relics. During Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry a detachment from his force led by Cook seized the sword and pistols along with Washington at Beall-Air, taking along three of Washington's slaves. The hostages were taken to Harpers Ferry by way of the

Allstadt House and Ordinary The Allstadt House and Ordinary was built about 1790 on land owned by the Lee family near Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, including Phillip Ludwell Lee, Richard Bland Lee and Henry Lee III. The house at the crossroads was sold to the Jacob Allsta ...

, where more hostages were taken. All survived their captivity, and Washington identified Brown to the Marine rescue party. During the assault on

John Brown's Fort John Brown's Fort was originally built in 1848 for use as a guard and fire engine house by the federal Harpers Ferry Armory in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, Harpers Ferry, Virginia (since 1863, West Virginia). An 1848 military report described t ...

, a saber thrust by Marine Lieutenant Green at Brown was allegedly deflected by the belt buckle securing the Washington sword.

References

{{National Register of Historic Places in West Virginia Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in West Virginia Washington family residences Houses in Jefferson County, West Virginia John Brown sites Neoclassical architecture in West Virginia Plantation houses in West Virginia Houses completed in 1820 National Register of Historic Places in Jefferson County, West Virginia Tourist attractions in Jefferson County, West Virginia