Mary Ball^[1]

1708 - 1789  (81 years)

• Name	Mary Ball
  Birth	1708	Lively, Lancaster Co., Virginia
  Gender	Female
  Death	25 Aug 1789	Fredericksburg, VA
  Notes	«b»http://users.legacyfamilytree.com/uspresidents/3654.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Ball_Washington Mary Ball Washington«/b» (1708 \endash 1789) was the second wife to Augustine Washington (after the first wife, «u»Jane Butler «/u», died) and was also the mother of «u»George Washington «/u». Mary Ball Washington was born as «b»Mary Ball«/b» in «u»1708 «/u» in «u»Lively «/u», «u»Lancaster County, Virginia «/u». She was the only child of Joseph Ball and his second wife, the widow Mary Johnson, whose maiden name and origins are not known. Fatherless at 3 and orphaned at 12, she was placed, in accordance with the terms of her mother's will, under the guardianship of «u»George Eskridge «/u», a lawyer. Mary Ball met «u»Augustine Washington «/u» and they married on March 6, 1731. It was her first marriage and his second. Augustine had four children with his first wife, Jane Butler Washington however, only two of them lived to adulthood. Together, Mary and Augustine had the following children: «tab»«u»George «/u» - (1732-1799) «tab» «u»«tab»Betty «/u» - (1733-1797) «tab» «u»«tab»Samuel «/u» - (1734-1781) «tab» «u»«tab»John Augustine «/u» - (1736-1787) «tab» «u»«tab»Charles «/u» - (1738-1799) «tab» «u»«tab»Mildred «/u» - (1739-1740) «tab» Augustine died in 1743. Unlike most widows in «u»Virginia «/u» at the time, Mary Ball Washington never remarried. She lived to see her son, George Washington, inaugurated as «u»President «/u» in 1789. Washington's relationship with his mother was forever strained. Although she was by no means poor, she regularly complained to outsiders that she was destitute and neglected by her children, much to George's embarrassment. Animosity between mother and son persisted until her death from cancer in the first year of his presidency. Mary Ball Washington was buried on the Lewis plantation, a few steps from "«u»Meditation Rock «/u»." Tradition has it that this was her favorite retreat for reading, prayer, and «u»meditation «/u». «b»Legacy «tab»«/b»There are many monuments to Mary Ball Washington in «u»Fredericksburg, Virginia «/u», where she lived from 1772 until her death in 1789. «tab» «u»«tab»The house «/u» purchased for her by her son George has been preserved by «u»APVA Preservation Virginia «/u» and is open to the public as a «u»historic «/u» house museum. It contains a fine collection of antique furnishings, some with Washington family provenance. «tab» «tab»Mary Ball Washington is buried near Kenmore, the former home of her daughter and son-in-law «u»Fielding and Betty Lewis «/u». Kenmore is also open regularly for public tours. «tab» «tab»A monument to Mary Ball Washington was erected in 1833 and dedicated by President «u»Andrew Jackson «/u». It was left unfinished until a new one was dedicated by President «u»Grover Cleveland «/u» in 1894. «u»[1] <http://www.kenmore.org/WashingtonFamilyInfo/monumentshrubs.jpg>«/u» «tab» «tab»The «u»University of Mary Washington «/u», a «u»public university «/u» in «u»Fredericksburg, Virginia «/u», was also named after Mary Washington. «tab» «tab»The «u»Mary Washington Hospital «/u» «u»[2] <http://www.medicorp.org/mwh/>«/u», is located in Fredericksburg, Virginia, named after this famous mother.
  Person ID	I10609	Glenn Cook Family
  Last Modified	18 Jan 2010

  
  

  Father	Joseph Ball   d. Yes, date unknown
  Mother	Mary Johnson   d. Yes, date unknown
  Family ID	F551618027	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Capt. Augustine Washington,   b. 1693/1694, Wakefield, Westmoreland Co., VA d. 12 Apr 1743, Ferry Farm, King George Co., VA (Age 49 years)
  Marriage	6 Mar 1731	Fredericksberg, VA
  Children	1. George Washington, 1st President,   b. 11 Feb 1732, Pope's Creek, Wakefield, Westmoreland Co., VA d. 14 Dec 1799, Mount Vernon, Fairfax County, Virginia (Age 67 years)
  Family ID	F4698	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	30 Nov 2006

  
  

• Photos

  Mary Ball Portrait of Mary Ball Washington, by Robert Edge Pine in 1786.

  
  

• Sources

  [S468] Genealogy of US Presidents, Produced by Hans A.M. Weebers.