George Washington & the oak tree

George Washington

& The Oak Tree

By Abby Cavenaugh

44 | www.sencmag.com

Among the many centuries-old trees that dot the Southeastern North Carolina landscape, one particular oak tree in present-day Hampstead stands tall in the hearts of many history bufs. It is said that during his Southern Tour of the U.S. in 1791, George Washington sat under the oak tree and had lunch. Or maybe it was dinner. Or did he take a nap under the tree?

It’s a common-known fact that Washington came through the area on his way from New Bern to Wilmington in April 1791. However, the details of his time under the oak tree are a little fuzzy, perhaps changed over time to make the story more interesting, or just the way stories told from person to person sometimes fudge the facts just a wee bit.

“One of the most popular stories is that, when Washington passed through the area and ate under that tree, he was ofered mutton, and asked for ham instead, hence the name Hampstead,” said James M. Collins, Chief of Interpretation at Moores Creek National Battlefeld in Currie. “More likely the town is named after the town in England of the same name. We just don’t have a lot of information.”

Te Stamp Defance Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), based in Wilmington, tells the story on its website as follows: “In 1791, President George Washington stopped in Wilmington while on his Southern Tour. A local militia company – the Wilmington Light Horse Dragoons – met him under an oak tree near present day Hampstead in Pender County. Te Stamp Defance Chapter, NSDAR, placed a marker at the spot in 1925.”

Te historical marker was re-dedicated in 2011. At that ceremony, members of the Stamp Defance Chapter of the DAR recounted the words of Stamp Defant Regent Margaret Lovell Gibson in 1925 at the original marker’s unveiling. “In choosing this particular site, we know for a certainty one thing, if neighborhood tradition can be relied upon, that at least this portion of the road was that old road over which Washington truly traveled,” Gibson had said. “We feel sure that he passed under this tree, though we do not accept without reservation the tradition that he may have eaten his lunch there. But we do know that beyond here about a mile once stood a mulberry tree grown from a switch used by Washington.”

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“We know that not far from this spot Washington was met by a party that escorted him into the city,” Gibson continued. “We know that there were stopping places along this road, which Washington named in his diary.”

Pender County Library Director Mike Taylor provided a portion of that diary, which can be found in its entirety at www.archive.org. Te diary recounts that Washington “breakfasted at ‘an indiferent house about 13 miles from Sage’s.’”

Te diary also confrms that Washington was met by a party of Light Horse from Wilmington, under the command of a Captain Henry Toomer. In addition, the diary refers to the “Rouse House,” which Taylor explained is likely in the present-day Scott’s Hill community outside Wilmington, also home to Poplar Grove Plantation. Te town of Hampstead did not exist at that time.

“Te Rouse House was likely further south, outside Wilmington,” Taylor said. During the Revolutionary War, Patriot soldiers were enjoying an evening at Rouse’s Tavern, when they were massacred by the British in a surprise attack.

Te diary states that all of the Patriots were slaughtered, “with the exception of a boy who escaped.”

Tis would seem to prove that Washington was in the general area during his Southern Tour. However, the specifcity of the lunch under the oak tree may never be proven to be true.

Still, as Taylor says, “Te tree has long been part of local folklore and is a source of local pride. Te fact is that the community has long been very proud of the historical association of George Washington passing through on his Southern Tour of the U.S. and the legend that he lunched or camped underneath this very tree that still stands.”

46 | www.sencmag.com