Wakefield Plantation Westmoreland County Virginia

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: Westmoreland, Virginia, United States

Virginia Plantations

Wakefield Plantation, Also Known as Pope's Creek Plantation

This was a colonial tobacco plantation developed by Englishman John Washington in the mid-17th century. John Washington was a great-grandfather of George Washington, general of the Continental Army and first president of the United States of America. George Washington was born in this house on February 22, 1732. He lived here until age three, returning later to live here as a teenager.

The "Lands of Wakefield" Plantation incorporated two additional plantations became owned by Augustine Washington I (1694-1743), the son of Lawrence Washington and his wife Mildred Warner, married 1715 Jane Butler. Augustine Washington II (half-brother of President George Washington) and Anne Aylett lived on the land, followed by their son William Augustine Washington (1757-1810).

Following the burning of George Washington's home at "Lands of Wakefield" on Christmas Day 1779, on adjoining land, the “ "Blenheim Plantation" house was built for Capt. William Augustine Washington. In 1782, he is listed as having 69 slaves.

Capt. William Augustine Washington children:

Hannah Bushrod (1778 "Wakefield"-1797) Augustine (1780 "Wakefield"-1798) Ann Aylette (1783 "Blenheim"-1804) Bushrod (1785 "Haywood"-1831) Corbin Aylett (1787 "Haywood"-1788) George Corbin (1789 "Haywood"-1854) Sarah Tayloe (1800 "Haywood"-1886) William Augustine (1804 "Haywood"-1830)

Haywood was then built by William Augustine Washington, on a 400-acre tract of the Wakefield Plantation. Two-hundred acres of the land was originally patented by Hercules Bridges in 1651 and later acquired by the Washington’s, located on the north side of Bridges Creek, extending from the Potomac River inland. In 1783, the family moved into the “Haywood Plantation” house and lived in it until 1804. The house no longer remains.

At the Haywood Plantation was a wharf at which General Washington’s private schooner from Mt. Vernon tied up to receive such commodities as William Augustine gave from the farm to his distinguished uncle. Above, across a ravine, under a large weeping willow, close to the bank of the river, is the burial ground established by William Augustine Washington, in which some of his children and grandchildren are buried. An iron fence, with the initials “W.A.W.” upon the gate, enclose it.^[1]

Owners

• John Washington
• Lawrence Washington
• Augustine Washington
• Augustine Washington Jr.
• William Augustine Washington
• Lawrence Washington

Slaves

Annanias Johnson^[2]
Winnie (Anderson) Hoben and probably her children
Clark Polk
Caroline Nash
John Nash
James Nash
Elizabeth Nash
William Henry Nash
Henry Nash
Susan (Harrison) Nash
Mariah Mason?
Ella Mason
Margaret (Nash) Mason
Thomas Nash^[3]

References

1. ↑ Touring Historyland: The Authentic Guide Book of Historic Northern Neck Virginia, Volume 186., "Cemetery Records, Westmoreland County - Haywood Plantation – Washington Family," Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Magazine, Vol. 24 (1974).
2. ↑ https://www.nps.gov/people/annanias-johnson.htm
3. ↑ Westmoreland County (Va.) Register of of Colored Persons cohabiting together as Husband and Wife, 1866, [register page #]. Cohabitation Registers Digital Collection. Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia, 23219.

• Wikipedia contributors, "George Washington Birthplace National Monument," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=George_Washington_Birthplace_National_Monument&oldid=1098511755 (accessed September 17, 2022).