Woodhouse, Henry, 1884-1970

Henry Woodhouse (1884-1970), born in Turin, Italy, came to America in 1904. Woodhouse later became an author, a surveyor, a noted collector, and owner of a large collection of Washingtoniana. He also became president of the Aerial League of America, the Historic Celebrations Association, the International Science Forum, and a member of the New York Commission for the Celebration of the Two Hundredth Anniversary of the Birth of George Washington.

For over a century, George Washington’s birthplace has been ascribed to eight different locations. In an effort to clarify the matter, Charles Moore, the chairman of the Fine Arts Commission, in 1928 recommended that the George Washington Bicentennial Commission undertake “a preliminary investigation to determine the exact location of the two houses built by the Washingtons at Wakefield.” While this investigation was being considered, Woodhouse made available several thousand Washington records, among them, the Wakefield papers, which helped throw light on the location of Washington’s birthplace. Some of the records were examined by members of the U.S. Bicentennial Commission by scholars and by members of the Washington and related families, and the records indicate that Washington’s birthplace was located elsewhere than the place where the government had built a monument.

From the guide to the Henry Woodhouse Collection Relating to George Washington, 1656-1930, (bulk 1825-1887), (Manuscript Division Library of Congress)