Elizabeth "Betty" Washington Lewis (June 20, 1733 – March 31, 1797) was an American Colonist. She was the younger sister of

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 ...

and the only sister that survived childhood. Her half-sister, Jane, died at age 11 and her sister Mildred in infancy. Betty Washington was born into the

Washington Family The Washington family is an American family of English origins that was part of both the British landed gentry and the American gentry. It was prominent in colonial America and rose to great economic and political eminence especially in the Co ...

as the first daughter 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 Vir ...

and

Mary Ball Washington Mary Washington (; born sometime between 1707 and 1709 – August 25, 1789), was the second wife of Augustine Washington, a planter in Virginia, the mother-in-law of Martha Washington, the paternal grandmother of Bushrod Washington, and ...

. Born in Westmoreland County,

Colony of Virginia The Colony of Virginia, chartered in 1606 and settled in 1607, was the first enduring English colony in North America, following failed attempts at settlement on Newfoundland by Sir Humphrey GilbertGilbert (Saunders Family), Sir Humphrey" (histor ...

, Betty Washington spent her earliest years at the family's plantation on the Upper Potomac. At age seven (her brother George eight at the time), the

moved to Ferry Farm close to Fredericksburg, VA in search for better economic prospects. Growing up on Ferry Farm, Betty Washington Lewis enjoyed a carefree childhood and was possibly instructed in horse-riding. She also attended school at the same time as her brother George to whom she kept close relations throughout her life. Her carefree childhood ended with the death of her father

in 1743. She was instructed in domestic arts by her Mother and later sent to Fredericksburg for further education, where she was reunited with George and her four brothers. After George permanently left Ferry Farm to live with his half brother Lawrence Washington at

Mount Vernon Mount Vernon is an American landmark and former plantation of Founding Father, commander of the Continental Army in the Revolutionary War, and the first president of the United States George Washington and his wife, Martha. The estate is on ...

, Betty took on most of the household tasks. In 1750, at the age of 16, she got to spend significantly more time with her cousin

Fielding Lewis Fielding Lewis (July 7, 1725 – December 7, 1781) was an American merchant, member of the House of Burgesses and a Colonel during the American Revolutionary War. He lived in Fredericksburg, Virginia and also owned a plantation in Spotsylvani ...

. 25-year-old Lewis, who had visited Ferry Farm occasionally, sought comfort in Betty's presence after his first wife, Catharine Washington had died due to childbirth the same year. This relationship grew stronger and with mutual attraction on either side, Betty Washington's mother Mary gave her consent. The wedding was held on the Farm, May 7, 1750. She and her husband are commemorated with street names in the nearby Ferry Farm subdivision (Fielding Circle and Betty Lewis Drive).

The Kenmore Years and Later Life

After her marriage to Fielding Lewis in 1750 at age 17, Fielding Lewis bought 861 acres of Land close to Fredericksburg, Virginia. The property was 1270 acres including inherited land. Soon construction of Millbrook House (renamed " Kenmore House" in 1794) ensued where Betty Washington Lewis and Fielding Lewis would spend most of their lives, frequently visited by George Washington who maintained close connections to his family. The growing involvement of Fielding in the

Revolution In political science, a revolution (Latin: ''revolutio'', "a turn around") is a fundamental and relatively sudden change in political power and political organization which occurs when the population revolts against the government, typically due ...

not only strained the estate's budget but also left Betty Washington Lewis mostly in charge of the household and the property. Her tasks were widely expanded after her husband Fielding Lewis died, age fifty-six. Apart from managing Kenmore and her husband's businesses, ownership of the Lewis Store was also passed on to her. After Betty Washington's death in 1797, her stepson John inherited the estate. After the revolution and Fielding Lewis' death, Betty Washington alone was in charge of running Kenmore estate which was heavily mortgaged in order to finance Fielding Lewis' engagement in the Revolution. The debts were paid off by selling the land surrounding the estate and Betty's efforts in running a small boarding School. After 14 years of running the estate, Betty Washington Lewis moved to live with her daughter, Betty Carter at Western View in Culpepper County, Virginia. Betty Washington Lewis died at her daughter's estate on March 31, 1797, aged 63. Shortly after her death, Kenmore estate was sold off.

Marriage and family

married Catharine Washington on October 18, 1746. She was his second cousin, the daughter of John Washington (a first cousin to George Washington) and Catharine Whiting. They had three children before Catharine died on February 19, 1750. A few months later, on May 7, 1750, Lewis married Betty Washington (1733-1797), the sister of George Washington and another second cousin. She was 17 years old. They had 11 children together. Betty outlived Lewis by 16 years, dying in 1797. *Fielding Lewis, II (1751 – 1803); married Anne Alexander, had issue. Married Nancy Alexander, had issue. *Augustine Lewis (January 22, 1752 – 1756); died as a child. *Warner Lewis (June 24, 1755 – 1756); died in infancy. *George Washington Lewis (March 14, 1757 – November 15, 1831); married Catherine Daingerfield, had issue (grandparents of Princess Catherine Murat). *Mary Lewis (April 22, 1759 – December 25, 1759); died in infancy. *Charles Lewis (October 3, 1760 – 1793) *Samuel Lewis (May 14, 1762 – December 31, 1810) *Elizabeth Lewis (February 23, 1765 – August 9, 1830); married distant cousin Charles Carter, had issue. * Lawrence Lewis (March 4, 1767 – November 20, 1839); married half-cousin

Eleanor Parke Custis Eleanor Parke Custis may refer to: *Eleanor Parke Custis Lewis Eleanor Parke Custis Lewis (March 31, 1779 – July 15, 1852), known as Nelly, was a granddaughter of Martha Washington and a step-granddaughter and adopted daughter of George Washing ...

, George Washington's step-granddaughter, had issue. *Robert Lewis (June 25, 1769 – January 17, 1829); married cousin Judith Carter Browne, had issue. *Howell Lewis, Sr. (December 12, 1771 – December 26, 1822); married Ellen Hackley Pollard, had issue, Henry Howell Lewis.

Ancestry

References

External links

* Pamela Gould, ''George W., sister, have birthday tea'', ''The Free Lance-Star'', February 18, 2008, found a
Fredericksburg.com news site
Accessed February 19, 2008. {{DEFAULTSORT:Lewis, Betty Washington 1733 births 1797 deaths 18th-century American Episcopalians British North American Anglicans Lewis family People from Fredericksburg, Virginia People from Westmoreland County, Virginia People of Virginia in the American Revolution Virginia colonial people Washington family Burials in Virginia