Francis Lightfoot Lee and Menokin

 Francis
Lightfoot Lee married Rebecca Tayloe the daughter of John Tayloe II
For a wedding dowry Mr. Tayloe presented the couple with about 1000 acres adjoining his vast estate  of Mount Airy.  Their home Menokin is shown at right where my cousin and I visited a few years ago.  Today it is a conservatory and a museum of the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Francis Scott Key

Francis Scott Key who wrote the Star Spangled Banner.  The original flag that flew over Ft. McHenry, the music and the lyrics and a portrait of him aboard a ship in Baltimore harbor.

Sulgrave Manor - Washington Family Home in England

                               Sulgrave Manor in England the ancestral home of the Washingtons

Early Maps of the Northern Neck of Virginia

These were two ca 17th century maps of VA where the British settled near the Potomac, Rappahannock, and James Rivers.

Mount Airy - Home of John Tayloe II

Mount Airy.  This beautiful home was built by my ancestor John Tayloe II from 1752-1760.  It is located near Warsaw VA in the Northern Neck and has been the ancestral home of the Tayloes ever since.
This photo is one of many that can be found in my coffee table book, "Our Founding Fathers Homes and Churches in Virginia".

Mount Vernon - Potomac Side

This is Mount Vernon facing east from the porch overlooking the Potomac River.  The treasured estate is one of the most popular tourist spots in the world and is operated by the Mount Vernon Ladies Association.

Mount Vernon - Front Entrance

Author at Mount Vernon.  This of course is the beloved home of George Washington and his wife Martha.  Martha's grand children Nellie Custis and John Parke Custis also lived there.
Mount Vernon is situated on the west bank of the Potomac River just south of Alexandria.  It was here that Washington cultivated his sizable plantation with various crops and had over 100 slaves which he freed in his will.  He and Martha are buried here.

Thomas Jefferson's Monticello

Home of Thomas Jefferson.
Jefferson served his country in many capacities.

He was a patriot, statesman, ambassador, inventor, secretary of state, musician, two term president and the author of the Declaration of Independence.

He also founded the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, as well as being the author of Virginia's Act for Religious Freedom.

Portrait of George Washington - French Indian War

The first known portrait of George Washington fighting with the British during the French and Indian War (7 Years War) 1756 - 1763.

During the battles Washington had 2 horses shot out from under him and several bullet holes in his coat.  In one battle he served under the command of General George Braddock who was killed.   After burying the general, Washington took command of his troops and led most of them back safely to Virginia.

Why I Write

You'd think that with a full life, a great family and a career I enjoy, I wouldn't have much time for extra activities. However, the more I discovered about the lives of our founding fathers, and my own ancestor, George Washington, the more I realized that they, too, had full lives, great families and careers they enjoyed.

Those were the very reasons that they devoted themselves to making America different than any country in the world. They lived and died to make us free. 

I write in order to make sure we never lose sight of how our country began, and never forget the guiding principles that have made America the greatest country in the world.

I appreciate your interest in supporting this wonderful journey, and look forward to many discussions as we learn together from our founding fathers!

Sandy McDonough

Dallas, TX