Paula S. Felder

On page 95, Felder writes, "John Grymes served as co-executor of Henry Willis' will in 1740. The reason for the friendship between Grymes and the Willis brothers is not readily apparent." Colonel Francis Willis was married to Elizabeth Smith, Daughter of Major John Smith and Mary Warner. Mary Warner was the first cousin Alice Townley, John Grymes' mother. Colonel Henry Willis married second Mildred Lewis, his first cousin. Mildred and John Grymes were second cousins. That is, Henry Willis' mother-in-law, Elizabeth Warner, was the first cousin of John Grymes' mother, Alice Townley. Colonel Henry Willis and Mildred Lewis are my 7th great grandparents. Henry Willis' third wife, Mildred Katherine Washington, was the daughter of Mildred Warner, and niece of Elizabeth Warner and Mary Warner above. So, there are multiple Warner connections by marriage between the Willis brothers and John Grymes.

I bought the book at the Kenmore plantation. I descend from 3 of Fielding Lewis' first cousins and from a second and a fourth cousin of Betty Washington.… (más)

When I purchased this book I had just visited GW's birthplace on Pope's Creek, then come over to Ferry Farm, where they have just identified the foot print of the house, then gone over to Fredericksburg to see the Mary Washington and Betty Washington Lewis house. The trip over to Culpeper where GW got his surveylor's licence completed my trip. It is in this context that I am reading the geneology, the various marriages, inheritances of the families. Were it not for this experience reading this book would be very difficult. However, now it comes to life. The treatment of GW's father's iron mining activities and his repeated trips to England to make arrangements for this work give a unique view to GW's life.… (más)