George Washington Collection

 839 WFCHS/THL

Inventory created by Archives Staff 11/1999. Last revised 10/2020.

ACCESS RESTRICTIONS: Collection is open to all researchers.

USE RESTRICTIONS: Restrictions may apply concerning the use, photoduplication, or publication of items in this collection. Consult a member of the archives staff for information concerning these restrictions. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any claimants of copyright.

EXTENT:  0.84 linear feet

DATE: 1750 - 1990

Scope and Content: The George Washington Collection contains a selection of articles and personal papers concerning George Washington, most of which focus on his association with Winchester, Frederick County, and the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.

Biographical/Historical: George Washington was born in 1732 in Westmoreland County, Virginia. In 1748, Washington journeyed to the Winchester area to take part in a survey party for Lord Fairfax, proprietor of the Northern Neck tract. A year later, the College of William and Mary gave Washington his surveyor’s license and from 1749 to 1752 he worked for Lord Fairfax.

In 1754, Lieutenant Governor Dinwiddie appointed Washington to the position of lieutenant colonel of the Virginia Regiment. In 1755 he became a colonel and shortly thereafter began work on Fort Loudoun, a structure intended to defend Winchester during the French and Indian War. The Fort was not finished and there is only partial evidence of the structure remaining on what is now Loudoun Street.

Washington’s political career began with his election to the Virginia House of Burgesses, where he represented Frederick County, from seven years following his election in 1758. In 1774 and 1775, he served as delegate to the First and Second Continental Congresses, respectively.

During the American Revolution, 1775-1783, Washington served as the Commander of the Continental Army. In 1789, he was elected the first President of the United States of America. Washington married Martha Dandridge in 1759. In 1797, Washington retired to Mount Vernon and then died on December 14, 1799.

Cite As: George Washington Collection, 839 WFCHS/THL, Stewart Bell Jr. Archives, Handley Regional Library, Winchester, VA.

ACQUISITION INFORMATION: Acquired as a gift

ORGANIZATION:

BOX 1

Bicentennial Commemorative Medal (folder contains the following):

• Medal with explanation, 1932, 1 item, 1 leaf, typed
• Bicentennial of George Washington, 1732-1932, items displayed in exhibit assembled by Clarke County Committee, 10 pages, printed, 2 copies
• Biographical sketches (folder contains the following):
• Biographical Memoirs of the Illustrious General George Washington, Evert-Duyckinck, New York, 1815, 108 pages, printed
• “Last Days at Mount Vernon," DAR Magazine, April 1922, 5 pages, printed
• “Reminiscences of Washington," Scribner's Magazine, 1877, 6 pages, printed
• “Some Unpublished Letters of Washington," Harper's March 1978, 4 pages, printed
• “Young George Washington on the Frontier in Old Frederick County," by Stewart Bell, October 8, 1983, 1 leaf, typescript (photocopy)
• “George Washington's Boyhood," DAR Magazine, November 1922, 5 pages, printed

Birthday Exercises- Washington’s Birthday Exercises #2 arranged by Mrs. H.W. Howe, published by

School Publishing Company, Darrowville, Ohio, n.d., 29 pages

“The Braddock Campaign" - article from Scribner's Magazine, 1893, printed, 1 item

Brochure - "George Washington's Firsts in Frederick,” 1 item (4 copies), print

Commission - to position as Commander-in-Chief of Continental Army, facsimile, 1 item, printed

Correspondence: George Washington to brother, March 27, 1786, 2 leaves, typescript, copy

First Day Cover—commemorating 250^th anniversary of birth of George Washington, 1983

Fort Loudoun - inventory of tools, 1758, article from The Chronicle of the Early American Industries Association, June 1990, 1 item, 3 pages, printed

Frederick County, VA - polls, 1758-1761, 38 leaves manuscript (photocopy)

Frederick County, VA - polls, Dec. 10, 1755 Election Rolls for House of Burgesses, 1 item, 6 pages, manuscript (photocopy)

“Frontier and Times as Influences on George Washington,” by Lewis Dove, 1998, 40 pages, booklet typescript (photocopy)

“George Washington and the Revolution - A Second Look" - talk given by Don Higgenbotham to the Winchester-Frederick County Historical Society, no date, 1 item, 14 leaves, typescript

George Washington’s First Journey to the Shenandoah Valley, March 11-April 13, 1768, map and narrative, 3 section foldout, printed on cardstock, 2 copies

George Washington Movie—News Clipping, 7 leaves, newsprint (photocopy)

Homes Washington lived in, 3 items (folder contains the following):

• “George Washington's Lost Plantation in Jefferson County, WV, by Charlotte Judd Fairbairn, 1954, 19 pages, printed
• “The Home and the Haunts of Washington," Century Magazine, 1887, 27 pages, printed
• “The Mother and Birthplace of Washington," Century Magazine, 1892, 12 pages, printed

Monthly return for the regiment commanded by Colonel George Washington, March 1, 1758, 1 leaf, manuscript (photocopy)

Newspaper extracts regarding Washington or his business affairs, March 2, 1786-October l, 1791, 126 leaves, typescript (copy)

BOX 2

Political career - articles, 2 items (folder contains the following):

• “The Inauguration of Washington," Century Magazine, 1889, 63 pages, printed
• “The First Election of Washington to the House of Burgesses," by R. T. Barton, 1891, 6 pages, printed

Portraits/Articles (folder contains the following):

• "Archibald Robertson, and His Portraits of the Washingtons," Century Magazine, May 1890, 13 pages, printed
• "Charles Balthazar Julien Fevret de Saint-Memin," from Life Portraits of Washington and Their Replicas, by John Hill Morgan and Mantle Fielding, printed for the Subscribers Philadelphia, 1931, 5 pages, printed
• “Original Portraits of Washington," Century Magazine, 1890, 4 pages, printed

Sale of George Washington's lot in Winchester by Executors, 4 leaves, manuscript (photocopy)

Shenandoah, I Long to Hear You,” National Geographic Magazine, April 1970, pp. 554-588, 17 leaves, printed

Surveys - list of orders to survey, abstracts of data from originals seen by Ben Belchic, 1955, 1 item (4 copies), typescript, 2 leaves

“Washington as a Surveyor”—5 leaves, typescript

“Washington at Winchester," by August Carlewitz, description of sculpture that attracted wide attention at the World's Fair, printed

Washington Monument - invitation to dedication, February 21, 1885, 1 item, printed

Washington, George—Walking Tour; 1 item, newsprint (photocopy)

Washington, George—Bicentennial of his death; 2 items, printed

Washington, George—George Washington’s lot in Winchester; 1 item, printed. Article published in the Winchester-Frederick County Historical Society Journal (Volume XII, 2000)

Washington, George—Heritage Tour Guide; 1 item, printed

Washington, George—News clippings; unnumbered leaves, newsprint

Washington, George—On the Frontier; 17 leaves, typescript and manuscript

Washington, George—Travels of, January 1932 National Geographic article; 1 magazine, printed

Washington, Patty—granddaughter of the last private owner of Mount Vernon; includes obituary, will, letter to Augustine from Edw. C. Turner, July 29, 1861 regarding the Battle of Bull Run, 29 leaves, typescript/manuscript (photocopy) printed

Washington’s [George] Trek to Fame—5 leaves, printed

Washington’s Well”—news clipping; 1 item, newsprint

Washington's Will (folder contains the following):

•  "General George Washington's Will", The Rotary Club of Alexandria, VA, 1979, booklet, 1 item, 62 pages, printed
• “Last Will and Testament of George Washington of Mount Vernon including Historical Notes, Biographical Sketches, and Anecdotes” Washington: Government Printing Office, 1926, printed, 65 pages

“Whitehaven to Washington”, by Elizabeth Lawrence-Dow and Daniel Hay, 1 item, 48 pages, printed 

BOX 3

George Washington appreciation course, booklets used, 1931, 10 items, printed

George Washington appreciation course, booklets used, 1931, 7 items, printed

OVERSIZE

MAPCASE 2, DRAWER 11

Advertisements of property by executors of George Washington's estate, typescript

Death of George Washington – memorials published, Kingston (Ulster County) N.Y. Gazette, January 4, 1800

Funeral oration on the death of George Washington delivered at the request of the U.S. Congress by Major General Henry Lee, published in Western Spy and Hamilton Gazette, Cincinnati, Feb. 12, 1800; facsimile issued by American Bank and Trust Company, Richmond, VA, 1 item, printed

Instructions for Colonel G. Washington, Commander-in-Chief of the Virginia Regiment, from Robert Dinwiddie, photostats

Land surveys made by George Washington, 1750, 1751, 1799, 6 leaves, photostats, some duplication

Newspaper – Columbian Centinel, Boston, MA, February 3, 1796, correspondence between General Daniel Morgan, et al. and President George Washington on front page