Beebe collection of Washington family papers, 1818/1861, bulk 1840/1850

Online content

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Access and use

Location of collection:
The George Washington Presidential Library at Mount Vernon
The George Washington Presidential Library at Mount Vernon
3600 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway
Mount Vernon, VA 22121
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Reference services
Phone: (703) 780-3600
Restrictions:

This collection is open for research during scheduled appointments. Researchers must complete the Washington Library's Special Collections and Archives Registration Form before access is provided. The library reserves the right to restrict access to certain items for preservation purposes.

Preferred citation:

[Name and date of item], Beebe Collection of Washington family papers, [Folder], Special Collections, The George Washington Presidential Library at Mount Vernon [hereafter Washington Library], Mount Vernon, Virginia.

Summary

Extent:
.5 Linear Feet
Language:
English .
Preferred citation:

[Name and date of item], Beebe Collection of Washington family papers, [Folder], Special Collections, The George Washington Presidential Library at Mount Vernon [hereafter Washington Library], Mount Vernon, Virginia.

Background

Scope and content:

This collection includes correspondence between John Augustine Washington III and his mother and wife, as well as other family members, mostly dealing with family matters and running Mount Vernon.

Biographical / historical:

John Augustine Washington III was the great-grand nephew of George Washington and the last private owner of Mount Vernon. He was born on May 3, 1821 to John Augustine Washington II and Jane Charlotte Blackburn Washington. His young childhood was spent at Blakeley Plantation near Charles Town, WV. After the death of Bushrod Washington and his wife, the family moved to Mount Vernon. He graduated from the University of Virginia in 1840 and returned to Mount Vernon to manage it for his mother, eventually inheriting it. However, he had to start encouraging tourism to make money. He tried to sell to the federal or state governments but finally sold Mount Vernon to the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association in 1858 for $200,000. The family moved to Waveland plantation. Shortly after, he enlisted in the Confederate Army and served as an aid-de-camp to General Lee and was killed on September 13, 1861.

Jane Charlotte Blackburn Washington was the mother of John Augustine Washington III. When she died in 1855, she left Mount Vernon to her son.

Eleanor Love Selden Washington was the wife of John Augustine Washington III.

Louisa Washington was the daughter of John Augustine Washington III and Eleanor Washington.

Arrangement:

The collection is organized in date order with undated letters at the end.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard