The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-07-11

them have not survived the century
which has elapsed since the greatest OF
all Americans went the way of all
flesh. Many of them remain, however
especially among those which Washing
ton used as headquarters during his
campaigns. Some of them have been
borne away piecemeal, lovingly and
with an almost justifiable vandalism
by those who value such mementoes as
mute witnesses of the former presence
of one reverenced above all his fellows
The house in which George Washing
ton was born burned to the ground
when the future first president was
three years of age and the family took
shelter in rude cabin hastily erected
on the site until a new home could be
selected. This earliest abiding place
of the great Virginian was at Wake
field, in Wcstmorland county, and until
recent years the two brick chimneys-
all that remained from the sudden con-
Migration which made the Washing
tons homeIess=were still standing. At
the present, however, hardly a brick
can be found after diligent searching
the relic hunter has been thorough and
the site has almost reverted to its orig
inal condition.
Fortunately for the Washingtons.
they soon had another home They
owned another estate, in Stafford coun-
ty. opposite fredericksburg, and as
soon as they could right themselves
they removed to it and lived in a house
which was the exact counterpart of the
one that burned. They lived there I'M
til the father, Augustine Washington,
died, and for some time afterward-un-
til George went to live with his elder
half brother Lawrence, who had in
herited Mount Vernon from his father
and was living on that fine estate the
happy go lucky life of a Virginia
planter.
The Washingtons were not rich at
this time, but they were in very COM
Portable circumstances and had rich
friends. Lawrence was a great favor
lite, and Lord Fairfax was his constant
associate. The eccentric nobleman was
so attached to genial Larry that he
went out of his way, and gladly, to do
something for his young half brother.
George made his home at Mount Yer
non and shared in the general pros
perity which came through the friend
ship of Fairfax, being employed to sur
vey the latter's estates and paid we'll
for doing it.
At the death of Lawrence Washing
ing, Mount Vernon became the proper
ty of his younger brother. The latter
proceeded without delay to put the es
tate in order and had just about done
so when the colony sent him to ne
gotiate with the troublesome French
and Indians. When he returned he was
appointed aid to Braddock and distin-
guished himself in that generals rather
disappointing campaign. Then he re-
turned to his estate, married Mrs
Martha Custis and prepared TO settle
down for the remainder of his life at
beautiful Mount Vernon
But fate would not have it so. After
n few years of happiness and great
prosperity, at the close of which he had
become the most conspicuous person in
the colony of Virginia and also one of
the richest. he was called to assume the
command of the army with which the
colonies were about to begin the
ganized struggle for freedom. Dur
ing the six years following he had more
temporary lodging places than any gen.
eral ancient or modern, who has made
his way into history.
On Jan. %, 1775, Washington left
Philadelphia on horseback and jour
neyed in that fashion to Cambridge,
Mass, to join the patriot army. The