Calling all Warner, Lewis and Washington family descendants!
The Inn at Warner Hall in Gloucester, Va. will host an Ancestral Homecoming Weekend Friday, July 26 to Sunday, July 28.
Some of the most recognized names in American history are direct descendants of Warner Hall’s founder, Augustine Warner – George Washington, the first president of the United States, Robert E. Lee, the most famous Civil War General and Captain Meriwether Lewis, renowned American explorer of the Lewis and Clark expedition.
George Washington was a frequent visitor to his grandparent’s plantation.
Queen Elizabeth II, the current monarch of England, is also direct descendent of Augustine Warner. In England, Warner Hall is referred to as “The home of the Queen’s American ancestors.”
Friday, July 26 after checking in, reconnect – or meet – fellow descendants at a “Down Home” welcome buffet dinner. Friday evening, Fairfield Foundation Archaeologists David Brown and Thane Harpole will present a program on 18th century life at Warner Hall and sign their book, “Warner Hall – Story of a Great Plantation.”
Saturday, following breakfast, transportation will be provided to take descendants to “Follow the Footsteps of Augustine Warner II in Colonial Williamsburg,” a private tour developed just for this event.
A tour of White Marsh Plantation – private house and grounds described by Gen. Robert E. Lee as the most beautiful place he’d ever seen – will round out the afternoon before returning to Warner Hall for an 18th Century Dinner featuring costume, music and customs of the day.
The program Saturday evening will feature special presentations, including the preservation of the ancient John Lewis Family Cemetery and “From the Beginning: Warner and Lewis Family English Origins,” by descendant and researcher, Richard Weaver.
Following breakfast at the Inn at Warner Hall Sunday morning, the group will travel to Jamestown Memorial Church for a private service to honor their 17th and 18th century Virginia ancestors. The weekend will end with a trip to nearby Poquoson for a guided tour of the site of Augustine Warner I’s first land grant, optional lunch and a lecture by Colonial Williamsburg’s Winette Jeffery.
The Colonial Adventures & Meal Package is $195 per person, including tax and service. Space is limited to 80 guests. Lodging is not included.
Guests can stay in one of Warner Hall’s 11 rooms. Call the Inn to book a reservation. Rooms assume double occupancy, full breakfast and complimentary snacks each day. Lodging rates range from $195 to $250.
The Hampton Inn near Warner Hall has also blocked 25 rooms, mention GROUP HOLD “WARNER HALL ANCESTRAL HOMECOMING.” Call 804.693.9393 to make a reservation. Group rate is $99.
Contact Warner Hall to reserve space at 800.331.2720 or info(at)warnerhall(dot)com
ABOUT THE INN AT WARNER HALL:
Ideally situated at the head of the Severn River in Gloucester County, the manor house at Warner Hall stands on a neck of land occupied and built upon continually from the mid-17th century. The original six hundred-acre plantation site was established by Augustine Warner as a "land grant" from the British Crown. Augustine Warner received the acreage in exchange for bringing twelve settlers across the Atlantic Ocean to the Jamestown Settlement.
The two families associated with the property from this early period until well into the 19th century, the Warners and the Lewises, were among the most prominent families in Colonial Virginia. Some of the most recognized names in American history are direct descendants of Augustine Warner – George Washington, the first president of the United States, Robert E. Lee, the most famous Civil War General and Captain Meriwether Lewis, renowned American explorer of the Lewis & Clark expedition.
Queen Elizabeth II, the current monarch of England, is a direct descendent of Augustine Warner through the Bowes-Lyon family and the Earl of Strathmore. In England, Warner Hall is referred to as "The home of the Queen’s American ancestors."
For Theresa and Troy Stavens, the current stewards of Warner Hall and the Inn’s owners, Warner Hall is a dream come true. Their passion for hospitality and historic preservation led them to Warner Hall where they saw the perfect opportunity to use their financial management and marketing skills to preserve an historical property and pursue their real passion – making people happy.
For more information on the Inn at Warner Hall, go to http://community.wooeb.com/innatwarnerhall
