Connecticut western news., 1888-02-22


 George Washington was born ip Westmorel nl county, Va, February 9, 1732, and was the son of Augustine Washington, who died in 1744 His early life was spent chiefly with his brother at Mount Vernon, and with Lord Fairfax, who owned great estates in the Virginia valley and in 1748 he engaged to survey these wild territories for doubloon day. camping out for months in the forest in peril from In- dians and squatters. At the age of 19. at the beginning of the Seven Years War, he was appointed adjutant of the provincial troops, with the rank of major; in 1751, he made his only sea voyage-a trip to the Barbadoes-with his brother Lawrence, who died soon after, and left George heir to his estates at Mount Vernon. At p Q754), he commanded regiment against the French, who had established themselves at Fort Duquesne (now Pittsburgh ,and held Fort Necessity against superior numbers, until compelled to capitulate. The year following, when two regiments of regulars were led against Fort Du quesle by General Braddock, Washing ton volunteered and at the disastrous a,nbuscade of July g, 1755. he was the only aide not killed or wounded. He had four bullets through his coat, and two horses were shot under him. In l759, he married Mrs Martha Custis, wealthy widow He was, like nearly all Americans of property at that period, slaveholder, and possessed at his death to be emancipated at the death of his wife (who survived him but three years,) so that the negroes of the two estates. who had intermarried, might not be separated. He was for some years 8 member of the Virginia assembly ; and in 1774. he was ready to fight for the constitutional rights of the colonists. The news of the battle of Lexington April 19, 1775) called the country to arms and Washington, then u member of the Continental Congress-. was elected commander-in-chief by that body. He hastened to the camp at Cambridge; compelled the evacuation of Boston was driven from New York compelled to retreat across New Jersey often de- feated, and reduced to the most desper- ate straits, by disatfectlon. lack of men and supplies, and even cabals against his authority but by his calm courage, prudence, irmness and perseverance, he brought the war, with the aid of powerful allies, to su cessfnl termina- tion and December 23, 17S3,) the in- dependence of the thirteen colonies achieved, he retired from the army to Mount Vernon. He refused pay, but kept minute account of his personal expenses, which were reimbursed by Congress. The Federation of States havil g failed to give an efficient govern ment, Washington proposed conventions for commercial purposes. which led the convention of 1787, of which he was member, which formed the present Federal constitution, con- sidered by him as the only alternative to anarchy and civil war. Under this constitution he was chosen President, and iuaugurated at New York, April 30, 17S9,. He served two terms, and died December IA, 1799
 The foregoing condensed sketch of Washington is copied from The Family Cyclop@dia of Useful Knowledge. Washington was called The Father of hls Country" and it is also said of him that he was " First in war, first in peace and first in the hearts of his country men," On this, his birthday, we take pleasure in presenting our readers, old and young, with picture and sketch of George Washington, and we trust that to-day his memory may be first in the hearts of his countrymen,"