George Washington

On January 6, 1759, George Washington married Martha Dandridge Custis, a twenty-eight year old wealthy widow with two children. She was gracious, intelligent and experienced in managing estates. Although the union did not produce any offspring the couple enjoyed a very compatible partnership.

Washington loved Martha’s children, John Parke Custis and Martha Parke (Patsy) Custis, as his own. When Patsy died in 1773, distressed Washington cancelled all his business engagements, remaining with Martha for three months. Later when John died in 1781, they raised his two youngest children; Eleanor Parke Custis and George Washington Parke Custis.

On his return to Mount Vernon in March 1797, Washington continued to work in his estate, trying to undo the damages done during his long absence. On December 12, 1799, he went riding around his estate overseeing the work, getting wet from snow in the process.

George Washington was born on February 22, 1732, in his parents’ Pope's Creek Estate near present-day Colonial Beach in Westmoreland County, Virginia. Primarily of English descent, they belonged to moderately prosperous middleclass landed gentry.

His father, Augustine Washington, was a tobacco planter, holding a number of properties at different places. At one point, he also tried his hand at iron manufacturing. George’s mother, Mary nee Ball Washington, was his second wife.

George was the eldest of his parents’ six children, having four surviving siblings; Betty Washington Lewis, Samuel Washington, John Augustine Washington and Charles Washington. In addition, he had two surviving half brothers, Lawrence Washington and Augustine Washington Jr., from his father’s first marriage to Jane nee Butler.

George Washington spent most of his childhood on the Ferry Farm on the Rappahannock River, opposite Fredericksburg, Virginia.

He began his education at home under a number of tutors, later attending school irregularly from the age of seven to fifteen. Had his father lived, he, like his half brothers, might have gone to England for schooling. But his father died in 1743, which deprived him of overseas education.

In 1748, at the age of sixteen, George Washington joined a professional survey team, organized by George Fairfax, a friend and neighbour. With them, he moved about, plotting a large tract of land along the western border of Virginia, imbibing valuable experiences.

By 1749, he obtained a surveyor's license from the College of William and Mary, subsequently receiving an official appointment as a surveyor in Culpeper County. His first assignment was to plot a 400-acre parcel of land, which he completed within two days.

For next two years, he continued working as a surveyor in the in Culpeper, Frederick and Augusta counties. By 1752, he had completed around 200 surveys, totaling over 60,000 acres of land, making enough money to buy land for himself. But before long, a big change came to his life.

Lawrence died in July 1752 from tuberculosis, leaving his daughter Sarah to inherit Mount Vernon. But when she too died within two months, twenty year old Washington became its owner. Next in December, he received appointment as an adjutant with the rank of major in the Virginia militia.

By the beginning of 1750s, the French had started expanding their territory in areas now known as Pennsylvania. On October 31, 1753, Virginia's Lieutenant Governor, Robert Dinwiddie, sent Washington to Fort LeBoeuf, (now in Waterford, Pennsylvania), asking the French to leave since the area belonged to the British.

When the French refused to do so Washington returned to Williamsburg, at that time capital of Virginia. On hearing the news, Dinwiddie sent him back with troops, instructing him to set up a post at Great Meadows in present day Fayette County, Pennsylvania.

Once Washington reached his destination, he found that the French had driven away the colonial traders and were constructing a fort. His troops attacked a French post at Fort Duquesne on May 28, 1754, killing 10 French soldiers, including Commander Coulon de Jumonville. The rest were taken prisoners.

In 1755, in spite of conceding defeat at Fort Necessity, Washington was made a "Colonel of the Virginia Regiment and Commander in Chief of all forces now raised in the defense of His Majesty's Colony". Under him, the regiment fought many battles, gaining kudos for him.