Posts Tagged ‘Wessyngton’

Washington Hall Mansion Before its Fiery End

Monday, May 23rd, 2011
Washington Hall

Washington Hall

On May 3rd, I had the honor of giving a presentation on The Washingtons of Wessyngton Plantation to the Austin Peay Women’s Book Club in Clarksville, Tennessee.  To my surprise, one of the book club members presented me with a photo of Washington Hall taken in 1965 a few months before it burned.

George Augustine Washington Jr. and his wife Marina “Queenie” Woods, began construction on the magnificent home in 1896.  Washington Hall was a three-story white brick mansion with forty-four rooms.  In its heyday Washington Hall was one of the showplaces in the South, where some of the crowned heads of Europe had been entertained.

In 1965 the Washington Hall mansion burned to the ground.  The grand entrance gate is the only remnant of its former glory.

Joseph Washington, Founder of Wessygnton Plantation

Friday, May 1st, 2009
Joseph Washington Purse

Joseph Washington's Money Purse

{Money Purse}. 

Joseph Washington came to Tennessee from Virginia as did many young men after the Revolutionary War.  He carried this money purse with him.  When he was twenty-six, he left his parents in Virginia, bringing several slaves and all his wordly possessions. His sister and one of his brothers came to Tennessee later.

The money purse in now in the possession of Joseph’s great-great-great-grandson, Stanley Frazer Rose.

Ann Nixon Cooper, President Obama, and Washington Descendants

Wednesday, March 18th, 2009

Personal connections between the descendants of the Washington family and Ann Nixon Cooper  have been renewed thanks to President Barack Obama’s speech on the night of his historic election. You may read the complete story:

http://thebocanuttelegraph.wordpress.com/2009/01/16/a-%E2%80%98pearl%E2%80%99-from-obama-personal-history/

Sirius XM Radio Interview with John F. Baker Jr.

Friday, March 13th, 2009

I invite you to listen to an indepth interview: On with Leon Presents John F. Baker Jr.  with host Dr. Leon Wilmer.

http://www.wilmerleon.com/shows/022109-JB.mp3

Wessyngton Descendants at Borders Book Signing

Tuesday, March 10th, 2009

On March 7th I had a book signing at Borders in Nashville.  The event was well attended by many family members and friends.   I met several new cousins there.  The event also brought together descendants of Wessyngton’s founder Joseph Washington, and African American descendants, whose ancestors came from the plantation.  A group photograph was taken of both families.

Wessyngton Descendants at Borders Book Signing

Wessyngton Descendants at Borders Book Signing

Atlanta Book Tour

Tuesday, March 3rd, 2009

The book tour in Atlanta went very well.  On the first day of  my trip I visited the home of Mrs. Ann Nixon Cooper and presented her with an autographed copy of The Washingtons of Wessyngton Plantation.  I was  very honored to have Mrs. Cooper sign a copy of the book for me.

Baker presents Mrs. Cooper with The Washingtons of Wessyngton

Baker presents Mrs. Cooper with The Washingtons of Wessyngton

The second day of my tour I was interviewed about the book by Dr. Collette Hopkins, director of the National Black Arts Festival, who graciously accompained me to the book signing at Waldenbooks.

Collette Hopkins Director of the NBAF with John Baker

Collette Hopkins Director of the NBAF with John Baker

 

Baker at Waldenbooks

Baker at Waldenbooks

 

On the third day of the tour Dr. Opal Moore interviewed me at the Auburn Research Library.  I later gave a presentation followed by a book signing. 

Baker interview with Opal Moore at National Black Arts Festival

Baker interview with Opal Moore at National Black Arts Festival

 

Baker presentation at NBAF

Baker presentation at NBAF

 

Baker at NBAF book signing

Baker at NBAF book signing

 The event was well attended and I met two new Washington cousins Jonathan and Jordan Terry who live in Atlanta.  They were excited to find their names on the Washington family tree among more than 600 names.

Baker meet new cousins at NBAF

Baker meet new cousins at NBAF

Jordan and Johnathan Terry display Washington Family Tree

Jordan and Jonathan Terry display Washington Family Tree

My good friends Beverly Shelley and her daughter Kimberly attended the event.  Their ancestors also came from Wessyngton.

Baker meets with Wessyngton descendants Beverly and Kim at NBAF

Baker meets with Wessyngton descendants Beverly and Kim at NBAF

WKRN-TV Black Heritage Special-Video

Wednesday, February 25th, 2009

Please take a look at the Black Heritage video with Anne Holt at Wessyngton.  It aired on February 22nd and 24th.

http://www.wkrn.com/global/Category.asp?c=160607

I’m on Facebook

Monday, February 23rd, 2009

I invite you to join my Facebook page.  Please let your friends know about it as well.

The Washingtons of Wessyngton Plantation – John Baker’s look into history

Wessyngton Discoveries Continue

Saturday, February 21st, 2009

While in Evansville, IN a few weeks ago I had the pleasure of meeting a new cousin, Mildred Moore Robinson.  When she saw my book cover she was very surprised and told me that she had the same picture in an old album.  It turned out that the photograph she had was an original and had my great-great-grandfather’s name (Emanuel Washington) written on the back of it.  He he had paid forty cents for the photograph which was nearly a day’s pay.  The photo had been passed to his daughter Martha Washington White, who was Ms. Robinson’s maternal grandmother.  I was honored when Cousin Mildred gave me the photograph.

Original 1891 Wessyngton Photo

Original 1891 Wessyngton Photo

I’m on MySpace

Thursday, February 5th, 2009

I now have a MySpace page. Hope you will check it out.
www.myspace.com/johnbakerbooks