George Washington's Beautiful Nelly: The Letters of Eleanor Parke Custis Lewis to Elizabeth Bordley Gibson 1794-1851

Brady, Patricia (Editor)

ISBN 10: 157003124X / ISBN 13: 9781570031243

Published by University of South Carolina Press, Columbia, SC, 1996

About this Item

Glued binding. 309 p. Genealogies of Main Characters. Bibliography. Index. This is one of the Women's Diaries and Letters of the Nineteenth-Century South series. From Wikipedia: "Eleanor Parke Custis Lewis (March 31, 1779 July 15, 1852), known as Nelly, was the granddaughter of Martha Washington and the step-granddaughter of George Washington. During George Washington's presidency, Nelly helped entertain guests at the first presidential mansion in New York City, the second presidential mansion also in New York City, and the third presidential mansion in Philadelphia. On February 22, 1799, Nelly Custis married George Washington's nephew, the widower Lawrence Lewis, of Fredericksburg, Virginia. Throughout her life, she regarded herself as a preserver of George Washington's legacy. She shared memories and mementos, entertained and corresponded with those seeking information on the first president, and verified or debunked stories. She is buried at Mount Vernon in an enclosure adjacent to George and Martha Washington's tomb." Very good. Signed by previous owner. Cover has slight wear and soiling.

Seller Inventory # 71124

Bibliographic Details

• Title: George Washington's Beautiful Nelly: The Letters of Eleanor Parke Custis Lewis to Elizabeth Bordley Gibson 1794-1851
• Publisher: University of South Carolina Press, Columbia, SC
• Publication Date: 1996
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 157003124X
• ISBN 13: 9781570031243
• Binding: Trade paperback
• Illustrator: B/w
• Edition: Reprint. Second printing [stated].
• Signed: Signed by Author(s)

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"This collection of intimate, chatty letters from Washington's adopted daughter to her lifelong friend in Philadelphia charts the narrowing compass of her life, from youthful exuberance as the darling of the president's family and a well-educated observer of public life to an embittered wife of an unambitious, aloof husband. . . . Revealing much about the daily concerns of a Southern woman over a lifetime, these letters remind us that, even as the nation was coming apart, the private worlds of women (and men) were held together by family, faith, and friendships."--Library Journal

"In Nelly's letters can be traced the passage of a Virginia belle of unique privilege into a mature woman who had a share of unhappiness in the premature death of her children and other family members. The letters are expressive; Nelly is forthright in her attitudes about the evils of slavery, the need for culture, the frustrations of societal expectations for women."--Publishers Weekly

"A fascinating window into Nelly's life and times."--Journal of American History