Wm Laurence Augustus Washington was the youngest of 5 children born to Wm & Peggy Sommerville and only 7 yrs old when his father died. He was named after the nephew of George Washington who was known to the Sommerville family. In April 1839 Wm finished school and began to read law with E. Pendleton in Martinsburg. He became an officer in the local militia. Aside from local family, there were cousins in Tennessee and Alabama. After the death of his mother in 1840, William went south to live, but he did not care for the life and decided to return to Martinsburg. He left New Orleans early in October on a ship bound for Baltimore. The ship never arrived at it's destination. William most likely died in the Great Havana hurricane of 1846.Between October 10-14 what was most likely a force 5 hurricane passed through Havana and followed the east coast as far as Massachusetts. It caused much distruction and flooding all along it's path including Baltimore, William's destination. The US Navy lost many ships but many additional ships were lost as well. No one will ever know how many lives were lost due to this storm.
This portrait painted by David Hunter Strother in 1843 is part of the permanent collection of the Syracuse University Art Dept., Syracuse, NY. It was for many years in the possession of Maria Louise Edwards, his niece. Much to the distress of another niece Olive Edwards Palmer, Maria sold the painting to a collector of DH Strother paintings when as an elderly woman, she no longer had a place to hang it.
This portrait painted by David Hunter Strother in 1843 is part of the permanent collection of the Syracuse University Art Dept., Syracuse, NY. It was for many years in the possession of Maria Louise Edwards, his niece. Much to the distress of another niece Olive Edwards Palmer, Maria sold the painting to a collector of DH Strother paintings when as an elderly woman, she no longer had a place to hang it.
Wm Laurence Augustus Washington was the youngest of 5 children born to Wm & Peggy Sommerville and only 7 yrs old when his father died. He was named after the nephew of George Washington who was known to the Sommerville family. In April 1839 Wm finished school and began to read law with E. Pendleton in Martinsburg. He became an officer in the local militia. Aside from local family, there were cousins in Tennessee and Alabama. After the death of his mother in 1840, William went south to live, but he did not care for the life and decided to return to Martinsburg. He left New Orleans early in October on a ship bound for Baltimore. The ship never arrived at it's destination. William most likely died in the Great Havana hurricane of 1846.Between October 10-14 what was most likely a force 5 hurricane passed through Havana and followed the east coast as far as Massachusetts. It caused much distruction and flooding all along it's path including Baltimore, William's destination. The US Navy lost many ships but many additional ships were lost as well. No one will ever know how many lives were lost due to this storm.
This portrait painted by David Hunter Strother in 1843 is part of the permanent collection of the Syracuse University Art Dept., Syracuse, NY. It was for many years in the possession of Maria Louise Edwards, his niece. Much to the distress of another niece Olive Edwards Palmer, Maria sold the painting to a collector of DH Strother paintings when as an elderly woman, she no longer had a place to hang it.
This portrait painted by David Hunter Strother in 1843 is part of the permanent collection of the Syracuse University Art Dept., Syracuse, NY. It was for many years in the possession of Maria Louise Edwards, his niece. Much to the distress of another niece Olive Edwards Palmer, Maria sold the painting to a collector of DH Strother paintings when as an elderly woman, she no longer had a place to hang it.
Gravesite Details
left New Orleans in October of 1846. Lost at sea during the great Havana hurricane that swept up the east coast that month
Family Members
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
