Ring

Title:

Mourning Ring

Object Name:

Ring

Creator:

Unknown

Date:

Unknown

Material:

Hair, gold

Dimensions:

H-4.75 L-21 Dia-7 inches

Description:

Box containing mourning ring which is reported to bear a lock of George Washington's hair. Ring is gold rectangular shape with glass oval in the center where the hair is knotted and on view. The sides of the ring are gold and scrolled and open. Inside the ring are engraved initials: "PRY"

Provenance:

Supposedly the ring was owned by Major William Lithgow, who was a friend of George Washington. On Lithgow's death, the ring passed to his brother, then to the brother's son, Arthur Lithgow. Arthur Married Hetty Green Langdon. She took no interest in the ring and gave it to her sister, Phoebe Roland Young (her initials appear on the ring?). On her death, the ring passed to William Lithgow Willey, who presented it to Horace Morison in 1943.

Subjects:

Mourning, Mourning customs, Mourning clothing dress, Rings, Jewelry, Hair

People:

Washington, George, Lithgow, William

Place of Origin:

United States

Collection Name:

Society of the Cincinnati in the State of New Hampshire

Item Number:

1991.037

Accession Number:

1991.037

Type of Material:

Objects

Copyright Statement:

For information regarding copyright, permissions, and reproductions contact the American Independence Museum

Credit Line:

Gift of William L. Willey to Horace Morison, Nov. 2, 1943

Participating Organization:

American Independence Museum