History of Mt Welby
Mount Welby is a significant Virginia landmark home dating originally to 1825. It was the home of the oldest of Colonel Mosby’s legendary confederate Rangers, Richard Earle DeButts, who was also the founder of the Upperville Colt and Horse Show and a prominent member of Virginia society.
Records indicate that a structure existed at the site of Mount Welby as far back as 1825. The home was not named Mount Welby until purchased in the 1840’s by Richard Earle DeButts and his wife, Louisa Dulany of Alexandria. Richard Earle DeButts named the farm he purchased Mt. Welby after his family home on the banks of the Potomac River in Washington, DC. The original Mt. Welby in Washington is today a national park run by the U.S. Department of the Interior and has subsequently been named Oxen Hill Farm.
Richard Earle DeButt’s father, Dr. Samuel DeButts, was a prominent doctor in Washington, D.C. and died sometime after the British bombed the original family home during the British raid on the White House in 1812. The home was not severely damaged but the family decided to take up residence on several Middleburg estates after Dr. DeButt’s death. Richard Earle DeButts built several estates in the Middleburg area including Welbourne and Glen Welby, which was owned by his sister, Mary Ann DeButts Dulany. This home later became the estate of former modern-day publishing icon Katherine Graham.
Mount Welby, both the one in Washington and the one in Fauquier County, took their name from Dr. Samuel DeButts who gave his farm in Washington that name in honor of his wife’s family, the Welbys of Denton Manor in Lincolnshire, England. Dr. DeButts was himself from Sligo, Ireland and brought the family to the United States in 1791. The Dulany, DeButts and Carter families were also close relatives to General Robert E. Lee and Martha Washington.
Mount Welby was originally 550 acres and the home stayed in the family for more than 150 years. It was purchased for the first time outside of the family in 2000 by two entrepreneurs and devoted home renovators from Washington, D.C., Edward Santana and Michel Heitstuman. Many descendants of the family still own adjacent property and the family history and stories still live on in this special place in American history. Family stories describe how Mosby escaped capture and camped several times at Mount Welby, as well as other stories of Union soldiers sparing the house because Richard DeButt’s wife wore his Mason’s ring (and the Union commander on-site was also a Mason).
Records indicate that a structure existed at the site of Mount Welby as far back as 1825. The home was not named Mount Welby until purchased in the 1840’s by Richard Earle DeButts and his wife, Louisa Dulany of Alexandria. Richard Earle DeButts named the farm he purchased Mt. Welby after his family home on the banks of the Potomac River in Washington, DC. The original Mt. Welby in Washington is today a national park run by the U.S. Department of the Interior and has subsequently been named Oxen Hill Farm.
Richard Earle DeButt’s father, Dr. Samuel DeButts, was a prominent doctor in Washington, D.C. and died sometime after the British bombed the original family home during the British raid on the White House in 1812. The home was not severely damaged but the family decided to take up residence on several Middleburg estates after Dr. DeButt’s death. Richard Earle DeButts built several estates in the Middleburg area including Welbourne and Glen Welby, which was owned by his sister, Mary Ann DeButts Dulany. This home later became the estate of former modern-day publishing icon Katherine Graham.
Mount Welby, both the one in Washington and the one in Fauquier County, took their name from Dr. Samuel DeButts who gave his farm in Washington that name in honor of his wife’s family, the Welbys of Denton Manor in Lincolnshire, England. Dr. DeButts was himself from Sligo, Ireland and brought the family to the United States in 1791. The Dulany, DeButts and Carter families were also close relatives to General Robert E. Lee and Martha Washington.
Mount Welby was originally 550 acres and the home stayed in the family for more than 150 years. It was purchased for the first time outside of the family in 2000 by two entrepreneurs and devoted home renovators from Washington, D.C., Edward Santana and Michel Heitstuman. Many descendants of the family still own adjacent property and the family history and stories still live on in this special place in American history. Family stories describe how Mosby escaped capture and camped several times at Mount Welby, as well as other stories of Union soldiers sparing the house because Richard DeButt’s wife wore his Mason’s ring (and the Union commander on-site was also a Mason).
