George Washington 2,023 hectares about 15 miles 24 kilome ters south of modern-day Washington D C where he established the Wakefi eld plantation for his family John’s grandson Augustine Washington also was a prosperous landowner Augustine managed farms businesses and mines Augustine added to the Wakefi eld plantation until it included the entire peninsula between Popes Creek and Bridges Creek small streams emptying into the Potomac River Augustine’s fi rst wife died in 1730 and the following year he married Mary Ball Their fi rst child George Washington was born on Feb 22 Feb 11 on the calendar used then 1732 on the Wakefi eld plantation in Westmoreland County Va The couple had fi ve more children Elizabeth Samuel John Augustine Charles and Mildred who died in infancy George also had two older half brothers Lawrence and Augustine children from Augustine’s fi rst marriage In 1735 the Washington family moved far ther up the Potomac River to the Epsewasson Little Hunting Creek plantation named after the stream it faced A few years later they moved to Ferry Farm on the Rappahannock River opposite Fredericksburg Va Ferry Farm 12
Early Life and Career Portrait of a young George Washington admitting to his father that he had chopped down a cherry tree The story is meant to show Washington had a history of being honest Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division was the setting of George’s boyhood adven tures described by Mason Locke Weems in his book The Life and Memorable Actions of George Washington 1800 According to Weems George chopped down a cherry tree with a hatchet and later admitted it to his father stating that he could not tell a lie Weems also related how George threw a stone across the Rappahannock River but it is unknown whether or not these stories are based on facts George’s father died in 1743 and his property was divided among his nearest heirs 13
George Washington Mount Vernon One of the most beauti ful historic sites in the United States is Mount Vernon the estate and burial place of George Washington The stately mansion is on a high bluff overlooking the Potomac River 15 miles 24 kilometers south of Washington D C The Mount Vernon site became a Washington family possession in 1674 Washington’s father took possession of the property in 1726 and moved his family there in 1735 They moved again in 1739 and the property passed to Washington’s half brother Lawrence He renamed the estate Mount Vernon in honor of Edward Vernon an admiral in the British Navy under whom he had served After the death of his father Washington lived there for a time After Lawrence’s death in 1752 the property came into George Washington’s possession The estate that he inherited was approximately 2,100 acres 850 hectares in size but by the time of his death it had grown to more than 8,000 acres 3,200 hectares The estate was divided into fi ve separate farms each under its own management The farm on which the house sits was known as the Mansion House Farm but its approxi mately 500 acres 200 hectares were developed less as a farm than as a country estate There were extensive formal gardens a bowling green a park fl anking the river and vineyards near one of the gardens 14
Early Life and Career Tourists visiting Washington’s home Mount Vernon Brendan Smialowski Getty Images The original house was only a story and a half in height with four small rooms on the main fl oor Washington’s father erected the foundations of this structure in the late 1730s but there is evidence of a much older structure dating from the late 17th century The central portion of the house was prob ably built in 1743 In anticipation of his marriage in 1759 Washington had the house raised to two and a half stories and began land scaping the surrounding grounds Extensions on either end of the house were planned in 1773 and work on them continued through the years of the American Revolution Interior work continued for many more years Washington was especially fond of Mount Vernon and felt it was the most pleasantly situated estate in the United States He yearned for a quiet life there but often found him self away on public business He returned to Mount Vernon in 1797 at the conclusion of his presidency but lived only another two years After the death of Martha Washington in 1802 the estate was parceled out to various relatives By the middle of the 19th century the Mansion House Farm could no longer sup port itself When approached by the Washington heirs the United States and the Commonwealth of Virginia govern ments both refused to acquire the property In 1858 a private group the Mount Vernon Ladies Association raised money to purchase the estate The association still maintains the site and the home is open to the public year-round 15
