Augustine Washington and Jane Butler had 4 children. Then later Augustine married Mary Ball and had 6 children, including George Washington, our first President of the United States.
Augustine belonged to Colony of Virginia's landed gentry and was a planter and slaveholder. His father died when Augustine was young and he inherited over 1,000 acres and many slaves. He was a tobacco planter and also Justice of the Peace.
George Washington's father, Augustine, died on April 12, 1743 when George was just 11 years old. The inventory of his estate was recorded in King George County, VA, on July 1, 1743. The inventory shown here includes only the farm home (today's Ferry Farm) where George spent his childhood. I find it fascinating how they list every little thing they owned in the Will.
Looking at this list of items, Washington family wasn't considered wealthy, but lived modestly for the times according to other history books. My opinion however is he was pretty wealthy with the land he owned. The other side of this is the common man did not own slaves, they were expensive and you had to care for them and own property for them to work on. The Washington family had this (unfortunately for looking into slavery - it was sadly part of history to be reported - at least later his son George felt differently in his older years).
Note: The word "Do." was 18th-century shorthand for "ditto". For example, in the Hall, one inventory item is "1 Large Table". Immediately below it is "1 Small Do." meaning 1 Small Table. Note also that original spellings have been maintained. Monetary values are listed as Pounds.Shillings.Pence, so a listing of £1.12.6 equates to 1 Pound, 12 Shillings, and 6 Pence.
Main floor items:
Hall back room
1 bed & Furniture, 1 do, 1 chest of drewers, 1 tea table, 4 rush bottom chairs, 2 window hangings, 1 dressing glass, 1 trunk, 1 hand iron.
Hall
1 scren flore, 1 large looking glass, 1 large table, 1 small do, 1 armchair, 11 leathern bottom do, 1 fire shovel and tongs, 1 pair hand iron.
passage
1 large table,1couch, 1 small table
back room
2 bed and furniture, 1 chest and box, 1 old chest of drewers
Parlour
3 beds, old table,2 old chairs,1 old desk,1 looking glass,1 sugar box,lumber in room
upstairs
3 beds and furniture,1 trunk
parlour chamber
2 old beds,3 matt cases,6 rugs,9 blankets,1 large cooler
Other Items Negros At The Home House
Jack £30 , Bob £35 , Ned £22 , Dick £30 , Ned £30 , Toney £30 , Steven £2.10 ,
Jo £0.0.1 , London £20 , George £20 , Jcumy £5 , Jack £5 ,, Lucy £20 , Sue £35 ,
Judy £20 , Nan £32 , Betty £15 , Jenny £12.10 , Phillis £12.10 , Hannah £8
Stock =
6 oxen at £2.10 - £15
9 cows at £1.10 - £13.10
4 two years old 15/ - £3
2 heifers at 20/ - £2
6 calves at 5/ - £1.10
21 sheep at 5/ - £5.5
2 sows £1.4
2 barrows £1.4
15 shoats £1.17.6
3 horses £12
1 mare £1.15
Plate
1 Soup spoon £1.10 , 18 Small Do. £13.10 , 7 Tea Do. £1.15 , 1 Watch £5 ,1 Sword £1.15
Glasses
1 Decanter £0.1.6 ,1 Mugg £0.1.6 ,3 Tumblers £0.1.6 ,Sundry Salt Sellers £0.2
Chinaware
9 Gilt Saucers ,6 Do. cups , 1 Do. Teapot Milk Do. £1 , 1 Slopbowl & Butter dish ,
1 Tea pot Stand & Spoon Boat ,8 blew Cups and Saucers ,1 Slopbowl and Tea Pot £1
1 Milk pot & Stand & Sugar Dish ,1 Large Blew and White Bowl £0.7 , 1 Do. Gilt £0.10 ,
2 Dishes £0.5 ,9 Custard Cups £0.9 ,4 Coffee Cups £0.4 ,11 Plates £0.11
Dairy
16 Pewter Dishes £3.4 ,44 flat Plates £2.4 ,18 Soop Do. £0.18 ,4 Large Basons £0.12
2 Small Do. £0.3 ,3 Dish Covers £0.1.6 , 1 Cullender £0.5 , 2 fish Drainers £0.5 ,1 Do. Kettle £1.5
1 Small brass Do £0.1 ,1 bell Mettle Skillet £0.5 ,2 Old Sauce pans £0.2 ,1 Safe £0.1 ,7 Rundlettes £1.1
1 Churn 1 Pale 2 Wash Tubs 2 Piggins £0.12.6 ,Old Tubs barrels pr £1
Closet
Sundrys Lumber £2 ,Store House ,49 Sifters £2.5 ,14 Searches £0.17.6 ,1 Set Coopers Tools £2
1 Set Surveyors Instruments £1.10 ,1 Old Suit of Curtains £1 ,9 yards wide Cloth £1.7 ,
3 ½ yards Lite Do. £0.7 ,16 ½ yards blew pans £0.16.6 ,4 ¾ yds Druggits £0.6.6
12 yds Fustin £0.12 ,16 ¾ yds Shalloon Remns £1 ,1 ps Irish Linnen 25 yards £2.10
6 yds Do. £0.9 ,65 Ells Course Oznabrigs £1.12.6 ,81 Do. at 6d £2.0.6 ,27 ½ yds Cotton £1.7.6
22 yds Cours Plaid £0.11 ,8 yds dyd ozna £0.4 ,1 Old Saddle £0.6 ,2 Sugar Tubs £0.5 ,
5 Small Coolers £1
Kitchen
7 Iron Potts £2.2 ,2 Coppers £4.15 ,1 Old Dripping Pan £0.0.6 ,2 frying Do. £0.3 ,Old tubs £0.10
2 Spits ,5 pr pot hooks £0.5 ,3 Racks £0.5 ,1 Large Skimmer & flesh forks £0.4 ,1 Grid Iron £0.1.6
1 Pr Stillyards £0.3 ,1 Box Iron £0.3 ,1 flat Do. £0.2.6 ,1 pr Hand Irons £1.2
Linnen
6 Diaper Table Cloths £2.2 ,10 Napkins £0.10 ,6 pr Sheets £4 ,10 White Linnen napkins £0.6.8
11 pr Pillow Cases £1.3 ,8 Towells £0.5.4 ,5 pr White Sheets £1.10 ,5 pr brown Do. £1.5
6 pr Pillow Cases £0.4 ,12 Towels £0.8 ,1 Suit of Silk & Cotten Curtains £1.5 ,7 Table Cloths £0.7
11 Old Napkins £0.0.11 ,1 Set of Silk Curtains £2 ,12 Oznabs Napkins £0
Cash
Cash in a Purse £9.7.4
The inventory contains several words that are not in common usage today. Here are a few definitions (correctly spelled):
rundlet - a small barrel of uncertain size from about 3 to 20 gallons
piggin - small wooden pail or tub with an upright stave for a handle
shalloon - a lightweight wool or worsted twill fabric, used chiefly for coat linings
osnaburg - heavy, coarse cotton fabric used for grain sacks, upholstery, and draperies
drugget - a fabric woven wholly or partly of wool, used for clothing
ell - English linear measure equal to 45 inches (144 centimeters)
I, Augustine Washington of the County of King George - Gentleman being sick and weak but of perfect disposing sence (sic) and memory. Do make my last will and Testament in manner following hereby revoking all former will or wills whatsoever by me heretofore made.
Imprimis: - I give unto my Son Lawrence Washington and his heirs forever all that plantation and tract of Land at Hunting Creek in the County of Prince William containing by estimate, two thousand and five hundred acres with the Water Mill adjoining thereto or lying near the same and all the Slaves, Cattle and Stocks of all Kinds whatsoever and all the Household Furnature (sic) whatsoever now in and upon or which have been commonly possessed by my said son, together with said plantation track of Land and Mill.
(This is his first son by Jane Butler, and this is known as Hunting Creek, which he later named Mount Vernon).
Item. - I give unto my son Augustine Washington and his heirs forever all my lands in the County of Westmoreland except such only as are hereinafter otherwise disposed of together with twenty five head of neat Cattle forty hogs and twenty sheep and a negro man named Frank besides those Negroes formerly given him by his mother.
(This is his other son from Jane Butler, and this is known as Popes Creek property, where George Washington was born)
Item. - I give unto my said son Augustine three young working Slaves to be purchased for him out of the first profits of the Iron Works after my desase (sic).
Item. - I give to my son George Washington and his heirs the land I now live on which I purchased of the Executors of Mr. Wm Strother deceased. And one, one moiety of my land lying on Deeps Run and ten negro Slaves.
(This is obviously President George Washington, and he inherited the land that is today called Ferry Farm)
Item. - I give unto my son Samuel Washington and his heirs my land at Chotank in the County of Stafford containing about six hundred acres and also the other moity (sic) of my land lying on Deeps Run.
Item. - I give unto my son John Washington and his heirs my Land at the head of Maddox in the County of Westmoreland containing about seven hundred acres.
Item. - I give unto my son Charles Washington and his heirs the land I purchased of my son Lawrence Washington whereon Thomas Lewis now lives, adjoining to my said son Lawrence's land above devised. I also give unto my said son Charles and his heirs the Land I purchased of Gabriel Adams in the County of Prince William containing about seven hundred acres.
Item. - It is my will and desire that all the rest of my negroes not herein particularly devised may be equally divided between my wife and my three sons Samuel, John and Charles, and that Ned, Jack, Bob, Sue, and Lucy may be included in my wife's part, which part of my said wife's, after her decease I desire may be equally divided between my sons George, Samuel, John and Charles, and part of my said negroes so devised to my wife I mean and intend to be in full satisfaction and in lieu of her dower in my negroes. But if she should insist notwithstanding on her right of Dower in my negroes I will and desire that so many as may be wanting to make up her share may be taken out of the negroes given hereby to my sons George, Samuel, John and Charles.
Item. - I give and bequeath unto my said wife and four sons George, Samuel, John and Charles, all the rest of my Personal Estate to be equally divided between them which is not particularly bequeathed by this will to my wife and it is my will and desire that my said four sons Estates may be kept in my wife's hands until they respectively attain the age of twenty one years, in case my said wife continues so long unmarried but in case she Should happen to marry before that time I desire it may be in the power of my Executors to oblige her husband from time to time as they shall think proper to give security for the performance of this my last will in paying and delivering my said four sons their Estates respectively as they come of age, or on failure to give such security to take my said sons and their estates out of the custody and tuition of my said wife and her husband.
Mary was charged with managing the estates given to her sons until they should turn twenty one.
(Will information taken from several history sites on the Web and compiled in my notes).
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