You probably knew that he was the first president of America, and that his face adorns the one dollar bill, but here are some facts you may not have known:
I recently came across an interesting book which details much of the life of George and Martha Washington entitled “Martha's Husband” by Blair Niles. I wanted to share just a few of the facts I gleaned from reading this:
- He was six the first time he saw his 20 old (half) brother, Lawrence, who was a hero to him. He was one of four leaders of the Virginia forces.
- His father died when he just eleven years old leaving George to assist his mother in the care and support of four younger siblings. Because of his father's death he would be unable to attend school in England like his older brothers and his friend, George Fairfax.
- His childhood friend, William Fairfax of the Lord Fairfax family had attended school for 16 years in Yorkshire. When he returned to Virginia George had to call him “Mister” because of the seven to eight year age difference.
- Because of his friendship with William, and George's prior experience surveying, George was allowed to attend a surveying expedition at the age of 16
- George kept many notebooks, which he used for self instruction in matters of law, mathematics, surveying, and behavior. One of the many quotes contained on these pages is “Labor to keep alive in your breast that little spark of celestial fire called conscience.”.
- At the age of 18 he was offered an official commission as surveyor from William and Mary College. He was entered on the records of Culpeper County as a public surveyor who could practice his profession anywhere. He had property in his own name and enough money to loan some to his brothers.
- George at just 20 years of age lost his brother, Lawrence, and shortly after Lawrence's daughter, Sarah
- At 20 George joined the Masonic Lodge in Fredericksburg. Along with this position, he carried a military rank of Major.
- At 21 he undertook a mission from Virginia's Governor Dinwiddie requiring him to communicate with the American Indians about their treaty, and the French regarding their attempt to build on lands in Virginia. He was to travel with an outfit to deliver a message from His Majesty to the French through the winter wilderness to Lake Erie, many miles distant, and return post haste with their response.
- While visiting with the French, after several drinks, they became talkative about their plans of taking lands the British had claimed. It soon became abundantly clear to George that the French were trying to sabotage his return visit and had bribed the Indians to delay him. At one point during this mission, George and his fellow traveler, Christopher Gist dressed as Indians to travel safely. Upon his arrival back in Virginia, his written account soon brought him fame.
- George's wife, Martha was a widow, when he married her. She had two children, whom he loved as his own.
- His love for Martha caused him to feel protective of her to the extent that he and his son's doctor connived to inoculate her son (his stepson) for small pox without her knowledge, because she feared the “shot” so much
- George maintained close friendships by writing often to those he cared about. This book contains quotes from some of his wonderful correspondence.
- His wife was not much for writing, so George would draft letters for her
- There were times when he was in office that he suffered unjust accusations in the press
After his death, his sister in law, Abigail wrote in a letter to Martha “No man ever lived, was more deservingly beloved and respected. . . Adulation never made him forget that he was a man, subject to the weakness and frailty of human nature . . . When we look through the whole tenor of his life, History will not produce to us a parallel.”
