Lewis William Washington (November 30, 1812 – October 1, 1871) was an American planter and great-grandnephew 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 ...

. He is most remembered today for his involuntary participation in John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry, Virginia, in 1859. He was taken as hostage and some of his slaves were briefly freed. (See Black participation in John Brown's Raid.) As he outranked the other hostages he was their unofficial spokesperson, and he testified in Brown's subsequent trial, and before the Senate committee investigating the raid. Lewis Washington was the son of George Corbin Washington, the grandson of William Augustine Washington, and a great-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 Vir ...

, half-brother of George Washington. Lewis Washington inherited Beall-Air, near Harper's Ferry, Virginia (since 1863, West Virginia), through his mother, Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Beall (from which the estate's name. He made his home at Beall-Air from 1840 until his death in 1871. The mansion survives and is currently used for wedding receptions and the like.

The Harper's Ferry Raid

Lewis William Washington 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 S ...

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 October 16, 1859 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, where more hostages were taken. Ultimately, Washington and the others were held at Brown's base in the fire engine house of the Harpers Ferry federal arsenal. 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, Virginia (since 1863, West Virginia). An 1848 military report described the building as "An engine and ...

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

Aftermath

During John Brown's trial for treason against the Commonwealth of

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 ...

, Lewis Washington testified as a witness for the prosecution. During cross-examination, Washington testified that Brown treated his hostages well and gave orders not to harm civilians. When the Civil War began, Washington sided with the Confederacy. On July 17, 1865, he was pardoned by President Andrew Johnson. Many pieces from Lewis Washington's collection of Washington family items, including the sword given him by Frederick the Great and the Lafayette pistols, were donated to the New York State Library by his widow in 1872. Lewis Washington married twice, first to Mary Ann Barroll and then to Ella Bassett. He was survived by two sons and two daughters, James Barroll Washington, who served in the Confederate army, Mary Ann Washington (married to Henry Irving Keyser), Eliza Ridgeley Washington (married Elias Glenn Perine), and William De Hertbrun Washington. William De Hertbrun Washington died without issue on August 30, 1914. James Barroll Washington was survived by one son, William Lanier Washington who died without surviving children on September 11, 1933, after selling the remainder of his family collection of Washington heirlooms at public auction on April 19, 1917. Children of Lewis William Washington and Mary Ann Barroll: # George Corbin Washington (1837–1843) # James Barroll Washington (1839–1899) # Mary Ann Washington (1841–1931) # Eliza Ridgeley Washington (1844–1919) Children of Lewis William Washington and Ella Bassett: # Betty Lewis Washington (1861–1862) # William De Hertbrun Washington (1863–1914)

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Washington, Lewis 1812 births 1850s missing person cases 1871 deaths American people of English descent American people taken hostage American slave owners Formerly missing people John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry People from Jefferson County, West Virginia People of West Virginia in the American Civil War People of Virginia in the American Civil War Lewis William

The Harper's Ferry Raid

Aftermath

See also

Notes