Elizabeth Washington Lewis (June 20, 1733 – March 31, 1797), also known as Betty Lewis, was the younger sister of

George Washington George Washington (, 1799) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the first president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. As commander of the Continental Army, Washington led Patriot (American Revoluti ...

and the only one of his three sisters that survived childhood.

Early life

She was born in Popes Creek in Westmoreland County,

Colony of Virginia The Colony of Virginia was a British Empire, British colonial settlement in North America from 1606 to 1776. The first effort to create an English settlement in the area was chartered in 1584 and established in 1585; the resulting Roanoke Colo ...

, the first daughter of

Augustine Washington Augustine Washington Sr. (1694 – April 12, 1743) was a Virginian planter and merchant. Born in Westmoreland County, Virginia, he was the father of 10 children, among them the first president of the United States, George Washington, soldier an ...

and

Mary Ball Washington Mary Washington (; ) was an American planter best known for being the mother of the first president of the United States, George Washington. The second wife of Augustine Washington, she became a prominent member of the Washington family. She spe ...

. She was known as "Betty" within the family. Washington spent her earliest years at the family's plantation on the Upper Potomac. At age seven, 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 history of the United States, colonial America and rose to great economic and p ...

moved to

Ferry Farm Ferry Farm, also known as the George Washington Boyhood Home Site or the Ferry Farm Site, is the farm and home where George Washington spent much of his childhood. The site is located in Stafford County, Virginia, along the northern bank of the ...

close to

Fredericksburg, Virginia Fredericksburg is an Independent city (United States), independent city in Virginia, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 27,982. It is south of Washington, D.C., and north of Richmond, Virginia, R ...

in search for better economic prospects. There, Washington enjoyed a carefree childhood and was possibly instructed in horse-riding. Elizabeth attended school at the same time as her brother George with whom she kept close relations throughout her life. After 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

to live with their half-brother Lawrence Washington at

Mount Vernon Mount Vernon is the former residence and plantation of George Washington, a Founding Father, commander of the Continental Army in the Revolutionary War, and the first president of the United States, and his wife, Martha. An American landmar ...

, Washington took on most of the household tasks.

Married life

In 1750, Elizabeth got to spend significant 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 Spotsylvania Co ...

. The 25-year-old Lewis, who had visited

occasionally, sought comfort in Elizabeth's presence after his first wife, Catharine Washington died in childbirth the same year. This relationship grew stronger and with mutual attraction on either side, Washington's mother Mary gave her consent. The wedding was held on the Farm, May 7, 1750. Fielding and Elizabeth had 11 children together, of whom seven survived into adulthood: * 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. * Mary Lewis (April 22, 1759 – December 25, 1759); died in infancy. * Charles Lewis (October 3, 1760 – November 6, 1775); died unmarried. * Samuel Lewis (May 14, 1762 – December 31, 1764); died as a child. * Elizabeth Lewis (February 23, 1765 – August 9, 1830); married distant cousin Charles Carter, had issue. * Lawrence Lewis (March 4, 1767 – November 20, 1839); married Eleanor Parke Custis, George Washington's step-granddaughter, had issue. * Robert Lewis (June 25, 1769 – January 17, 1829); married cousin Judith Carter Browne, had issue. * Howell Lewis (December 12, 1771 – December 26, 1822); married Ellen Hackley Pollard, had issue. After their marriage, Fielding Lewis bought 861 acres of land close to Fredericksburg. The property was 1270 acres including inherited land. Soon construction of Millbrook House (renamed " Kenmore House" in 1794) ensued. The Lewises 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 (, 'a turn around') is a rapid, fundamental transformation of a society's class, state, ethnic or religious structures. According to sociologist Jack Goldstone, all revolutions contain "a common set of elements ...

not only strained the estate's budget but also left Betty Washington Lewis mostly in charge of the household and the property. She was widowed when Fielding Lewis died on December 7, 1781, aged fifty-six. Elizabeth outlived her husband by 16 years, dying in 1797.

Later life

After her husband died, Lewis' tasks were widely expanded. Apart from managing Kenmore and her husband's businesses, ownership of the Lewis Store was also passed on to her. 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, Lewis moved to live with her daughter Betty Carter at Western View in

Culpeper County, Virginia Culpeper County is a county located along the borderlands of the northern and central region of the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 52,552. Its county seat and only incorporated community is ...

. She died on March 31, 1797, aged 63. Shortly after her death, her stepson John inherited the Kenmore estate, and would sell it off.

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, Elizabeth Washington 1733 births 1797 deaths 18th-century American Episcopalians Lewis family People from Fredericksburg, Virginia People from Westmoreland County, Virginia People of Virginia in the American Revolution People from colonial Virginia Washington family 18th-century American women American people of English descent