Description
Book SynopsisAn invaluable primary resource for understanding nineteenth-century America. As a Georgetown resident for nearly a century, Britannia Wellington Peter Kennon (1815 – 1911) was close to the key political events of her time. Born into the prominent Peter family, Kennon came into contact with the many notable historical figures of the day who often visited Tudor Place, her home for over ninety years. Now published for the first time, the record of her experiences offers a unique insight into nineteenth-century American history. Housed in the Tudor Place archives, "The Reminiscences of Britannia Wellington Peter Kennon" is a collection of Kennon’s memories solicited and recorded by her grandchildren in the 1890s. The text includes Kennon’s memories of her mother Martha Custis Peter and spending time at Mount Vernon with her grandparents George and Martha Washington. It also includes her recollections of childhood in Georgetown, life during the Civil War, the people enslaved at Tudor Place, and daily life in Washington, DC. Edited by Grant Quertermous, this richly illustrated and annotated edition gives readers a greater appreciation of life in early Georgetown. It includes a guide to the city's streets then and now, a detailed family tree, and an appendix of the many people Britannia encountered—a who's who of the period. Readers will also find Britannia's narrative an essential companion to the incredible collection of objects preserved at Tudor Place. Notable for both its breadth and level of detail, A Georgetown Life brings a new dimension to the study of nineteenth-century America.
Trade ReviewThe stories and vignettes are often compelling in detail, but ultimately their value lies in their larger historical context. Quertermous has done an exemplary job in editing and knitting these fragments together. * Washington History *
Table of ContentsList of Illustrations Acknowledgments Capturing Memories to Preserve a Family’s History Britannia W. Kennon: A Biographical Sketch The Reminiscences of Britannia W. Kennon Appendixes 1. Georgetown Street Names 2. The Custis-Peter Family Tree 3. Enslaved Individuals Mentioned in the Reminiscences Bibliography Index About the Author
