Last
Will & Testament of Lucy Ware Lewis McCormick
Researched
by & property of Judy Ware
©
Judy C. Ware, March 2008
George
and Martha Washington never actually had any children together. Martha
had previously married Daniel Parke Custis (who was twenty years her senior) at the age of
eighteen. They
had four children together, but two sons sadly died as infants. They
had another son named John Parke Custis (whom they called Jacky) and a daughter named
Martha Parke Custis (whom they called Patsy.) After
eight years of marriage, Daniel died and left Martha a wealthy widow with two small
children to raise. In
1759, Martha married George Washington – they were both around twenty-seven at the
time. George
was very attached to her children and raised them as his own.
Patsy
suffered from epilepsy and unfortunately died at the young age of seventeen. Jacky
married Eleanor Calvert and they went on to have four children. When
Jacky died of camp fever, Eleanor was not well at the time. Martha
& George brought their two youngest grandchildren (Nelly and George Washington Parke)
to Mount Vernon to take care of and ultimately ended up raising them to adulthood.
Nelly
married Lawrence Lewis, the nephew of George by his sister Betty Washington Lewis. They
had a son named Lorenzo  who married Esther Maria Coxe, and they had a son named Edward
Parke Custis Lewis  who married Lucy Balmain Ware. This
was where the connection of the Ware & Washington families came into play.
Lucy Balmain was the youngest daughter of Josiah William Ware and
the sister of James Alexander Ware – our direct descendants. She
and Edward had several children together (see biography of Lucy), but sadly only one lived
to adulthood. This
child was named after her mother (Lucy Ware Lewis) and Lucy Balmain died at her birth.
After
her passing, Lucy’s sister (Elizabeth Alexander Ware) helped Edward raise his
daughter until he remarried – a widow named Mrs. Mary Stevens Garnett. In 1885, Edward Parke Custis Lewis was appointed by
President Cleveland as the United States minister to Portugal, so he and his family
(including Lucy Ware Lewis) lived abroad for many years.
Lucy
Ware Lewis married Charles McCormick and they had two children together. Leila
died young, and Charles McCormick Jr. was killed in World War I. At
the time of her death, Lucy had no children to bequeath anything to, so many of her things
were left to cousins and other family members. In
her will (see below) she makes specific mention of some items that had previously been
owned by George and Martha Washington.
Click
on the images to view the Will:
June
1, 1932
This
is my will
1st I wish all my debts to be paid.
I wish Haines of
Winchester to erect a stone over my grave, a duplicate
of my husbands
engraved there on: Lucy Ware Lewis, wife
of
Charles T.A. McCormick,
Born at Audley, Virginia August the 26, 1866
died - - -
2nd I ask my nephew, Walker Lewis and Captain
Frank Wray to act as my
executors of this my
last will.
3 To my nephew Walker Lewis, I
leave $1,000.00 (one thousand)
4 To my cousins Glassell Elliot of Waco Texas
and James (his brother) Ware Dean of Sacramento California and Charles Ware of San Antonio
Texas – all of my grandfathers (Josiah Wares)
furniture, silver, and china here mentioned: One
large side board with 2 knife boxes. Two (2)
parlor ottomans, one large parlor sofa, one set of brass andirons, fender, and tongs etc. One large four post bed. Two (2) miniatures – one of Josiah Ware and
one of his father.
One
bureau with three mirrors. One Duncan Fife
sewing table – one tea pot & one sugar bowl (silver) with swans on lid. This has
been given to the Wares -
one
large silver bowl with fruits and engraved “Agricultural Prize - Jas Ware” Set of green china to go to Cornelia Anker of Falls
Church
5 To my cousin Emily Conti McCormick
– my silver tea set of six (6) pieces
marked L.W.L. (kettle not marked)
6 To Mount Vernon – 1 silk
patchwork quilt made of pieces of General
Washington’s vests, Mrs. Washington & Nellie Custis’
dresses. Set of pearls (pin in shape of bird)
& silver
comb – both of Mrs. George Washington – also Her
thread
cap lace. All of the above were given to me by
Mrs.
George Goldsborough & duly sworn to. Also
2 decanters
which came from Mount Vernon .
7 To my friend Annie Stribling $500.00
(five
hundred)
8
To Portia Baldwin – one large plated tray
9
To my dear Margaretta McGuire – one miniature surrounded
with pearls of Charles McCormick, father of my husband – already given
10
To Rosalie Smithy – one framed fan – mother of pearl &
point lace
11
One hand painted framed fan (all
crossed out)
12
To Gertrude Reynolds – all blue India china
13 To
Julia Downer $100.00 (one hundred)
14
To Captain Wray $500.00 (five hundred) (all crossed
out)
15
To Mr. Ware & to Mr. Jones of the Berryville National Bank $100.00
each
16
To Mrs. Blackburn –Smith -one of the long mirrors in old mahogany
frame
17
To Grace Church, Berryville – the remains of my lot in the grave
yard and
$1000.00 for the upkeep of the grave yard.
18
Sword in mahogany case belonged to Capt. John C. Parker U.S.N. &
given my son – to be given with all papers enclosed to the Navy Museum at
Annapolis, Maryland.
19
To my sisters – Minnie Garnett Mitchell of North Wales, Penna -
Julia Cummings of Levanto, Italy - &
Eleanor Devorsak of Florence Italy,
any momento they may choose from my personal property after all legacies
are paid.
20 To my sister and brother-in-law Esther
& Charles Chapin – I leave my love
& gratitude all moneys not mentioned above – in payment of my debt to
them both. And I leave them residuary legatos
– hoping if anything
remains of my personal property that is not desired by my family it will be
sold and the proceeds given to the Boys Home of Charlottsville, Virginia in
memory of my husband.
21 All books not desired by Mr. & Mrs.
C.M. Chapin to be given to the
Berryville Library.
22 If my sister does not want either my
diamond pin or my diamond ring, I
wish all jewelry & clothes to be sold and money given to (proceeds sent to)
The Mountain Mission Simmons Gap to be used helping the very needy
mountaineers.
$100.00
to Emily Powers
I
also wish Mrs. Crampton to choose whatever souvenir she will take & to Florence
Gilleson $100.00
(on back of page two of the will) –
To
my nephew Walker Lewis, I leave all monies from my Mexican claim.
Lucy W. McCormick
Berryville
June 1, 1932
VIRGINIA,
In
the Clerk’s Office of the Circuit Court of Clarke County – the 5th
day of December, 1944
In
re:
Will
of Lucy W. McCormick, deceased
It
appearing that Lucy W. McCormick died on the 8th day of November, 1944 and that
the said Lucy W. McCormick at the time of her death had a mansion house or known place of
residence in the County of Clarke, Virginia, and now on this 5th day of
December 1944, a paper writing bearing date on the first day of June, 1932, purporting to
be the true last will and testament of the said Lucy W. McCormick , deceased, was this day
produced before me, the Clerk of the Circuit Court of said County, in the Clerk’s
Office of said Court, and offered for proof.
And there being no subscribing
witnesses to said paper writing, Dr. Frank E. Tappan and Lewis F. Stolle, two
disinterested witnesses, being first duly sworn for the purpose, severally deposed that
they were well acquainted with the handwriting of the said Lucy W. McCormick , deceased,
having frequently seen her write, that they verily believe the said paper writing,
including all interlineations, and the name of the said Lucy W. McCormick thereto signed
to be wholly in the handwriting of the said Lucy W. McCormick and that they further
deposed that at the time said paper writing bears date and for some years subsequent
thereto and during such time as she was physically able to write the said Lucy W.
McCormick was of sound mind and memory and otherwise capable of executing a valid deed or
contract and that on June 1, 1932 she was over the age of twenty-one years.
THEREUPON,
it is ordered by the Clerk that the said paper writing, dated as aforesaid, with the
exception of the words and figures which have been cancelled by a line drawn through the
same or otherwise, be admitted to probate as the unwitnessed and holographic will of the
said Lucy W. McCormick and be recorded as the last will and testament of the said Lucy W.
McCormick, deceased.
Walker
Lewis, the executor named in said will having declined to act, at the request of the heirs
at law and next of kin of the said Lucy W. McCormick and on the motion of Ralph M. Ware it
is ordered that the said Ralph M. Ware be and is hereby appointed administrator of the
personal estate of the said Lucy W. McCormick, deceased, with the will of the said Lucy W.
McCormick, deceased, annexed and thereupon he qualified as such administrator by taking
the oath prescribed by law and giving a bond in the penalty of $32,000.00, conditioned as
the law requires, with Fidelity and Deposit Company of Maryland, a corporation authorized
to do business in this state, as his surety, the latter having by its authorized agent and
attorney in fact justified on oath as to its sufficiency.
And
it is further ordered that Lewis F. Stolle, Benj. Crampton, A.B. Hummor, W.D. Burtner, and
L.H. Bell, or any three or more of whom may act, after first taking an oath for the
purpose, shall appraise such of the goods and chattels of the said Lucy W. McCormick ,
deceased, as shall be produced before them and sign and return their appraisement as the
law requires.
Teste: J. Edward Thoma, Clerk
Will
Book “L”, page 8 - - - examined
**************
REFERENCES:
Newspaper
article concerning the death of Charles McCormick.
This
article contained a copy of a letter sent to Lucie Lewis
McCormick concerning the heroic death of her only son, Charles, who was serving
with the U.S. Marines over in France. The
letter was written by Private Roman B. Lewan & was published in the Berryville
newspaper. 1918
The
Proceedings of the Clarke County Historical Association Volume XXIII 1983-1984
copyright 1985 by the Clarke County Historical Association – printed by Commercial
Press, Stephens City, Virginia 22655 *we own this
book
Nelly
Custis – Child of Mount Vernon by:
David L. Ribblett copyright 1993 The
Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association Mount
Vernon, Virginia ** we own this book
The
Smithsonian Book of the First Ladies by:
Edith P. Mayo published by Henry Holt and Company New
York 1996 **
we own this book
The
First Ladies of The United States of America
by: Margaret Brown Klapthor and Allida M. Black copyright
2006 The
White House Historical Association in association with Scala Publishers ** we own this book
America’s
First Ladies
by: Betty Boyd Caroli
The
Reader’s Digest Association, Inc. Pleasantville,
New York/Montreal copyright
1996 **
we own this book
The
George Washington Collection by: Carol Borchert Cadou
Mount Vernon Ladies Association Hudson
Hills Press
Manchester, New York copyright 2006 ** we own this book
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