56. The Document That Changed How I Research Family History (Washington - Newenham Letter)

 56. The Document That Changed How I Research Family History (Washington - Newenham Letter)

This story has been mentioned quite a while ago. Back then, I didn't fully understand this letter to it's full potential. I just thought it was just a letter between a very world renowned person & my ancestor.

But sometimes in your Genealogical research, you come across something that you have no clue in understanding or you've spent so many hours on a certain part of research that keeps bringing up dead ends, you get frustrated as you know there should be more about the subject, in particular, with this document. You feel a bit "empty handed" to a point. But something inside you says either quit your losses or continue the research with a long road ahead, in hoping for some small sort of reward.
Inevitably & chances are more likely, that your curiosity is going to get you & you're going to keep researching. If you're a true Genealogist / Researcher, you will do this!

A copy of this historical letter, sat on my Great Aunt's wall for many years & it intrigued me to ask on why she had a letter from George Washington on her wall, as far as I knew, we had nothing to do with Washington. Well, after 20 years of first seeing this letter, now I know why it's on her wall.



This document, sat within my Maternal family till around mid 1930's, where a set of tragic circumstances forced it's sale at a Christie's Auction for just £70. It was written by George Washington, who had just been newly sworn in as 1st President of the United States.
He was writing to my Ancestor - Sir Edward Newenham & it was dated July 29th 1789.

It was an introduction letter, to acquaint my Ancestor, with the presence of Janet Livingston Montgomery - the Widow of a fallen Revolutionary War hero - Gen. Richard Montgomery, who died 14 odd years earlier, at the Battle of Quebec City in late December 1775.
Richard's story is depicted in depth, via the Ken Burns TV Series "The American Revolution".
And if you know your history well enough, Janet's Brother, administered the "Oath" for Washington's Inauguration. Close circles huh!!

This letter came about, where early in 1789, Janet was getting ready to visit Richard's Sister - Sarah  (Lady Ranelagh) in the coming months, to pay homage, to Richard's extended Family.
And Washington wanted Newenham (his Irish Supporter of American Liberties), to become part of this visit, well that's initially what I thought.
Much deeper research, unearthed the facts where Janet was actually the instigator/initiator of this letter, not Washington as first thought. Janet compelled Washington to write it, as she visited him at the President's residence based in NYC many times. Janet was a very driven woman & Washington must of thought it meant a great deal to her cause, but also the American political/diplomatic cause.
The actual spot where this letter was written, was placed at the exact area of one of the footings of the Brooklyn Bridge (Located at Dover Street & Pearl Street). The only thing that remains as to what was there, is a very small plaque mounted into the footing.

This story only bore fruit, in the last year of research, that is, just over 10 years went in finding the story & it was only in the last year it all came together. I found all these interesting avenues of facts, that I couldn't find before, that the research went a bit pear shaped & took another life of it's own.
Felt like I had "chased the rabbit down many holes".

My research changed, when I found, by chance, a document written by Eugene Coyle who wrote a small but detailed story, documenting Montgomery's life. It was a holy grail moment to my research & gave a 2nd perspective of exactly what I was looking for. I read it twice & still couldn't believe what I'd found. It backed up the story that I had imagined in my head, but it also quoted this exact letters existence, it also listed who carried the letter. Eugene's research was in 2 parts.

The first part centred on General Richard Montgomery, his Life, Military, Death & Janet his widow.
The second part, ironically centred on my Ancestor - Newenham & his involvement with Richard's story.
Eugene was detailed in the shortest way possible. But from my perspective, I noticed a quirky thing, Newenham's story was also detailed enough, where I felt Eugene believed that Newenham's connective story to Montgomery, was very well warranted. I even got the feeling that Newenham's story almost overshadowed Montgomery's, because how descriptive Eugene was. He even went into Newenham's political mantra, where Newenham was indeed, a bit too radical on somethings, particularly in his later years. 

Here, Coyle depicts quite the story, but also highlights "Letters of Introduction".
Though, also highlights the end of the trip, didn't end in an amicable way for each other. Such the tensions of the time.

This information was just icing on the cake. It helped authenticate many of my thoughts & questions, that I had on Newenham.
Eugene's research, put this letter into a new light, also showing it was an extremely important to diplomacy, between America & Ireland at that time.

This letter is also highlighted on the "Founders Online" Website : 
https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/05-03-02-0199

 

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55. Washington, The Mad King (George III) & Newenham - Part II

55. Washington, The Mad King (George III) & Newenham - Part II

As per the previous post that had ties to "Hamilton" the musical, new information or should I say a new perspective, has been found, about Sir Edward Newenham's dealings in Politics. Many of these blogs have very similar tie-ins to each other, but with Newenham & his vast communications, whilst the blog post may sound the same, they have different aspects or different points of view to them.

On many occasions, that I researched in the past few years, I just couldn't find the story on why Newenham was the way he was. He was chanting & raving on one hand, but quite the opposite on the other hand.
"Hamilton" the musical, helped visualise the dealings with people at that time. In particular, the "Mad King" George III & the way he dealt with the American Independence (Separation from England).

Newenham was part of the political "Irish Patriot Party" culture of the mid to late 1700's.
At first, I didn't understand the Party's mantra, but it is explained easily by "wikipedia" :

 "primarily supportive of Whig concepts of personal liberty combined with an Irish identity that rejected full independence, but advocated strong self-government within the British Empire".

James Kelly's book on Newenham & various sources easily attainable, show that Newenham was going a little bit more than just "wanting Ireland to self govern under English rule". He was advocating instances of wanting to separate England & Ireland, in a somewhat political way. But in understanding this, Newenham was a bit more vocal about it, in particular with total separation, than his Patriot Party was willing to go along with, particularly from the very late 1770s & 1780's on.
It was here I understood, that Newenham most possibly was in the wrong Political Party, because Grattan & Flood, were all about "Irish identity" & did not take the view of becoming fully independent from England, they seemed to quash any sort of full independent talks  - it was only done in a political/legislative way.
Newenham was quite outspoken & went a bit further outside his Party's mantra, whereby it seems that he was the only one doing the talking, some felt he was "silly" when he spoke outside his party's views. I felt that he had become separated from his fellow party members, because no-one backed him up or atleast showed interest in it. His party stood their ground & Newenham his. As I noted in the previous post, this type of rhetoric was picked by John Adams & Marquis Lafayette, who made commentary on Newenham's motives. James Kelly highlights that Lafayette did offer a base of substance by saying that King George's "tyrannical" ruling did offer such a response from Newenham's views, but the Irish revolution for Independency "was not ripe" to be had. The irony of Lafayette's wording, was just a few years before, the events of '98.

It was around the time of 1780-1783, that I believe the "knight in shining amour" had arrived & inspired a vision for Newenham.
It was George Washington - Chief Commander of the Continental Army & his big white valiant horse named "Independence".

Newenham was all over George, like a rock band groupie of the 1960's. He wrote very spirited letters of gratitude / daily life / farming & poetry aimed at England's woes & America's rising up to be a superpower. When Washington responded to Newenham's letters, Newenham glowed like nuclear reactor on high, with nothing but admiration for the General. I suppose, "puppy love" at it's foremost part.

It was when I saw this style of friendship form, along with other Founding Fathers of America, I had seen a shift in how the British saw Newenham, on a personal level & political level.
Case in point, those who know the "Benedict Arnold / Major Peter Andre" affair, would also understand how the British would see an Irish MP who, communicates with American Founding Fathers showering them with glowing admiration, along with motives to separate Ireland from England.
As in the previous post, I noted that the Duke of Rutland noticed Newenham conversing with the Founding Fathers, in what could be claimed as "treasonous behaviour" against England. That is, "treasonous" being said from the English side, not the Irish. Rutland noted Newenham's correspondence & fowarded his views to William Pitt (Prime Minister). Pitt then told King George III & they placed Newenham on a watch list.

Newenham had also personally written to King George III & also was very vocal about when King George was "going mad", that a Prince Regent should be appointed in Ireland, whereby it would be in Ireland's favour to do so.

Next post will be about the Washington Letter to Newenham, discussing the "Montgomery Introduction" & the letter's ramifications 150-200 years later.
It's taken 10 years to get a story out of this 1 piece of paper & I feel that I've finally got to the deep core, of how this letter came about. The last few months has opened quite the deep story, something that I did not expect to find. Literally blew my mind.




 

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