Today's DAR
The Bee Line Chapter of West Virginia hosted DAR members and guests at the historic home of George Washington’s younger brother, Samuel, to celebrate three separate historical marker dedications. The home, known as Harewood, was built by Samuel in 1770 in what was then Berkeley County, Virginia, but is now part of Jefferson County, West Virginia, near Charles Town.
Three West Virginia Dedications
Bee Line Chapter Regent Heidi Ware welcomed West Virginia State Regent Jane Larke and her guests and reminded Daughters that DAR founder Eugenia Washington was a member of the famed Washington family and was born and raised nearby. Chapter Historian and author Brooke “Ross” Watts shared the history of the families of Eugenia Washington and Samuel Washington. The first dedication of the day unveiled a large West Virginia state historical marker highlighting Eugenia Washington’s local connections and her fame as a DAR Founder and the society’s first Registrar General. During the event, the current Registrar General, Cynthia Parnell, presented Washington family members with a copy of an 1893 DAR application form signed by Eugenia Washington.
The remaining marker dedications were in honor of Samuel Washington and his son, Thornton Washington, both of whom were Revolutionary War Patriots. Their impressive DAR markers were placed at the entrance of the Harewood burial grounds.
Current Harewood owner, Walter Washington, led Parnell, Corresponding Secretary Janet McFarland, past Curator General Barby Frankenberry, and others on a tour of Samuel Washington’s Harewood home. Mr. Washington explained that during the 1950s his parents had restored Harewood to its original glory, pointing out pieces of furniture and artifacts once housed at Mount Vernon. A beautiful feature of the home is a stone mantlepiece given to the family by the Marquis de Lafayette during his farewell tour. Mr. Washington also explained that another of Samuel’s sons, George Steptoe Washington, had married Lucy Payne, a sister of Dolley Payne Todd Madison. In fact, James and Dolley Madison were married in Harewood’s parlor!
The dedication ceremony was further enhanced by a musket salute fired by the General Adam Stephen SAR color guard and was followed by a lovely outdoor reception overlooking beautiful iris gardens. DAR thanks the Bee Line Chapter and West Virginia Daughters for turning back time with the Washington family.
