The Springdale news., 1889-04-26
Biographical.

December l4 17g9 He was a son of Angus
 tine Washington, whose earlest-known am cestor came from England in l6j1 Hc be c.me a planter, county magistrate member of the House of Bugcsscs and Colonel of militia at the time the Seneca Indians were troublesome Augustine Wash ngton died in l143, but his wife, Mary, lived to see that son the greatest military
 and civic hero of his day George Wash mgton attended the common schools, but
 never entered college, He was foremost in athletic sports, was q fearless rider and was fond of playing soldier, but always insisted on being commander of the squad Be
 causc of his honesty and excellent iudg-
 ment he was frequently selected as umpire in various disputes that arose among hIs boy companions His brother Lawrence
 an officer in the British navy, one time per suaded him to enter his Maj stys service and went so far as to get a midshipman's
 warrant for him when he was but fourteen years of age, but his mother prevailed on him not to accept But for her gentle en- treaties how different might have been the fate of the Nation
 Continuing his studies and paying special
 attention to surveying, to which he was
 partial, at sixteen he became a surveyor. At nineteen he was appointed Adlutant General of the Virginia militia and ordered
 to make an inspection of tho force. Sub sequently he went to the West Indies with hisbrother. who was in feeble health, and then had the smallpox Before he was twenty one he was sent as a commission CT to the commanding officer of the French troops and so successfully did he perform the work that henceforth he was promi-
 nent man before the country and the civ | ilized world On his return he was ap- pointed Lieutenant-Colonel of regiment
 was soon promoted to a Colonelcy and afterward served with distinction in the
 campaigns against the French and Indians
 When Braddock was sent over to take com
 mand of the British forces Washington be-
 came a volunteer aide de camp on his staff,
 was with him at tho disastrous battle on the l Monone ahela above Pittsburgh and was the only mounted officer not wounded or killed | Afterward he had the honor of planting the
 British flag on Fort Duquesne.
 January 6 1759, he was married to Martha | Custis. widow of John Parke Custis, and Ter | signed his commission in the army. Pre- | vously, however, he had been elected dele gate to the House of Burgesses When he attended for the first time he was by pre- concerted arrangement, publicly thanked 1 for his distinguished services, and was so greatly embarrassed at the unexpected compliment that he could not utter a word | in acknowledgement He was continued l as delegate for many years, and although | he made no set speeches he was conceded | to be the ablest business member In 1714 | he was elected to the first Congress, re- | elected in 1775 and then by that body | chosen Commander in Chief of all the con | tinental forces July 3 of that year he took | command of the army i'll front of Boston. | The history of the struggle need not be re- | told He took final leave of the army Octo- | Der lS 17S3 resigned his commission De cember g, and the following day set out | for Mount Vernon.
 | As private citizen delighting in agricult- | ural pursuits and thoroughly enjoying the | home circle the condition of the country he | had saved was never absent from his | thoughts Reluctant as he was to again 1 engage in public life, when elected Presi- | dent he accepted n first and afterward
 second term, positively declined third, | and retired to his home full of honorS and 1 followed by Nations gratitude. But not | even then was he permitted to remain long l in seclusion Troubles with France arose | and all eyes were instinctively turned to l Washington. At the urgent solicitation of | Hamilton, Madison and others he accepted | the commission of General and | immediately began the work of preparing | for war Happily the misunderstanding
 was amicably settled, and once more ard | for tho last time he repaired to Mount l Vernon His last words should forever be | his epitaph:. s'It is we'll"