Eugenia Scholay Washington (June 27, 1838 – November 30, 1900) was an American

historian A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the stu ...

civil servant The civil service is a collective term for a sector of government composed mainly of career civil servants hired on professional merit rather than appointed or elected, whose institutional tenure typically survives transitions of political leaders ...

, and a founder of the lineage societies,

Daughters of the American Revolution The Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) is a lineage-based membership service organization for women who are directly descended from a person involved in the United States' efforts towards independence. A non-profit group, they promote ...

and Daughters of the Founders and Patriots of America. Washington was born in 1838 near Charles Town,

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

, in present-day

West Virginia West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the Bur ...

. She was the daughter of William Temple Washington, through whom she was a great-grandniece 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 th ...

, first

President of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United Stat ...

, and a grandniece of Dolley Payne Todd Madison. Following her family's relocation to Stafford County, she and her family witnessed the

Battle of Fredericksburg The Battle of Fredericksburg was fought December 11–15, 1862, in and around Fredericksburg, Virginia, in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. The combat, between the Union Army of the Potomac commanded by Maj. Gen. Ambrose Burnsi ...

first hand during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

. Due to her family's limited financial resources after the war and her father's illness, Washington accepted a position as a

clerk A clerk is a white-collar worker who conducts general office tasks, or a worker who performs similar sales-related tasks in a retail environment. The responsibilities of clerical workers commonly include record keeping, filing, staffing service ...

within the

United States Post Office Department The United States Post Office Department (USPOD; also known as the Post Office or U.S. Mail) was the predecessor of the United States Postal Service, in the form of a Cabinet department, officially from 1872 to 1971. It was headed by the postmas ...

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

, to support her family. There, Washington was one of the four co-founders of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution (with

Mary Desha Mary Desha (March 8, 1850 – January 29, 1911) was a founder of Daughters of the American Revolution. Early life Mary Desha attended the University of Kentucky (at that time known as "Agricultural and Mechanical College of Kentucky"), after whic ...

Mary Smith Lockwood Mary Smith Lockwood (1831–1922) was one of the founders of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Biography On July 13, 1890, after the Sons of the American Revolution refused to allow women to join their group, Lockwood published the story ...

, and

Ellen Hardin Walworth Ellen Hardin Walworth (October 20, 1832 – June 23, 1915) was an American author, lawyer, and activist who was a passionate advocate for the importance of studying history and historic preservation. Walworth was one of the founders of the Dau ...

). Washington had reportedly been inspired by her experiences during the American Civil War to found an organization for preserving the shared heritage of women from the North and South of the United States. Washington was the DAR's first Registrar General, and was made "number one" on the "grand roll" of the society's membership. In 1898, Washington founded another lineage society, the National Society of Daughters of the Founders and Patriots of America, with the broader goal of preserving the history of the

American colonial era The colonial history of the United States covers the history of European colonization of North America from the early 17th century until the incorporation of the Thirteen Colonies into the United States after the Revolutionary War. In the ...

. While visiting a relative in

Louisiana Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is borde ...

around 1870, Washington attended a Roman Catholic mission. She later converted to

Roman Catholicism The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwide . It is am ...

from her

Episcopal Episcopal may refer to: *Of or relating to a bishop, an overseer in the Christian church *Episcopate, the see of a bishop – a diocese *Episcopal Church (disambiguation), any church with "Episcopal" in its name ** Episcopal Church (United State ...

faith, after which she became a prominent lecturer of the Catholic faith. Washington never married, and she died in 1900. Washington was interred beside her mother at the Moncure family burial ground of her sister's estate, "Glencairne," in Falmouth, Virginia.

Early life, family, and ancestry

Eugenia Scholay Washington was born on June 27, 1838, at "Megwillie"

plantation A plantation is an agricultural estate, generally centered on a plantation house, meant for farming that specializes in cash crops, usually mainly planted with a single crop, with perhaps ancillary areas for vegetables for eating and so on. The ...

near Charles Town in Jefferson County,

(now

), to William Temple Washington (1800–1877) and his wife, Margaret Calhoun Fletcher (1805–1865). The name of the plantation on which she was born, "Megwillie," was a

portmanteau A portmanteau word, or portmanteau (, ) is a blend of words Through her father, Washington was the granddaughter of

George Steptoe Washington George Steptoe Washington (August 17, 1771 – January 10, 1809) was a Virginia planter and militia officer who died at the age of 37 of tuberculosis. He was a nephew of the first President of the United States George Washington, and one of the l ...

(1771–1809) and Lucy Payne Washington Todd (1772?–1846). She was also the great-granddaughter of

Samuel Washington Samuel ''Šəmūʾēl'', Tiberian: ''Šămūʾēl''; ar, شموئيل or صموئيل '; el, Σαμουήλ ''Samouḗl''; la, Samūēl is a figure who, in the narratives of the Hebrew Bible, plays a key role in the transition from the bi ...

(1734–1781, younger brother of

) and his wife Annie Steptoe, and the great-grandniece of George Washington (1732–1799). Her grandfather, George Steptoe Washington, was a "favorite nephew" of George Washington and was left an inheritance following Washington's death. Washington's grandmother, Lucy Payne Washington Todd, was a sister of

First Lady of the United States The first lady of the United States (FLOTUS) is the title held by the hostess of the White House, usually the wife of the president of the United States, concurrent with the president's term in office. Although the first lady's role has never ...

Dolley Payne Todd Madison (1768–1849). The widowed Dolley Payne Todd married

James Madison James Madison Jr. (March 16, 1751June 28, 1836) was an American statesman, diplomat, and Founding Father. He served as the fourth president of the United States from 1809 to 1817. Madison is hailed as the "Father of the Constitution" for hi ...

at Washington's grandparents' residence, Harewood. Through her mother, Washington was great-grandniece of

John C. Calhoun John Caldwell Calhoun (; March 18, 1782March 31, 1850) was an American statesman and political theorist from South Carolina who held many important positions including being the seventh vice president of the United States from 1825 to 1832. He ...

(1782–1850). Also through her mother, Washington was descended from Charles Francois Joseph, Count de Flechir (born in France in 1755, died in New York in 1815), who served in the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...

and was "a friend and kinsman" of

Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de La Fayette (6 September 1757 – 20 May 1834), known in the United States as Lafayette (, ), was a French aristocrat, freemasonry, freemason and military officer who fought in the Ameri ...

. Count de Flechir married Ruth Phillips Sourency. Flechir's grandson and Washington's grandfather, Thomas Fletcher, served on the staff of General

William Henry Harrison William Henry Harrison (February 9, 1773April 4, 1841) was an American military officer and politician who served as the ninth president of the United States. Harrison died just 31 days after his inauguration in 1841, and had the shortest pres ...

in the

War of 1812 The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It bega ...

. Thomas Fletcher married Nancy McIlhenney and was the son of Samuel Fletcher and Abigail West. Washington's father, William Temple Washington, was educated at the

College of William & Mary The College of William & Mary (officially The College of William and Mary in Virginia, abbreviated as William & Mary, W&M) is a public research university in Williamsburg, Virginia. Founded in 1693 by letters patent issued by King William III ...

and

home schooled Homeschooling or home schooling, also known as home education or elective home education (EHE), is the education of school-aged children at home or a variety of places other than a school. Usually conducted by a parent, tutor, or an onlin ...

his children. Around 1859, William Washington relocated his family to a plantation at Falmouth in Stafford County, Virginia, located on the north side of the

Rappahannock River The Rappahannock River is a river in eastern Virginia, in the United States, approximately in length.U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed April 1, 2011 It traverses the entir ...

across from Fredericksburg. Washington's father suffered from

paralysis Paralysis (also known as plegia) is a loss of motor function in one or more muscles. Paralysis can also be accompanied by a loss of feeling (sensory loss) in the affected area if there is sensory damage. In the United States, roughly 1 in 50 ...

, and she cared for him from a young age.

American Civil War

Following her family's relocation to Falmouth, Washington continued to live a "tranquil life" caring for her father until the

Union Union commonly refers to: * Trade union, an organization of workers * Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets Union may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Union (band), an American rock group ** ''Un ...

and

Confederate Confederacy or confederate may refer to: States or communities * Confederate state or confederation, a union of sovereign groups or communities * Confederate States of America, a confederation of secessionist American states that existed between 1 ...

forces fought near the family plantation, so Washington and her family "suffered all the horrors and the hardships" of the war. The family witnessed the

, December 11–15, 1862, first hand. A wounded Union Army

officer An officer is a person who has a position of authority in a hierarchical organization. The term derives from Old French ''oficier'' "officer, official" (early 14c., Modern French ''officier''), from Medieval Latin ''officiarius'' "an officer," fro ...

was brought to their home early in the battle and placed in Washington's care while waiting a

surgeon In modern medicine, a surgeon is a medical professional who performs surgery. Although there are different traditions in different times and places, a modern surgeon usually is also a licensed physician or received the same medical training as ...

, thus delaying the evacuation of Washington and her disabled father. As the battle drew even nearer, Washington "sheltered her father's body with her own" in a

trench A trench is a type of excavation or in the ground that is generally deeper than it is wide (as opposed to a wider gully, or ditch), and narrow compared with its length (as opposed to a simple hole or pit). In geology, trenches result from eros ...

created by a

cannon A cannon is a large- caliber gun classified as a type of artillery, which usually launches a projectile using explosive chemical propellant. Gunpowder ("black powder") was the primary propellant before the invention of smokeless powder ...

, and they remained in that position for an entire day. By the end of the American Civil War, Washington and her family were "deprived of all worldly goods". Washington's mother, Margaret, died shortly after the war's conclusion in 1865, and her father, William Temple, died twelve years later in 1877.

United States Post Office Department

After her mother's death, Washington accepted a position as a

within the

, to support herself and her ailing father. Eva Bryan, former president of the Daughters of Founders and Patriots of America, considered Washington's position an "honorable" one for a woman, because of the family's financial straits, although otherwise "the great-great-niece of George Washington would not normally be employed." Washington and her father relocated from Falmouth to Washington in 1867, and she lived there until her death in 1900. During her tenure with the Post Office, Washington was known as "Miss Eugie" and "considered quite attractive and always received a great deal of attention wherever she went". During her last decade, Washington served as a clerk in the

Dead letter office Dead letter mail or undeliverable mail is mail that cannot be delivered to the addressee or returned to the sender. This is usually due to lack of compliance with postal regulations, an incomplete address and return address, or the inability to ...

Daughters of the American Revolution

Washington was one of the four co-founders of the

National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution The Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) is a lineage-based membership service organization for women who are directly descended from a person involved in the United States' efforts towards independence. A non-profit group, they promote ...

(with

, and

). The organization's founders emulated the

Sons of the American Revolution The National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR or NSSAR) is an American Congressional charter, congressionally chartered organization, founded in 1889 and headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, Louisville, Kentucky. A non-prof ...

, founded in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

on April 30, 1889, which excluded women. According to society tradition, Washington's experiences during the American Civil War "inspired in her a will to assist women from both the North and the South in the worthy cause of preserving their shared heritage". Washington and Desha consulted regularly with Sons of the American Revolution members for advice, particularly Registrar General Dr.

George Brown Goode George Brown Goode (February 13, 1851 – September 6, 1896), was an American ichthyologist and museum administrator. He graduated from Wesleyan University and studied at Harvard University. Early life and family George Brown Goode was born Febru ...

, Secretary General A. Howard Clark, William O. McDowell (SAR member #1), and Wilson L. Gill (secretary at the inaugural meeting). On October 11, 1890, at 2 pm, the 18 founding members and these four men met at the Stratford Arms in Washington, D.C., thus forming the Daughters of the American Revolution. Washington, Desha, Lockwood, and Walworth are called co-founders since they held two to three meetings in August 1890. Washington was the DAR's first Registrar General, and her name appears as member "number one" on the "grand roll" of membership. Washington also served as secretary general, vice president general, and in 1895 she became honorary vice president general, an office which she held until her death. Under Washington's leadership, the society raised funds for a national monument to

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 ...

, mother of George Washington. Washington ardently carried out the duties of her offices at DAR, despite suffering with a serious eye condition that made it difficult for her to write. Washington stated, "We want a patriotic society founded on service and I will not become a member of an organization which is founded on rank and not on the service of the ancestors."

Daughters of Founders and Patriots of America

Washington founded another lineage society, the National Society of Daughters of the Founders and Patriots of America, in June 1898. Washington established this organization with the broader goals of preserving the history of the

(like

The Colonial Dames of America The Colonial Dames of America (CDA) is an American organization composed of women who are descended from an ancestor who lived in British America from 1607 to 1775, and was of service to the colonies by either holding public office, being in th ...

and The National Society of Colonial Dames of America), as well as encouraging appreciation of American history and fostering patriotism. Washington disliked the "bickering" within the DAR, and to ensure a more "congenial" society that "remained small and cordial", she required that the new organization members also be direct descendants of "a colonist who arrived in America between May 13, 1607 and May 13, 1687" as well as qualify for the DAR. Washington chose the deadline date of May 13, 1687 (broader than the

Mayflower Society The General Society of ''Mayflower'' Descendants — commonly called the Mayflower Society — is a hereditary organization of individuals who have documented their descent from at least one of the 102 passengers who arrived on the ''Mayflower'' ...

), so that she would be eligible for membership in the society. While Washington intended for the organization not to grow beyond 300 members, membership in the Daughters of Founders and Patriots of America grew to 2,800 by the mid-1980s.

Catholic faith

While visiting a family member in

around 1870, Washington attended a

Catholic mission Missionary work of the Catholic Church has often been undertaken outside the geographically defined parishes and dioceses by religious orders who have people and material resources to spare, and some of which specialized in missions. Eventually, p ...

organized by the

Paulist Paulists, or Paulines, is the name used for Roman Catholic orders and congregations under the patronage of Paul of Thebes the First Hermit. From the time that the abode and virtues of Paul of Thebes were revealed to Antony the Abbot, various commu ...

s at a neighboring parish. After "careful study", Washington was received into the

Roman Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

. Prior to her conversion, Washington consulted with a clergyman at her

church, and in response to his concern, she replied: "Oh no, I must act up to my convictions and I shall pray hard that you may be given the same grace." Washington became a prominent lecturer of the Catholic faith and attended the

Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle The Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle in Washington, D.C., most commonly known as St. Matthew's Cathedral, is the seat of the Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington. As St. Matthew's Cathedral and Rectory, it has been list ...

in Washington, D.C.

Later life and death

Washington never married. In 1892, Washington purchased a second residence at 5706 Berwyn Road in

Berwyn Heights, Maryland Berwyn Heights is a town in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. Per the 2020 census, the population was 3,345. It is bordered by College Park to the west, Greenbelt to the northeast, and Riverdale Park to the south. History Beginn ...

, from James E. Waugh; she owned it until her death. While in Washington, D.C., she resided with her cousin Fanny Washington Finch at 813 13th Street,

Northwest The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A compass rose is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west—each sep ...

. Washington died at the age of 62 on Friday, November 30, 1900, at her home on 13th Street. Washington's housemate and cousin Fanny Washington Finch predeceased her in March of that year. Only "a few acquaintances" among Washington's colleagues and employees in her Post Office bureau knew she was ill, and she worked until a week before her death. Washington's sister, Jean Washington Moncure, also a resident of Washington and married to Thomas Gascoigne Moncure, arranged for Washington's funeral at her own house and

interment Burial, also known as interment or inhumation, is a method of final disposition whereby a dead body is placed into the ground, sometimes with objects. This is usually accomplished by excavating a pit or trench, placing the deceased and objec ...

next to their mother at the Moncure estate "Glencairne" on the

near Falmouth. On December 1, 1900, the

funeral train A funeral train carries a coffin or coffins (caskets) to a place of interment by train, railway. Funeral trains today are often reserved for leaders, national heroes, or government officials, as part of a state funeral, but in the past were som ...

left the

Pennsylvania Railroad The Pennsylvania Railroad (reporting mark PRR), legal name The Pennsylvania Railroad Company also known as the "Pennsy", was an American Class I railroad that was established in 1846 and headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was named ...

station in Washington, D.C., for Fredericksburg, Virginia. The Fredericksburg Betty Lewis Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution "escorted" Washington's remains. A simple graveside service was performed by Reverend Dr. Smith, pastor of St. George's Episcopal Church in Fredericksburg. A

memorial service A funeral is a ceremony connected with the final disposition of a corpse, such as a burial or cremation, with the attendant observances. Funerary customs comprise the complex of beliefs and practices used by a culture to remember and respect th ...

and

requiem mass A Requiem or Requiem Mass, also known as Mass for the dead ( la, Missa pro defunctis) or Mass of the dead ( la, Missa defunctorum), is a Mass of the Catholic Church offered for the repose of the soul or souls of one or more deceased persons, ...

for Washington were held at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Washington, D.C., on December 31, 1900. Following Washington's death, her sister Jean was the last surviving patrilineal descendant of William Temple Washington.

Legacy

Founders of the Daughters of the American Revolution cropped

By Washington's death in 1900, membership in the National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution numbered around 35,000. Many chapters of the society expressed their appreciation and respect. She was also mentioned at the

groundbreaking Groundbreaking, also known as cutting, sod-cutting, turning the first sod, or a sod-turning ceremony, is a traditional ceremony in many cultures that celebrates the first day of construction for a building or other project. Such ceremonies are o ...

of the

Memorial Continental Hall The Memorial Continental Hall in Washington, D.C. is the national headquarters of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR). It is located at 1776 D Street NW, sharing a city block with the DAR's later-built Administration Building, and Con ...

on October 11, 1902, by

Cornelia Cole Fairbanks Cornelia "Nellie" Cole Fairbanks (January 14, 1852 – October 24, 1913) was the wife of Charles W. Fairbanks, the 26th vice president of the United States. During her husband's tenure she held the unofficial position of the second Lady of the Uni ...

. In 1908, a "mourning pin" crafted on the occasion of the death of George Washington that had been given to Washington by her grandmother, Lucy Payne Washington Todd, was donated to the Memorial Continental Hall by Jennie White Hopkins. On April 17, 1929, under the leadership of President General Grace L. H. Brosseau, the Daughters of the American Revolution dedicated a memorial to its four founders, including Washington; it was sculpted by

Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney (January 9, 1875 – April 18, 1942) was an American sculptor, art patron and collector, and founder in 1931 of the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City. She was a prominent social figure and hostess, ...

and is located at Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C. The Daughters of the American Revolution also maintained Washington's gravesite at "Glencairne," and in 1979 they installed a plaque honoring her. In October 1990, the Daughters of the American Revolution held a ceremony at her gravesite to mark the

centennial {{other uses, Centennial (disambiguation), Centenary (disambiguation) A centennial, or centenary in British English, is a 100th anniversary or otherwise relates to a century, a period of 100 years. Notable events Notable centennial events at a ...

jubilee of the organization's founding. On October 13, 1999, a year after their own centennial, 21 members of the Daughters of Founders and Patriots of America met at the gravesite to unveil a larger memorial plaque honoring her.

References

Bibliography

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External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Washington, Eugenia 1838 births 1900 deaths Eugenia Scholay Eugenia Scholay 19th-century American Episcopalians 19th-century American historians 19th-century American women writers 19th-century Roman Catholics American people of English descent American people of French descent American people of Scotch-Irish descent American women historians Catholics from Maryland Catholics from Virginia Catholics from West Virginia Converts to Roman Catholicism from Anglicanism Daughters of the American Revolution people Episcopalians from Virginia Episcopalians from West Virginia Founders of lineage societies Historians from Virginia Historians from Maryland Historians from West Virginia Historians of the American Revolution Historians of the Thirteen Colonies Historians of the United States People from Berwyn Heights, Maryland People from Charles Town, West Virginia People from Falmouth, Virginia People from Washington, D.C. Stafford County in the American Civil War United States Postal Service people Women founders Women in the American Civil War