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- [S80] Stephanie Bigelow, Bellport and Brookhaven: A Saga of the Sibling Hamlets of the Old Purchase South. (Bellport-Brookhaven Historical Society. 1968), p. 49.
"A very different type of man was G. Washington, a South American, who adopted the name George Washington. He made a fortune with his instant coffee, marketed under the name G. Washington, as the courts prohibited the commercial use of the name George Washington. He kept a large aviary, and when walking around the Town Dock to watch the yacht races he would often have an exotic bird or monkey on his shoulder. His son George raced a Bellport Bay One Design."
I have found no evidence that he adopted the name "George Washington." Rather, it apparently was his given name. Many people named there children after George Washington, including those of foreign birth. George Constant Louis Washington was of Belgium birth, who immigrating to Guatemala before eventually immigrating to Brooklyn.
- [S231] Wikepedia, online [http://wikipedia.org ], 18 Feb 2008. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Washington_%28inventor%29.
- [S1138] C (Scott) McDannald, "," e-mail message from [e-mail for private use] ([street address for private use]), to , ., George Constant Louis Washington; EMail; 16 December 2010; John Deitz.
My understanding is that John, the father[to George Washington] was married 1st to Marie Louise Tant about 1868. Amongst other children, (6 others) she was the mother of George Constant Louise Washington. You refer to him as George Washington, Sr. As I understand, John, the father never divorced # 1, but decided to hook up and start another family with Elizabeth Blanche Chargois, marrying her about 1898. When the father originally wanted to migrate to America, there were issues, so they sailed to Guatemala first and the family lived there for some time. Neither of John's wives were the traveling sort and I understand they both passed in Belgium. George whilst in Guatemala invented/founded what today is known as instant coffee. From there they migrated to America, settling in Brooklyn, NY. As I understand George was the consummate inventor type and very successful at that. He started patenting his inventions in 1899. In 1904 he Patented "Hydrocarbon Incandescent Lamps" In fact, I recall my grandfather saying how George's home was a veritable zoo! Is this the house you are referencing?
Okay, back on tract, Robert, brother to Clotilde, worked for his step-brother in the coffee business until the business was ultimately sold. I don't know what the laws were around the early 1900's with respect to parent deaths but, the father, John, passed in 1912. Although Elizabeth, the mother of Robert, Leon & Clotilde didn't pass until 1928, (I don't know if she ever came to America) someone had to take legal responsibility for her minor children. At that time they were ages 7-13 and all born in Belgium. George, their step-brother was 41 at the time of his father's death so I think he may have adopted or just took over raising them. I never heard of it ever being legally done. He certainly needed to step in to raise the children. I believe John, the father, died in Guatemala, so I don't necessarily see any legal requirements from a probate standpoint.
- [S55] New York Times (New York Times Company: 229 West 43rd Street, New York, NY 10036.), p. 16, 30 Mar 1946.
- [S31] Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2004. Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Twelfth Census of the United States, 1900. Washington, D., Census Place: Richmond Ward 2, Richmond, New York; Roll: T623 1154; Page: 13B; Enumeration District: 597.
- [S49] Long Island Advance (Long Island Advance, 20 Medford Ave, Patchogue, NY), 4 April 1946, p. 11.
GEORGE WASHINGTON
George Washington, age 75 years, founder of the George Washington Coffee company and one-time resident of Bellport, died Friday in Morristown, N.J.
Born in Brussels, Belgium, and a graduate of the University of Bonn in Germany, Mr. Washington came to the United States in 1895. He was the developer of an instant coffee and founded his company in 1910. In 1943 he sold the business to the American Home Products company.
In 1917 he bought the Fairchild place on South Country road and made his home there for many years. His gardens and swimming pool attracted much attention as did his menagerie of tropical birds and animals.
Surviving are his widow, Mrs. Lina V. Washington; a son, George, Jr., Morristown; two daughters, Mrs. Herman Essien, Washington, D.C., and Miss Louise Washington, Mendharn.
- [S32] Ancestry.com. 1910 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2006. For details on the contents of the film numbers, visit the following NARA web page: NARA Original data: United States of America, B, Census Place: Brooklyn Ward 22, Kings, New York; Roll: T624_971; Page: 12A; Enumeration District: 570; Image: 978.
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1871 - 1946 (74 years)
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