Washington, Matilda De

  General Notes:

THE WASHINGTON FAMILY

There is an interesting side line in connection with the Lawrence Family
History in England, but it has no bearing on the genealogy. It is only
given here as a matter of interest. The Lawrence Pedigree, as published by
H. G. Somerby, shows that James Lawrence of Ashton Hall, married Matilda,
the daughter of John de Washington. In fact, notice of this has been
evident in several records. It is more particularly referred to in the
"Genealogical Memoir of the family of John Lawrence of Watertown," on page
6, where it is stated:-"James Lawrence married Matilda de Washington,
daughter of John de Washington, in 1252. (See item (3), "English Pedigree".
Of this outline.


It should be stated here that the ancestral name of the Washington family
was De Wessyngton, the family being of Norman descent. Later it appears as
De Washington, and still later the "De" is dropped. Following the marriage
of James Lawrence and Matilda Washington, the Washington Family must have
thought well of "Uncle James Lawrence ", for " Lawrence " became a popular
given name in the Washington Family.


Mr. Henry F. Waters, A.M., formerly a prominent member of the New England
Historical and Genealogical Society, has probably gone into the genealogy
of the Washington Family more thoroughly than anyone else. A pamphlet
written by Mr. Waters, and entitled, "An Examination of the English
Ancestry of George Washington," was published by the above society in 1889.
This pamphlet contains the Washington Genealogy, in which the name
Lawrence appears as the given name of members of the Washington Family, no
less than nine times in as many different generations. The last one named
is the favorite brother of George Washington. This brother, Lawrence
Washington, had very much to do with the shaping of the life and character
of the "Great Father of our County;" and from him he inherited the
Washington Estate, known as Mt. Vernon.


Another reference to this is found in the bound volumes of the Maryland
Historical Magazine. In volume 2, page 294, among other references to the
matter it states;- "the name Lawrence appears as a baptismal name in
several generations of the Washington family. Lawrence is a very old name
with the Washington's in England; and one of the immigrant ancestors of the
family in Virginia was Lawrence Washington. There is evidence, however,
that it was derived from the ancient and honorable Lawrence Family of
England, through intermarriage with the Washingtons."

Matilda married James Lawrence, son of Robert Lawrence and Daughter Of Trafford. (James Lawrence was born in 1195.)