PURCHASE OF POPES CREEK FARM.
In 1717-18 Augustine Washington bought from Joseph Abbington 150 acres of land on Popes Creek—a beautiful tract overlooking the tidal creek and the Potomac River. Popes Creek, running along the east side of the tract, was approximately one-half mile wide, and joined the Potomac half-a-mile away. From Augustine’s land the river could be seen clearly, as it was over 5 miles wide from the Virginia side to the distant Maryland shore. Augustine’s historic piece of property is described in Westmoreland Deeds and Wills:
All that one hundred and fifty acres of lands scituate in the said County of Westmoreland aforesd and bounded Viz. Beginning at a marked hiccory on the head of the dancing marsh and so running down the said line to Popes Creek thence up the said Creek to the line of Nathaniel Washingtons and then up that line to include the aforesd One hundred and fifty acres of land which was given to Lawrence Abbington & his daughter Lydia Abbington together....
The tract probably included Joseph Abbington’s home, for the purchase covered “all houses, edifices, buildings, tobacco houses, fences, orchards, and gardens.”