Dress (artifact)
Scope and Contents
The Foxall – McKenney – Cragin family remained prominent in Georgetown affairs from the end of the 18th century through the 20th. This collection contains Henry Foxall deeds and indentures, dated 1804 – 1819, a survey of the C and O Canal confiscation of Foxall’s Georgetown city house land in 1831, and a rental agreement for “Spring Hill” (Henry Foxall’s country estate) dated 1868. For additional information on Foxall and a circa 1940s photograph of “Spring Hill,” see Foxall surname vertical file. From Samuel McKenney are letters dated from the 1840s with photos of both he and his wife. See also McKenney surname vertical file. The collection also contains materials from the Cragin family. Foxall’s granddaughter, Mary McKenney, married Charles H. Gragin (1851-1944) . There are photos, letters and genealogical materials relating to the Cragin family as well as a scrapbook of old newspaper clippings that belonged to Mary McKenney Cragin (an example of Victorian weltschmertz). A late 19th century heavy silk address belonging to Helen Cragin (daughter of Charles) is also housed in this collection. Helen wears the dress in 1898 and circa 1940 photographs found here. Additional photographs, documents and ephemera representative of the Greenlees family (Helen Cragin married David Greenlees on November 7, 1900 at St. John’s Church in Georgetown) and the Agnew family (David’s maternal grandparents) are included.
Dates
- Creation: 1804 - 1940
Creator
- From the Collection: Foxall family (Family)
- From the Collection: McKenney family (Family)
- From the Collection: Cragin family (Family)
Extent
From the Collection: 5 Linear feet
Language of Materials
From the Series: English
General
This heavy silk dress measuring 5" tall by 2.5' wide belonged to Helen Cragin Greenlees. She wears this dress as documentd in photographs taken in 1898 and circa 1940 (Folders 7 and 9). The dress is located in the west storage room. Smaller underlying skirt garments are located in the map flat file marked DRESS in the east storage room.
Repository Details
Part of the The Peabody Room at Georgetown Neighborhood Library Repository