1727 Going Lanphier b. 1727 living in Fairfax Co, Va

1727 Going Lanphier b. 1727 living in Fairfax Co, Va, m. Elizabeth Wilkerson, immigrated to America in 1738 according to her deposition.

Parents:

• Elizabeth Going b. 1704 in Ireland m. to Thomas Lamphier, living in MD

Children:

• Robert Going Lanphier I (18 Sep 1765 – 27 Aug 1846)
• Elizabeth Lanphier (1770 – )
• Eleanor Sarah “Sallie” Lanphier+ (1772 – )
• William Lanphier I (c 1773 – 28 Mar 1851)

Siblings:

• Going (Goin) LANPHIER b: 1727 in Cork County, Ireland, living in Fairfax Co, Va. (Going Lanphier was a hired carpenter and joiner from Fairfax County, Virginia, who worked occasionally for George Washington a number of times between the 1750s and 1770s). See: https://www.mountvernon.org/library/digitalhistory/digital-encyclopedia/article/going-lanphier/
• Susannah LANPHIER b: 1729 in County Tipperary, Ireland m. Patterson, living in MD
• Venus LANPHIER b: 1731 in County Tipperary, Ireland, living in MD

FACTS and NOTES:

Going Lanphier the carpenter and joiner worked for George Washington:

From: https://www.mountvernon.org/library/digitalhistory/digital-encyclopedia/article/going-lanphier/

Going Lanphier was a hired carpenter and joiner from Fairfax County, Virginia, who worked occasionally for George Washington a number of times between the 1750s and 1770s. Lanphier initially made clothing in 1753 for enslaved workers for the estate of Lawrence Washington, George Washington’s older half-brother. A year later Lanphier was discharging apprentices in joinery and the following year was described as a “jointer.”

During George Washington’s first renovation of Mount Vernon in the late 1750s, Lanphier was employed by his brother-in-law John Patterson and built the turnery for the new stairs. Lanphier worked with William Bernard Sears on Pohick Church in 1769, after which Washington hired him to build the additions on the north and south ends of the Mansion. Lanphier was paid for his work on the additions in July of 1774, and in 1775 worked on the mantel in the Family Dining Room.¹

With George Washington away serving in the American Revolution, Lanphier was supervised by farm manager Lund Washington, who had difficulties with Lanphier’s work. Writing in 1778, Lund explained that: “Of all the worthless men living Lanphier is the greatest, no act or temptation of mine can prevail on him to come to work notwithstanding his repeated promises to do so.”² In September of that year, Lanphier was working on the covered walkways between the Mansion, the Servants’ Hall, and Kitchen.

Between July of 1774 and July of 1777, Lanphier was provided with herrings, shad, salt, corn, bran, and wool. On July 31, 1777, Lanphier was paid sixty-nine pounds for working eleven and a half months, at a rate of six pounds per month. In addition, another fifteen pounds were given to Lanphier as “Extra Wages for the last Nine Months. . .you being dissatisfied with your former wages.”³

By December of 1777, Lanphier was earning nine pounds per month. In addition to carpentry, Lanphier also mended and made parts for spinning wheels for both wool and linen fabric. Lanphier does not appear in the historical record after leaving Mount Vernon. His son, Robert Goin Lanphier, was trained as a carpenter/joiner and married Elizabeth, a daughter of William Bernard Sears. The younger Lanphier took part in the design competition for the United States Capitol in the 1790s and worked at Riversdale, the Maryland estate of Charles and Rosalie Stier Calvert, the brother and sister-in-law of Eleanor Calvert Custis, Martha Washington‘s daughter-in-law.⁴

Notes:
1. See “Mr. Gowing Lanphier——-Dr….Cr.,” Lund Washington Account Book, 64; and “Mr. Gowing Lanphier…Dr….Cr.,” Lund Washington Account Book, 65.

2. Lund Washington to George Washington, 22 April 1778, Founders Online, National Archives, [Original Source: The Papers of George Washington Digital Edition, ed. Theodore J. Crackel (Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, Rotunda, 2008)].

3. See “Gowing Lanphier…Dr….Cr.,” Lund Washington Account Book, 85.

4. Mesick, Cohen & Waite, “Building Trades,” Mount Vernon: Historic Structure Report (Unpublished report, Mount Vernon Ladies Association), 2-35 to 2-36.

LDS film 0014 253 item 1. p 42- 44
Liber BB #2 1767-1769 PG Co, MD

Correspondence related to Going Lanphier: 

To George Washington from Going Lanphier, 16 October 1773
From Going Lanphier
New Church1 Octor 16: 1773 Sir
I am apprehensive that in the Bill of Scantling that I sent you it was orderd so as to have the Sleepers of Both the additions to Ly Length ways with the house if so the will not be Right by that means the floor will be aCross and the Getting plank the Length of the addition will not answer the Intended purpose of haveing no heading Joints in the Lower floors, the S[l]eepers Need not be More then 16 feet long to Join on a Summer in the Middle that must be Layd Length ways of House, the Sleepers Must be the same Breadth & thickness as them Mentiond in the Bill & the Two Summers 10 by 14 and 22 feet Long.2 I am Sir Yr Most Humle Servt

Going Lanphier

N.B. I preposd from the begining to Lay the flooring & seeling Jousts Length way of the House it will be a Great Means to Strengthen the additions. G.L.

ALS, DLC:GW. Lanphier wrote on the cover of the letter: “By favor of Mr Willm Copon” (Copein).

Going Lanphier (1727–1813) of Alexandria did the interior carpentry work in 1758 when GW enlarged the house at Mount Vernon. GW now had hired him to extend both ends of the house, adding a library with a bedroom above on the south end and a two-story banquet room at the other. Lanphier “came to W[or]k” on the addition on 25 April 1774 (Diaries, 3:246). The library-bedroom addition was not completed until after GW left for Boston in 1775, and it was another ten years before he had his “New Room” at the north end of the mansion.

1. The “New Church” was the new Pohick Church which was in the final stages of completion.

2. In the Washington Papers at the Library of Congress is an order for materials that Lanphier sent, at some point, to GW:

Bill of Materials for the Additions to the Mansion House

To Wit

4370 feet of Inh & half plank for Weather Boarding
880 Do of Inh & Quarter Do for Dowall floor: Each plank to be 22 feet Long full
1760 Do of Do Do for the South End having two floors
500 Do of two Inh Do for Doors &c.
500 Do of Inh & half Do for Windows
— Do of Inh Do already provided
12 M Cypress Shingles

9 pr of Dovetail Mortise hinges midling sized & 3 pr Do Larger

9 Common brass Cased Locks  3 Do Dbl. spring’d best Locks

6 M 6d. brads  6 M 4d. Do  3 M 3d. Do  3 M 2d. Do

8 M Clasp nails Instead of brads for flooring  20 lbs. Gleu

40 M 4d. nails for plaistering of Lathd Lead, & Lines, for Windows

Crown Glass for 20 windows of the same size as the windows they are to Range

400 Wt of White Lead for Inside and Out  30 lb. Read Lead

2 lb. Lamb black  10 lb. Yellow Oaker  10 lb. umber  a Cask of Whiteing  20 galls. Brittish Linseed oyl for the Inside. the outside may be done with Country Oyl, the above White Lead to be ground in Oyl,

Bill of Scantling

4 Soils [sills] 32 ft Long 12 Inh by 10 Inhs thick best Wt Oak
4 Do 26 Do Do Do Do
20 Sleepers
16 Long 22 Do 10 4
4 posts 24 Do 10 10
4 Do Do Do 10 6 Do
8 braces 12 Do 8 6
8 Do 8 Do 8 6
2 posts 23 Do 8 6
80 Studs 16 Do 6 4
16 Joists 22 Do 8 4
68 Studs 7 Do 6 4
4 plates 32 Do 8 6
4 Do 22 Do 8 6

28 Rafters agreable to Length of Mansion house Rafters  5 Inhs by 4 Do
2 hip Rafters agreeable to Do Do 9 5
7 window Soils [sills] ⟨to⟩ be got of the best Wt. Oak 12 feet Long 9 4
Brought Over for South End

32 Sleepers 22 feet Long 10 Inhs by 4 Do
8 braces 10 Do 8 6
2 Posts 39 Do 8 6
68 Studs 12 Do 6 4
68 Do 10 Do 6 4
16 Joists 22 Do 10 4
16 Do 28 1/2 Do 8 4
4 plates 32 Do 8 6
25 Studs 12 Do 4 3
25 Do 10 Do 4 3
28 Rafters agreable to the Length of Mansion house Rafters 5 Inhs by 4 Do
2 Hip Rafters agreable to Do Do 9 5
1000 feet Laths for Shingles 3 Inhs broad & 1 Inhs thick
The Quantity of Laths for plaistering must be g⟨mutilated⟩ed by the quantity of plaistering to be done.

If the shingles are to be laid on plank it will take Dble the Quantity of Laths of ⟨Inh⟩ plank as it does of Laths, and the weight will be abundantly greater on the Roof.

https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/02-09-02-0273

Sources:

Going Lanphier was born in Feb 1726/27 at Co Tipperary, Munster, Irish Republic. He was the son of Thomas Lanphier II and Elizabeth Going. Going Lanphier immigrated in May 1732 to Cape Henry, Virginia. He married Elizabeth Wilkerson c 1762. Going Lanphier died in Sep 1813 at Alexandria, Virginia, at age 86. He was buried at Alexandria, Virginia.

Going Lanphier was best known for two commissions in Fairfax Co, VA — working on the construction of Pohick Church and expanding and remodeling Mount Vernon plantation manor. Going was a lettered and accomplished planner. He was stubborn, argumentative craftsman with a strong sense of self and a heritage that combined a tradition in the trades with fiercely held beliefs. Going worked for George Washington at Mount Vernon off and on for almost thirty years and left that employment very much his own man. The product of a family tradition of independence, he also lived in a world that was itself undergoing a violent revolt against established authority. Going opposed the Revolutionary War for which his employer George Washington was the leader.

Family tradition stated Going immigrated to Cape Henry, Princess Anne Co, VA from County Cork, Ireland with his father. During his lifetime Going worked as a carpenter, joiner and housebuilder — often in conjunction with his son’s father-in-law William Bernard Sears who was a gifted woodcarver. Just as house carpenters often worked as joiners and carvers, some were skilled at turnery as well.

Going came to Alexandria, VA by 1740 and was living there in 1752 when he was credited in George Washington’s ledgers with making slave clothing and in 1753 when Going charged goods purchased at Ramsay and Dixon’s Alexandria store. In 1754 Going discharged an apprentice in Alexandria and the following year brought two runaway servants into court there. Going apparently had a slave named Joe and employed two carpenters — James Tasker and Wentworth Aldon — and a sawer named Robert Boggess.

In the early 1750s Going turned the stair rails of City Tavern in Alexandria, VA, the finest tavern in the colonies before 1800 and now known as the famous Gadsby’s Tavern. The stair rails, with a simple long shaft and a short vase at the bottom, are like the stair rails at Mount Vernon which Going made later.

On 17 Apr 1754 George Tarvin was “… bound apprentice to Going Lamphire [who] is discharged from any further service.” On 20 Feb 1755 Going Lamphire brought “into Court his runaway servant Joseph Perry against whom he exhibited an account whereby it appears that he absented himself 27 days & that his master expended 912 lbs. of tobacco in taking him up. Ordered that he serve for the same & costs.” On 20 Mar 1755 “Gowing Lamphire [brought] into Court his runaway servant John Edingburgh against whom he exhibited an account whereby it appears that he absented himself seven months and six days and that his master expended 42[cut off number] lbs. of tobacco in taking him up; ordered that he serve for the same & costs.” This issue did not end here: on 18 Jun 1756 “Gawen Lamphire brings into Court his runaway servant John Endinburg against whom he exhibits an account whereby it appear that he absented himself forty four days and that his master expended 433 lbs. of tobacco in taking him up. Ordered that he serve for the same and costs and also that the Sheriff give him 30 lashes.”

Going lived near the Alexandria, VA waterfront on a northeast corner lot at Fairfax and Duke streets which he purchased from the Wests in 1755. In the 1742-1797 Fairfax Co, VA deed books index there are 16 deeds, leases, releases and power of attorney transactions for Going, his wife Elizabeth and his sisters Venus Lanphier and Susannah Patterson and Susannah’s husband John; Alexandria City was part of Fairfax Co, VA until 1791.

On 17 Feb 1756 “John West, Gent & Mary his wife (she being first privately examined & consenting) acknowledged Indentures of lease & release to Gowen LAMPHIRE which are admitted to record.”

On 16 Mar 1756 in “Crittenden Munday against William Clerk Comton, Josias Clapham declares he has in his hands of the Defendant’s estate 22 Shillings and it is ordered that Going Lamphire, George Martin & James Connelly view the work performed by the Defendant for John Hunter & report on the value thereof.”

On 21 Nov 1758 the court order Gowen Lamphire be added to the list of tithables; this indicates Gowen was living in Fairfax Co.

On 20 Dec 1758 Thomas Fleming brough a suit against Gowen Lamphire and was awarded £1.19.6 and also his costs &c.

On 10 Aug 1759 George Washington paid Going 17 pounds for making his stair rails for his home Mount Vernon in Fairfax Co, VA; the rails are unique for their simple long shaft with a short block at the bottom and a delicate cap. Going was the joiner George Washington hired to do the interior carpentry when Washington added a story enlarging Mount Vernon from 1½ to 2½ stories in 1759.

The Fairfax Co court ordered on 21 Feb 1760 that the Churchwardens of Truro parish bind Francis Capshaw apprentice to Gowen Lamphire who is to teach him to read & write and the trade of a joiner, the said Francis being sixteen years old in March next.

On 18 Nov 1760 Gowen Lanphire was a member of the Fairfax Co grand jury; he was on jury duty in Waite vs Witherington; Penn vs Mason; McCarty vs Zachariah Ellkins; and South vs Doyall. On 19 Sep 1761 Gowen Lamphire served on a county jury in John Ratcliffe versus Simon Pearson, our 6th great grandfather; the jury found Simon owed a six-pound debt and assessed damages at one cent plus costs, terms which aligned well with Going’s temperment. Going did not serve that day on the jury in John Ashford vs Simon Pearson. Also on the 19th Gowen served on the jury in the case of executors of Benjamin Grayson vs Sampson D’Moville and Samuel Talbutt; John Heryford vs David Piper; Benjamin Grayson vs Thomas Baylis; and William Ramsay Gent against John Crook.

On 20 Oct 1761 Going was again on jury duty when the suit of Sarah Hicks vs Simon Pearson for debt; in this case the jury awarded £21.9.5½ and her costs. That same day he served on the jury in William Ramsay vs Ann Brooks. On 20 May 1763 he was back on jury duty in Jacob Butcher against Michael Gretter; James Nisbett against John Posey; Rachel McWilliams Admx &c of William McWilliams dec’d against Benjamin Hawkins; John Askin against Bryan Alliston; Benjamin Williams against George Johnston; and Abraham Fletcher against Robert Boggess Junr, possibly the same Robert Boggess who was a sawyer working for him in the 1750s. On 17 Aug 1763 in Glassford vs Lake and Saunders, Gowen Lanphier may have been security.

On 19 Jul 1763 the court ordered Benjamin Sebastian, William Sewell, John Patterson & Gowen Lankphier or any three of them being first sworn do inventory and appraise all and singular the estate of Andrew Riddle deceased that should be presented to their view and that the Administrator return the same to the next Court. Because such duty was generally assigned to neighbors of the deceased, this reveals Going’s neighbors included his brother-in-law John Patterson and the Alexandria lawyer Benjamin Sebastian. After Aug 1763 Going may have left Fairfax Co because he was no longer in the court orders or minutes; on the other hand his name may have been spelled differently beginning at that point.

On 15 Jan 1765 the court paid Going Lamphire for his account; this may have been for service directly to the court, such as carpentry.

During the 1760s and 1770s Going made and mended tools and cloth-making wheels at Washington’s Mount Vernon estate. On 28 Jun 1765 Going (Gowen Lamphire) was paid for turning three axle trees for George Washington. On 16 Jul 1765 and again on 1 Dec 1768 Going voted for his employer Col George Washington and for Col John West in the Election of Burgesses for Fairfax Co, VA.

On 24 Oct 1767 Harry Piper an Alexandria, VA merchant wrote a letter to his cousin John Dixon, a merchant in Whitechaven, Ireland, requesting Dixon contact William Lamphier of County Cork, Ireland regarding the estate inheritance of William’s nephew Going Lampier and his sister. Going stated he believed the real estate inheritance to be valued at 1200 pounds. The response to the letter was not reported, but the following letter implied Going would have to return to Ireland to inherit the County Cork family real estate. On 18 Dec 1769 Piper again wrote Dixon noting Going’s sister Susanna Lanphier Patterson wrote to her uncle William stating her sister Venus was dead and had left Susanna her portion of the estate and because Going would not return to Ireland, Susanna wanted to file a suit to gain her portion of the estate. By the time Piper wrote Dixon again on 3 Nov 1770, clearly Going was not going to cooperate with paying to pursue a lawsuit or going back to Ireland to inherit the land. “…indeed he is such a person there’s no knowing what to make of him.” Whose estate this concerned is not known; Going and Susanna’s father died in America but may have owned or inherited real estate in Ireland.

In 1767 Going lived at Green Hill in Fairfax Co, VA — close to Chickadee, which cannot be identified. It was presumed Going was renting land there for himself and his young family from the owner. From 1761 – 1765 Green Hill was the home of Bryan Fairfax, a close associate of George Washington’s. Bryan Fairfax went to England with his family in 1765 and built Towlson Grange in Fairfax Co on inherited land and moved there about 1766 after returning from overseas. Fairfax, a large land owner, was actively leasing his property to smaller farmers, so Going with his new family could have been leasing land at Green Hill. Green Hill was located near the mansion Belvoir at Accotink Creek and Back Road (present-day Telegraph Road), putting the location close to what is today 8750 Telegraph Road in Lorton, VA. Living at Green Hill would have put Going less than a mile from his future job building Pohick Church, which is near the intersection of Telegraph Road and Richmond Highway. When Going moved on to his next contract working at Mount Vernon, if he was still living at Green Hill, Going had to travel about 6.5 miles one way to work; no wonder he was often not at work.

In 1770 Going had a lease to Platt Townsend in Fairfax Co, VA.

Going was commissioned to work on building Pohick Church in Alexandria beginning in 1770. Because the walls were of brick, Going and his workers concentrated on the wooden balconies, railings, pews, doors, window and door surrounds, and the pulpit. During 1772 fifty-four people were working on the Pohick construction site. Going worked on the church simultaneously with his son’s father-in-law William Bernard Sears from at least 1771 through 1774 for which accounts show Going was paid 124 pounds. Going paid a fifth of his salary to other people to cover his debts.

George Washington was a member of the Truro Parish vestry which had contracted to build Pohick Church. Washington decided in the fall of 1773 to expand his Mount Vernon mansion with two additions by adding on the southern end an upstairs master bedroom and a downstairs library and remodeling the adjoining dining room and then adding a two-story banquet room on the north end. At the beginning of the Revolutionary War, Washington contracted to have Going and William Bernard Sears build the southern addition to his manor home.

As Going began planning the requirements for remodeling Mount Vernon, he sent Washington an extensive Bill of Materials and Bill of Scantling for the Additions to the Mansion House, the first part of which included:
4370 feet of Inh & half plank for Weather Boarding
880 Do of Inh & Quarter Do for Dowall floor: Each plank to be 22 feet Long full
1760 Do of Do Do for the South End having two floors
500 Do of two Inh Do for Doors &c.
500 Do of Inh & half Do for Windows …
If the shingles are to be laid on plank it will take Dble the Quantity of Laths of ____ plank as it does of Laths, and the weight will be abundantly greater on the Roof.” (Washington Papers, Library of Congress)

Subsequently Going wrote a letter from New Church (Pohick Church in Fairfax Co, VA) to Washington detailing the need for and proper use of building materials. On 16 Oct 1773 Going said “I am apprehensive that in the Bill of Scantling that I sent you it was orderd so as to have the Sleepers of Both the additions to Ly Length ways with the house if so the will not be Right by that means the floor will be aCross and the Getting plank the Length of the addition will not answer the Intended purpose of haveing no heading Joints in the Lower floors, the S an unknown place eepers Need not be More then 16 feet long to Join on a Summer in the Middle that must be Layd Length ways of House, the Sleepers Must be the same Breadth & thickness as them Mentiond in the Bill & the Two Summers 10 by 14 and 22 feet Long. I am Sir Yr Most Humle Servt
Going Lanphier
N.B. I preposd from the begining to Lay the flooring & seeling Jousts Length way of the House it will be a Great Means to Strengthen the additions. G.L.

Going started work on 25 Apr 1774 and served as the project manager or undertaker responsible for ensuring the structure was sound as opposed to also overseeing the fine carpentry. In contrast to the initial remodeling at Mount Vernon undertaken years before by Going’s brother-in-law John Patterson who had drowned at sea, the work under Going’s oversight did not proceed smoothly. Going and Lund Washington, George Washington’s plantation overseer and cousin, did not get along or communicate well from the start; Lund found Going’s frequent absences from work and obstinate nature infuriating. Going’s inconsistent work patterns and rainy weather caused the Mount Vernon project to languish. Going and Sears finally completed the extensive remodel of the dining room with elaborate carving and plaster work and completed the new rooms on the south end of the home by the end of 1775, after Washington left for Boston.

Despite the Washington cousins displeasure with Going’s work progress, Going received the next Mount Vernon commission to build the north addition at Mount Vernon. Washington had no other choice for someone with the right skills, and thus it was another ten years before Washington had his addition at the north end of the mansion. Going may have decided given other possible demands for his skills, the 13-mile commute round trip — if he was still living at Green Hill, and his apparent dislike of Lund Washington, that he was not that interested in personally working for the Washingtons. Going may have employed the same technique used by present-day service providers with open-ended contracts: begin the work, maintain some presence on site and let the contract drag on while other work is obtained and accomplished elsewhere.

Going reluctantly returned to build the second addition, saying according to Lund Washington that the “… money would not purchase the necessarys of life and that he must endeavour to make them.” With currency devalued and prices inflated, Going was likely correct, however Lund was reluctant to offer more pay for such slow progress. In 1776 Going began building the northern addition, although he may have subcontracted out much of the work. On 19 Aug 1776 Gen Washington wrote to Lund “…I must beg of you to hasten Lanphire about the addition to the No. End of the House, otherwise you will have it open I fear in the cold & wet Weather, and the Brick work to do at an improper Season, neither of which shall I be at all desirous of.”

Lund wrote on 22 Apr 1778, “Of all the Worthless Men liveg Lanphier is the greatest, no act or temptation of mine can prevail on him to come to worck [sic] notwithstandg his repeated promises to do so — I wanted much to get the Window finishd in the Pedimont that I might have the garret Passage plaister’d & clean’d out before Mrs Washington return — beside this the scafflg in the Front of the House cannot be taken away before it is finishd — this prevents me from putg up the Steps to the great Front Door….” Lund’s account book indicated although Going Lanphier’s “man” was employed during this period, Lanphier himself worked very little. On 1 July 1778 Lanphier was credited “By 3 months and 8 days of your man at £5 [per month]” and “By 16 Days worck of self at £9 [per month].” After 1 Jul 1778 both men worked steadily until November.

On 18 Dec 1778 Gen Washington wrote Lund: “With respect to your bargain with Lanphire I can say nothing—I wish every contract that I make, or that is made for me should be fulfilled according to the strict & equitable sense of it—and this in the present case you must be a better judge of than I am—if at the time of engaging him the extra allowance of Corn &ca more was expected & promised than has been performed you are certainly under no obligation to comply with your part till he has fulfilled his—if on the other hand he has fulfilled his you are bound to comply altho it may prove hard—But from your state of the case, the true and equitable construction of the bargain seems to me to be that he ought to have the Corn & Wool, but should be obliged to continue his & servants labor at their present Wages till the covered ways & such work as was particularized or had in contemplation at the time is finished. Without this his wages will be monstrous, the end not answered—& what neither of you at the time could possibly have in view—I therefore think that this is the proper footing to place it on, and, tho slow he had better be kept on those terms till you can at least bring his Wages within the bounds of moderation by time if he should not quite compleat the work expected of him. The Corn (which I am told Qr Master Finnie is now giving Six pounds pr Barl for) should be delivered to him by little at a time for if he gets the whole at once you may, I suppose, catch him as you can.” Lund had to increase Going’s wages to help ensure completion of the project. By 1779 Going had departed from Mount Vernon.

The interior of the second addition was still incomplete when George returned to Mount Vernon at the end of 1783. On 14 Jan 1784 Washington wrote to Samuel Vaughan of Philadelphia, PA stating “I found my new room [banquet room in the north addition], towards the completion of which you kindly offered your house-joiner, so far advanced in the wooden part of it — the Doors, Windows & floors being done, as to render it unnecessary to remove your workman with his Tools (the distance being great) to finish the other parts; especially as I incline to do it in s[t]ucco, (which, if I understood you right, is the present taste in England)….”

Going may have also worked on the walls of Mill Brook, later called Kenmore, the home of George Washington’s sister in Fredericksburg, VA because in 1775 a painter and stucco man who had been working on the Mount Vernon dining room began interior work at Mill Brook. Washington referred to a Frenchman working at both Kenmore and Mount Vernon, and Lanphier was considered French even though he immigrated from Ireland. A number of the motifs used in the Mount Vernon work are the same as those used at Mill Brook.

After completing his work at Mount Vernon may have been the point when Going moved across the Potomac River to Oxen Hill Town, MD but the date and duration of his stay there are unknown. By 1781 Going may have already moved back across the Potomac River to Alexandria, VA. Family records from Going’s great-niece state Going made a table for Washington to see, conveyed the table to Washington, negotiated a price, and then made Washington a set of separate tables at Shuter’s Hill in Alexandria, VA, and Washington kept one table for himself. Archaeological studies and historical records show in 1781 an elegant two-story frame mansion was first built on Shuter’s Hill, where the George Washington Masonic National Temple now stands.

David Griffith, the Clerk of Fairfax Co, VA purchased a large parcel in Alexandria in 1785 and subdivided and numbered the lots within it by his own system. On 21 Jun 1785 Gowen Lamphier of Fairfax Co leased from David and Hannah Griffith of Fairfax Co lot 41 on the west side of St. Asaph Street and the south side of Princess St and lot 73 on the west side of Washington Street and the south side of Princess St for pounds 15.16.1 annually with a penalty of pounds 36.2.6 for not building on lot 73. After Griffith’s death, on 16 Oct 1793 it was stated that Griffith rented Gowing Lamphier / Lankphier [sic] the lots for pounds 15.16.1 due annually on 21 Jun, the rents for which were assigned first to Henry Lee and then to Baldwin Dade. Going failed to pay rents and Dade was unable to find anything on the lots to sell, so Dade repossessed lots 41 and 73. The witnesses were Jesse Taylor, Charles Turner and Dennis Ramsey.

In the 1808 Alexandria, VA census Going was noted as a carpenter with 1 slave and a total of 3 people in the household. He owned the two-story home which had no buckets; these were likely fire buckets because Alexandria had several devastating fires through the decades. In 1810 Going owned a home on Queen Street in Alexandria, VA where he lived with his wife and one slave. Going remained in Alexandria, VA until his death in 1813.

Going Lanphier was also known by Goin, Gowan, Gowen, Gowin, Gowing, Gawen, Lanphiere, Lanphire, Lanpheir, Lankphier, Lamphier, Lamphire and Lamphiere as well as other forms of the two names. He passed on to many descendants a proud oral history of his ancestors’ French and Irish migrations, the imported wealth and the lost inheritance but not a word of his own life.

Whether Going Lanphier had any relationship to the Going families residing in Alexandria is unknown, but there is no evidence yet found that Goings residing there were his relatives. An Ann Going married David Hamilton in Alexandria on 11 Sep 1801 with bondsman Charles Thompson. The 1808 Alexandria, VA census included a William Going residing in the Aaron Hews home, and this researcher visited a home on Page Terrace and in Fort Ward Park in Alexandria which included old unmarked Going graves.

Detailed sources:

In 2018 Fairfax County, Virginia changed the URLs for historic indexes and records online. Thus URLs below may not be functional but provide the correct type, date and books for searching online. The oldest deed index is at https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/circuit/sites/circuit/files/assets/documents/pdf/hrc/deed-book-index-1742-1866-l-r.pdf.

–Patricia Duncan, Fairfax Co, VA 1749-1808 Minute and Court Orders Abstracts, Heritage Books, 5810 Ruatan St, Berwyn Heights, MD, 20740, softcopy, 2013 (source for Simon Pearson court records below using the page numbers from the abstracts, not the original)
–Fairfax Co, VA 1754-1756 Order Book, Part 1, 17 Apr 1754, p. 26 (George Tarvin appreticed to Going Lamphire)
–Fairfax Co, VA 1754-1756 Order Book, Part 1, 19 Feb 1755, p. 75 (Going Lamphire’s servant Joseph Perry)
–Fairfax Co, VA 1754-1756 Order Book, Part 2, 20 Mar 1755, p. 8 (Going Lamphire’s servant John Edingburgh)
–Fairfax Co, VA 1754-1756 Order Book, Part 2, 18 Jun 1755, p. 14 (Gawen Lamphire’s servant John Edinburg)
–Fairfax Co, VA 1754-1756 Order Book, Part 2, 17 Feb 1756, p. 64 (John and Mary West lease and release to Gowen Lamphire)
–Fairfax Co, VA 1754-1756 Order Book, Part 2, 16 Mar 1756, p. 74 (Munday vs Comton; Going Lamphire to inspect work)
–Fairfax Co, VA 1756-1763 Minute Book, Part 1, 21 Nov 1758, p. 147 (Going Lanphier tithable)
–Fairfax Co, VA 1756-1763 Minute Book, Part 1, 20 Dec 1758, p. 153 (Thomas Fleming vs Gowen Lamphire)
–Fairfax Co, VA 1756-1763 Minute Book, Part 1, 21 Feb 1760, p. 209 (Francis Capshaw apprenticed Gowen Lamphire)
–Fairfax Co, VA 1756-1763 Minute Book, Part 2, 18 Nov 1760, p. 25 (Gowen Lanphire on grand jury); 18 Jun 1761, p. 57 (Waite vs Witherington; Gowen Lamphire on jury); 18 Sep 1761, p. 72 (Penn vs Mason; McCarty vs Ellkins; South vs Doyall; Gowin/Gowen/Gowing Lamphire on jury)
–Fairfax Co, VA 1756-1763 Minute Book, Part 2, 19 Sep 1761, p. 73-76 (John Ratcliffe vs Simon Pearson and Benjamin Grayson’s executors vs D’Moville and Talbutt; Heryford vs Piper; Grayson vs Baylis; Ramsay vs Crook; Going Lanphier on jury)
–Fairfax Co, VA 1756-1763 Minute Book, Part 2, 20 Oct 1761, p. 77 (Sarah Hicks vs Simon Pearson; Ramsay vs Brooks; Gowen Lanphire on jury)
–Fairfax Co, VA 1756-1763 Minute Book, Part 2, 20 May 1763, p. 173-174 (Butcher vs Gretter; Fletcher vs Boggess; Nisbett vs Posey; McWilliams vs Hawkins; Askin vs Alliston; Williams against Johnston
Gowen Lamphier/Lamphier on jury)
–Fairfax Co, VA 1756-1763 Minute Book, Part 2, 19 Jul 1763, p. 182; Fairfax Co, VA 1763-1765 Minute Book, 19 Jul 1763, p. 17 (Gowen Lankphier/Lamphier to appraise Riddle estate)
–Fairfax Co, VA 1763-1765 Minute Book, 17 Aug 1763, p. 24 (Glassford vs Lake & Saunders; Gowen Lanphier)
–Fairfax Co, VA 1763-1765 Minute Book, 15 Jan 1765, p. 79 (Going Lamphire account paid)
–Fairfax Co, VA 1742-1797 Deed Book Index, 1770, http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/courts/circuit/pdf/deed-book-index-1742-1797.pdf (Going Lanphier to Platt Townsend, lease)
–Fairfax Co, VA 1742-1797 Deed Book Index, 1785, http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/courts/circuit/pdf/deed-book-index-1742-1797.pdf (David and Hannah Griffith to Going Lanphier, lease)
–The Papers of George Washington, et al, Founders Online, National Archives, http://founders.archives.gov/index.xqy?q=lanohire&s=1111211111&sa=&r=1&sr=.
–Donald Jackson and Dorothy Twohig, editors, The Diaries of George Washington, 6 vols, Charlottesville, VA, 1976–79.
–Manuscript Ledger Book 1, 1750-72, in George Washington Papers, Library of Congress.
–Harry Piper of Alexandria, VA letter to John Dixon, merchant in Whitchaven, Ireland, Harry Piper Letter Book, Douglass Family Manuscript, University of Virginia, 24 Oct 1767, 18 Dec 1769, 3 Nov 1770 (Lanphier inheritance of Going and Susanna Lanphier.) From: http://www.winslett.org/g0/p69.htm#i2062

Going Lanphier’s family history taken from his mother’s deposition in 1767 in Prince Georges Co, MD:

ELIZABETH LAMPHIER’s DEPOSITION Prince Georges Co., MD Deeds (transcribed by Janet B. Broadbent from the film and sent to Ellen L Martin in 1993)

At the request of Elizabeth Lamphier the following Deposition was Recorded Sept 23rd 1767.

The deposition of Elizabeth Lamphier, Widow and Relict of Thomas Lamphier Deceased , aged about Sixty Three years.

This Deponent Saith that She is daughter to Robert Going & Mary his Wife, who was a Daughter to Gregory Rowe both Deceased, by whom he had four sons and three daughters, to wit John, Philip, James, Mary, Sarah, Robert & This Deponent Elizabeth.

This Deponent further Saith that John The Eldest Son left Ireland when this Deponent was a child, and Returned some years after and Staid a year or thereabouts, from whence he went to England as She This Deponent Believes and Married at Plymouth, and after his Said Marriage Came to Ireland to see his Relations and Returned to his wife & children.

Philip The Second Son married Sarah Pike who Died, after her Death he Married Mary Knight who also died and after her Death he Married Susanna Gedding.

James The Third son Married Dorothy Tyeney who died, and after her Death Elizabeth Kyle.

Mary The first Daughter Married to James Walpoole.

Robert The Last Son Married Jane Johnston.

Sarah The Second Daughter Married Richard Franklin an Attorney [sic].

And the Deponent further Saith That all her said Brothers and Sisters, except her Sister Mary and her husband James Walpole were living in the County of Tipperary in the Kingdom of Ireland when She The Deponent left Ireland.

And This Deponent further Saith That She this Deponent married Thomas Lamphier at Leuskuvenie? In the Said County of Tipperary, who was Son to Thomas Lamphier of the Said County and Elizabeth his Wife Daughter to Mr. Kyle.

And This Deponent further Saith that her Said Father Robert Going has two Brothers and one Sister, Viz. Richard, Mary & James.

This Deponent further Saith that Richard Married and lived in Bristol.

Also That Mary Married E. White who is now Dead.

And that James lived in Clonmel.
This Deponent further Saith that the Said James had one Sone Richard and Three Daughters, Mary, Rebecca & Sussanna who were living and married except Susanna. And this Deponent further saith that The Said Richard was Mayor of Clonmel when she, This Deponent left Ireland, as his Father James had been several Times before.

And this Deponent further Saith That her Mother’s Sister Sarah Rowe was married to John Bagwell & had one son and two Daughters, Viz John, Mary, and Sarah &
This Deponent Saith that The Said John was a Banker & Merchant in the Town of Clonmell.

And this Deponent further Saith that Thomas Lamphier, This Deponents Husband was reputed Son to Thomas Lamphier of The Said County of Tipperary & that he lived at Coreigheen ? where she This Deponent married The Said Thomas Lamphier Jr. and

This Deponent Saith That the Said Thomas Lamphier had by his Wife Elizabeth, formerly Elizabeth Kyle, Daughter to the aforesaid Mr. Kyle four Sons and Three Daughters to Wit.
Elizabeth, who afterward married John Burgess.
William Lamphier, Mary who afterward married Joseph Tenson,
Joseph Lamphier,
& this Deponent’s Husband Thomas Lamphier,
John Lamphier, &
Sarah Lamphier.

And this Deponent further saith That Henry Burgess, Son to John Burgess who Married The aforesaid Elizabeth Daughter to the aforesaid Thomas Lamphier Senr a Cloathier by Trade Came with his Uncle Thomas Lamphier This Deponent’s Husband & The Rest of the Family to America, which Said Henry Burgess died a few years ago as This Deponent understood by a Letter from his widow to John Patterson This Deponent’s Son in Law informing him of his the Said Henry’s Death & also That he left Six Children, Three of Them were by a former Wife.

And this Deponent further Saith that William Lamphier eldest son to the aforesaid Thomas Lamphier Sen~ Married Elizabeth Lane, Sister to Ambrose Lane of Lane’s Park which Said Elizabeth is Since dead, as She This Deponent understood by Letter written by the Said William Lamphier to his Brother Thomas Lamphier This Deponent’s Husband & also that he had married one Evans.

And This Deponent further Saith Saith that Mary Daughter to the aforesaid Thomas Lamphier Senior Married Joseph Tinson son to Joseph Tinson of Orchard Town near Clonmell, and that After The Said Mary’s Death that he The Said Joseph Tinson Married Garter Hunt Daughter to John Hunt of Clonag.

And This Deponent further Saith that Joseph Lamphier married Elizabeth Bradshaw Daughter to Robt Bradshaw of the County of Limerick.

And this Deponent further Saith That William and Joseph Lamphier & Their Wives, John Burgess & his wife, Joseph Tinson and his Second Wife Garter Tinson, John Lamphier who was unmarried were all alive when She this Deponent left the Kingdom of Ireland.

And this Deponent further saith that Sarah Lamphier died of the Smallpox before this Deponent left the said Kingdom.

And this Deponent further Saith that Thomas Lamphier Senr & Elizabeth his Wife allowed themselves to be sponsers for this Deponent when this Deponent was Baptized.

And this Deponent further Saith that the Said Thomas Lamphier, Father to This Deponents Husband & the above mentioned Sons & Daughters Died The August Before This Deponent left The Saud Kingdom of Ireland at the aforesaid Town of Coeigheen having his Widow Elizabeth to the Care of Their Son John Lamphier, who was making Preparation to move to a Farm Called Park town.

And this Deponent further Saith That She This Deponent together with her Said Husband Thomas Lamphier & the Rest of the Family left the said Kingdom of Ireland in the Year one Thousand Seven Hundred and Thirty Eight.

And This Deponent Further Saith that Going Lamphier, Susanna who married John Patterson and Venus Lamphier are the lawful children of The Said Thomas Lamphier Begotten on This Deponent’s body.

And this Deponent further Saith that the aforesaid Going Lamphier, Susanna Patterson & Venus Lamphier are now aliving, Going in Fairfax County in The Colony of Virginia & Susanna Patterson & Venus Lamphier in The Province of Maryland.

/S/ Elizabeth Lamphier

Father: Robert GOING b: Abt 1667 in Castle Crannagh, Birdhill, co Tipperary, Ireland
Mother: Mary ROWE

Marriage 1 Thomas LANPHIER b: 1699 in Parkestowne, County Tipperary, Ireland
Married: Abt 1727 in Curragheen, Liskeveen, County Tipperary, Ireland
Change Date: 26 Feb 2007
Children
Going (Goin) LANPHIER b: 1727 in Cork County, Ireland
Susannah LANPHIER b: 1729 in County Tipperary, Ireland
Venus LANPHIER b: 1731 in County Tipperary, Ireland

(NOTES from deposition above):

Elizabeth Lamphier (Going) deposition: http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=rlj63650&id=I3496&style=TABLE

Robert Going (b. abt 1670ish) m. Mary Rowe – Ireland (both dec. by 1767).
(Robert Going had 3 siblings):

-Richard Going (married and lived in Bristol)
-Mary Going (married E. White and now dead)
-James Going (married ? ) – Mayor of Clonmell several times

Children of James:
Richard Going – Mayor of Clonmell
Mary Going –
Rebecca Going –
Susanna Going –

Robert Going and Mary Rowe’s children:

• John Going (b. abt 1690? – d. ) m. ?  (Married in Plymouth, England – wife and children still there when sister Elizabeth left for America). (Unk names)  (sister Elizabeth was still a child when John left for England and got married).
• Philip Going (b. d. ) m. Sarah Pike, then m. Mary Knight, then m. Susanna Gedding
• James Going m. Dorothy Tyeney, then m. Elizabeth Kyle
• Mary Going m. James Walpoole
• Sarah Going m. Richard Franklin (attorney)
• Robert Going m. Jane Johnston
• Elizabeth Going (b. 1704 – d. ) m. Thomas Lamphier

Additional Family Notes:

History of Clonmel,  By William P. Burke (pg 230 – lists mayors of Clonmel
1725 James Going
1728 James Going
1734 James Going
1737 Richard Going
1751 Richard Going
History of Clonmel,  By William P. Burke (pg 230 – lists mayors of Clonmel
https://books.google.com/books?id=xF8NAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA222&lpg=PA222&dq=Clonmel+Ireland,+history+of+mayors&source=bl&ots=DlJUjyLNKZ&sig=rDm0PsM63Uu9Ay36UjNXQ2rGPDo&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CDQQ6AEwA2oVChMI0fDMrPqayAIVURCSCh2DaQ-p#v=onepage&q=Clonmel%20Ireland%2C%20history%20of%20mayors&f=false

1770 May 24 – Appraisal of estate of Venus Lamphier . . . Signed: John Dalton, Harry Piper, James Connell. Will Book C, pg 80. Fairfax Co, Va.
https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/9085/007644610_00583?pid=124054&backurl=https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv%3D1%26dbid%3D9085%26h%3D124054%26tid%3D%26pid%3D%26usePUB%3Dtrue%26_phsrc%3DTqH1089%26_phstart%3DsuccessSource&treeid=&personid=&hintid=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=TqH1089&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true#?imageId=007644610_00624