The writings of George Washington; being his correspondence, addresses, messages, and other papers, official and private, selected and published from the original manuscripts; with a life of the author, notes and illustrations. By Jared Sparks.

APPENDIX.
No. I. p. 3.
ORIGIN AND GENEALOGY OF THE WASHINGION FAMILY.
THERE was' a tradition in the branch of the Washington family to which General Washington belonged, that their ancestors
emigrated to America from Yorkshire in the North of England. No facts had been collected, however, to confirm this tradition, nor did General Washington himself pretend to have any
certain knowledge on the subject. Soon after he became President of the United States, Sir Isaac Heard, then Garter King of
Arms in London, wrote to him, stating that from curiosity he had
been at considerable pains to investigate this matter; and had
made some progress, but that he was still in doubt as to several
points, and he requested such particulars as could be furnished
by the family in America.
To gratify this request, as far as it was in his power, Washington applied to several aged persons for their reminiscences, procured copies and abstracts of wills, and collected such other materials as could be found, from which he drew up a paper and
forwarded it to the Garter King of Arms. This paper was the
basis of an imperfect genealogical table, which was constructed
and sent to Mount Vernon; but an inflammation of the eyes,
which seems to have afflicted Sir Isaac Heard for several years
before his death, prevented his pursuing the inquiry; and it does
not appear, that Washington obtained any other facts than those
contained in the paper above mentioned. Sir Isaac Heard ascertained, however, that the two brothers, who were the first of the
family that came to America, were not from Yorkshire, but from
Northamptonshire, and he traced their ancestors to Lancashire.
While I was in England, searching for the materials which
have been used to fill out and illustrate various parts of Wash