John Thornton Augustine Washington
Encyclopedia
John Thornton Augustine Washington (May 20, 1783 – October 9, 1841) was a prominent Virginia
(now West Virginia
) landowner, farmer
, and statesman
and a member of the Washington family. Washington was a great-nephew of George Washington
, first President of the United States
.
near Charles Town
, Virginia
(now West Virginia
) and was the eldest son of Thornton Augustine Washington
, a nephew of George Washington
, with his first wife Mildred Berry Washington. Washington had one younger brother, Thomas Berry Washington (born c. 1792), who died in childhood, and a younger half-brother from his father's second marriage, Samuel Washington.
, Washington was offered the rank
of captain and the command of a company
of cavalry in the United States Army
, but turned down the offer in order to participate in the fighting as a private
. Following the war, Washington served one term as a member of the Virginia House of Delegates
, but declined to run for a second term. Washington was then appointed to the position of High Sheriff
of Jefferson County
, but he refused the appointment and it was then offered to a deputy.
dwelling on the property he renamed "Cedar Lawn
." In addition to his "Cedar Lawn" estate, Washington also owned lands along Bullskin Run, a small tributary
stream of the Shenandoah River
, near "Cedar Lawn" and also on the Kanawha River
in Mason County
.
, Washington married Elizabeth Conrad Bedinger, the daughter of Daniel Bedinger and Sarah Rutherford Bedinger. Elizabeth's father was a general in the American Revolutionary War
and her maternal grandfather Robert Rutherford
was a member of the United States House of Representatives
representing the lower Shenandoah Valley
of Virginia
. Her brother, Henry Bedinger III
, was also a member of the U.S. House of Representatives and later served as Chargé d'Affaires
and Minister to Denmark
for United States President Franklin Pierce
.
Washington and his wife Elizabeth produced a large family including five sons and eight daughters:
," the estate formerly owned by his grandfather Colonel Samuel Washington
and from which "Cedar Lawn" was created. The family bible acquired by Washington on September 1, 1818 in which he inscribed a record of the dates and locations of his family's births, deaths, and weddings was passed down through his descendants and is currently in the possession of the Bedinger family.
entitled "If Washington Had Become King: A Carpenter or an Engineer Might Now Rule the U.S.," John Thornton Augustine Washington would have likely succeeded his great uncle George Washington
as "king" of the United States had Washington accepted the position of monarch rather than that of president. Following the laws of male preference primogeniture
succession
recognized by the Kingdom of Great Britain
at the time of American independence
, John Thornton Augustine Washington would have been the lawful heir presumptive
to Washington as the eldest son of Thornton Washington, who in turn was the eldest son of Samuel Washington
, Washington's eldest full brother. A theoretical "King John I of the United States" would have had a lengthy reign spanning from Washington's death in 1799 until 1841.
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
(now West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
) landowner, farmer
Farmer
A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, who raises living organisms for food or raw materials, generally including livestock husbandry and growing crops, such as produce and grain...
, and statesman
Statesman
A statesman is usually a politician or other notable public figure who has had a long and respected career in politics or government at the national and international level. As a term of respect, it is usually left to supporters or commentators to use the term...
and a member of the Washington family. Washington was a great-nephew of George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
, first President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
.
Early life
Washington was born on May 20, 1783 at "Berry Hill" plantationPlantation
A plantation is a long artificially established forest, farm or estate, where crops are grown for sale, often in distant markets rather than for local on-site consumption...
near Charles Town
Charles Town, West Virginia
Charles Town is a city in and the county seat of Jefferson County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 2,907 at the 2000 census. Due to its similar name, travelers have sometimes confused this city with the state's capital, Charleston.-History:...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
(now West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
) and was the eldest son of Thornton Augustine Washington
Thornton Washington
Thornton Augustine Washington was a nephew of George Washington. He was born ca. 1760 in Stafford County, Virginia and died in 1787. He married Mildred Berry on 26 December 1779 and Frances Townshend on 2 April 1786.Children include:*by Mildred Berry...
, a nephew of George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
, with his first wife Mildred Berry Washington. Washington had one younger brother, Thomas Berry Washington (born c. 1792), who died in childhood, and a younger half-brother from his father's second marriage, Samuel Washington.
Military and political career
Unlike other prominent members of the Washington family, Washington was not fond of public life. According to his son, Washington had a preference for "the quiet and congenial occupation of a country gentleman." During the War of 1812War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
, Washington was offered the rank
Military rank
Military rank is a system of hierarchical relationships in armed forces or civil institutions organized along military lines. Usually, uniforms denote the bearer's rank by particular insignia affixed to the uniforms...
of captain and the command of a company
Company (military unit)
A company is a military unit, typically consisting of 80–225 soldiers and usually commanded by a Captain, Major or Commandant. Most companies are formed of three to five platoons although the exact number may vary by country, unit type, and structure...
of cavalry in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
, but turned down the offer in order to participate in the fighting as a private
Private (rank)
A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career...
. Following the war, Washington served one term as a member of the Virginia House of Delegates
Virginia House of Delegates
The Virginia House of Delegates is the lower house of the Virginia General Assembly. It has 100 members elected for terms of two years; unlike most states, these elections take place during odd-numbered years. The House is presided over by the Speaker of the House, who is elected from among the...
, but declined to run for a second term. Washington was then appointed to the position of High Sheriff
Sheriffs in the United States
In the United States, a sheriff is a county official and is typically the top law enforcement officer of a county. Historically, the sheriff was also commander of the militia in that county. Distinctive to law enforcement in the United States, sheriffs are usually elected. The political election of...
of Jefferson County
Jefferson County, West Virginia
Jefferson County is a county located in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of 2010, the population was 53,498. Its county seat is Charles Town...
, but he refused the appointment and it was then offered to a deputy.
Land holdings
Washington inherited his parents' "Berry Hill" plantation, where in 1825 he built the present Federal-styleFederal architecture
Federal-style architecture is the name for the classicizing architecture built in the United States between c. 1780 and 1830, and particularly from 1785 to 1815. This style shares its name with its era, the Federal Period. The name Federal style is also used in association with furniture design...
dwelling on the property he renamed "Cedar Lawn
Cedar Lawn
Cedar Lawn, also known as Berry Hill and Poplar Hill, is one of several houses built near Charles Town, West Virginia for members of the Washington family. Cedar Lawn was built in 1825 for John Thornton Augustine Washington, George Washington's grand-nephew. The property was originally part of...
." In addition to his "Cedar Lawn" estate, Washington also owned lands along Bullskin Run, a small tributary
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
stream of the Shenandoah River
Shenandoah River
The Shenandoah River is a tributary of the Potomac River, long with two forks approximately long each, in the U.S. states of Virginia and West Virginia...
, near "Cedar Lawn" and also on the Kanawha River
Kanawha River
The Kanawha River is a tributary of the Ohio River, approximately 97 mi long, in the U.S. state of West Virginia. The largest inland waterway in West Virginia, it has formed a significant industrial region of the state since the middle of the 19th century.It is formed at the town of Gauley...
in Mason County
Mason County, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 25,957 people, 10,587 households, and 7,569 families residing in the county. The population density was 60 people per square mile . There were 12,056 housing units at an average density of 28 per square mile...
.
Marriage and children
On September 2, 1810 at ShepherdstownShepherdstown, West Virginia
Shepherdstown is a town in Jefferson County, West Virginia, United States, located along the Potomac River. It is the oldest town in the state, having been chartered in 1762 by Colonial Virginia's General Assembly. Since 1863, Shepherdstown has been in West Virginia, and is the oldest town in...
, Washington married Elizabeth Conrad Bedinger, the daughter of Daniel Bedinger and Sarah Rutherford Bedinger. Elizabeth's father was a general in the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
and her maternal grandfather Robert Rutherford
Robert Rutherford
Robert Rutherford was an American pioneer, soldier and statesman from western Virginia. He represented Virginia in the United States House of Representatives from 1793 until 1797....
was a member of the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
representing the lower Shenandoah Valley
Shenandoah Valley
The Shenandoah Valley is both a geographic valley and cultural region of western Virginia and West Virginia in the United States. The valley is bounded to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the west by the eastern front of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians , to the north by the Potomac River...
of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. Her brother, Henry Bedinger III
Henry Bedinger
Henry Bedinger III was a nineteenth century politician, lawyer and diplomat from Virginia. He was the nephew of George Michael Bedinger....
, was also a member of the U.S. House of Representatives and later served as Chargé d'Affaires
United States Ambassador to Denmark
The first representative from the United States to Denmark was appointed in 1827 as a Chargé d'Affaires. There followed a series of chargés and ministers until 1890 when the first full ambassador was appointed...
and Minister to Denmark
United States Ambassador to Denmark
The first representative from the United States to Denmark was appointed in 1827 as a Chargé d'Affaires. There followed a series of chargés and ministers until 1890 when the first full ambassador was appointed...
for United States President Franklin Pierce
Franklin Pierce
Franklin Pierce was the 14th President of the United States and is the only President from New Hampshire. Pierce was a Democrat and a "doughface" who served in the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate. Pierce took part in the Mexican-American War and became a brigadier general in the Army...
.
Washington and his wife Elizabeth produced a large family including five sons and eight daughters:
- Lawrence Berry Washington (November 26, 1811 – September 21, 1856)
- Daniel Bedinger Washington (born February 8, 1814)
- ∞ first cousin Lucy A. Washington Wharton, October 24, 1843 at Harper's Ferry, VirginiaVirginiaThe Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
(now West VirginiaWest VirginiaWest Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
)
- Virginia Thornton Washington (March 2, 1816 – November 13, 1838), died unmarried
- Sally Eleanor Washington (April 7, 1818 – January 21, 1858), died unmarried
- Benjamin Franklin WashingtonBenjamin Franklin WashingtonBenjamin Franklin Washington was a relative of George Washington. He was involved in a duel with C. A. Washburn over articles printed in the San Francisco Herald.-Personal life:...
(April 7, 1820 – January 22, 1872)
- ∞ Georgianna Hite Ransom, October 22, 1845 at Charles TownCharles Town, West VirginiaCharles Town is a city in and the county seat of Jefferson County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 2,907 at the 2000 census. Due to its similar name, travelers have sometimes confused this city with the state's capital, Charleston.-History:...
, VirginiaVirginiaThe Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
(now West VirginiaWest VirginiaWest Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
)- Georgiana Augusta Washington Smith (born March 13, 1822)
- ∞ John Wheeler Smith, November 20, 1851 at "Cedar Lawn," Charles Town, Virginia (now West Virginia)
- Mary Elizabeth Washington Asbury (born March 4, 1824)
- ∞ Squire Asbury (grand-nephew of U.S. President Zachary TaylorZachary TaylorZachary Taylor was the 12th President of the United States and an American military leader. Initially uninterested in politics, Taylor nonetheless ran as a Whig in the 1848 presidential election, defeating Lewis Cass...
), September 21, 1858 in Johnson CountyJohnson County, MissouriJohnson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. As of 2010, the population was 52,595. Its county seat is Warrensburg. The county was formed 13 December 1834 from Lafayette County and was named for Vice President Richard M...
, MissouriMissouriMissouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
- Col. John Thornton Augustine Washington (January 22, 1826 – July 10, 1894)
- ∞ Olive Anne Jones, March 8, 1860 at San AntonioSan Antonio, TexasSan Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
, TexasTexasTexas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
- Mildred Berry Washington (September 3, 1827 – September 12, 1827)
- Mildred Berry Washington Bedinger (March 8, 1829 – November 7, 1871)
- ∞ Solomon Singleton Bedinger, February 8, 1854 at "Cedar Lawn," Charles Town, Virginia (now West Virginia)
- Hon. George Washington (born December 9, 1830)
- ∞ Mary Virginia Dempsey, April 11, 1871 at OttervilleOtterville, MissouriOtterville is a city in Cooper County, Missouri, United States. The population was 476 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Otterville is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land.-Demographics:...
, MissouriMissouriMissouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
- Susan Ellsworth Washington Bedinger (born April 1, 1833)
- ∞ Henry Clay Bedinger, May 22, 1857 in Johnson CountyJohnson County, MissouriJohnson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. As of 2010, the population was 52,595. Its county seat is Warrensburg. The county was formed 13 December 1834 from Lafayette County and was named for Vice President Richard M...
, MissouriMissouriMissouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
- Henrietta Gray Washington (September 30, 1835 – December 18, 1838)
Later life
Washington's wife Elizabeth died on October 21, 1837 at "Cedar Lawn" and Washington himself died at "Cedar Lawn" four years later on October 9, 1841. Washington's children had departed the homestead for other areas or moved to nearby estates by the time of his death, and the "Cedar Lawn" property passed from the Washington family. Washington had finished drafting his will on July 16, 1840 and it was proved nine days after his death in Charles Town on October 18, 1841. Washington and his wife were interred at "HarewoodHarewood (West Virginia)
Harewood is one of several houses in the vicinity of Charles Town, West Virginia built for members of the Washington family. The house was designed by John Ariss for Samuel Washington in 1770. Washington moved from his farm on Chotank creek in Stafford County, Virginia to Harewood, accumulating ...
," the estate formerly owned by his grandfather Colonel Samuel Washington
Samuel Washington
Samuel Washington was a brother of United States President George Washington. He was born on November 16, 1734 at Pope's Creek, Wakefield, Westmoreland County, Virginia....
and from which "Cedar Lawn" was created. The family bible acquired by Washington on September 1, 1818 in which he inscribed a record of the dates and locations of his family's births, deaths, and weddings was passed down through his descendants and is currently in the possession of the Bedinger family.
Theoretical American royal succession
According to a May 1908 article in The Scrap Book entitled "If Washington Had Been Crowned" and a February 1951 article in LifeLife (magazine)
Life generally refers to three American magazines:*A humor and general interest magazine published from 1883 to 1936. Time founder Henry Luce bought the magazine in 1936 solely so that he could acquire the rights to its name....
entitled "If Washington Had Become King: A Carpenter or an Engineer Might Now Rule the U.S.," John Thornton Augustine Washington would have likely succeeded his great uncle George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
as "king" of the United States had Washington accepted the position of monarch rather than that of president. Following the laws of male preference primogeniture
Primogeniture
Primogeniture is the right, by law or custom, of the firstborn to inherit the entire estate, to the exclusion of younger siblings . Historically, the term implied male primogeniture, to the exclusion of females...
succession
Succession to the British Throne
Succession to the British throne is governed both by common law and statute. Under common law the crown is currently passed on by male-preference primogeniture. In other words, succession passes first to an individual's sons, in order of birth, and subsequently to daughters, again in order of birth....
recognized by the Kingdom of Great Britain
Kingdom of Great Britain
The former Kingdom of Great Britain, sometimes described as the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain', That the Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN. was a sovereign...
at the time of American independence
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
, John Thornton Augustine Washington would have been the lawful heir presumptive
Heir Presumptive
An heir presumptive or heiress presumptive is the person provisionally scheduled to inherit a throne, peerage, or other hereditary honour, but whose position can be displaced by the birth of an heir or heiress apparent or of a new heir presumptive with a better claim to the position in question...
to Washington as the eldest son of Thornton Washington, who in turn was the eldest son of Samuel Washington
Samuel Washington
Samuel Washington was a brother of United States President George Washington. He was born on November 16, 1734 at Pope's Creek, Wakefield, Westmoreland County, Virginia....
, Washington's eldest full brother. A theoretical "King John I of the United States" would have had a lengthy reign spanning from Washington's death in 1799 until 1841.