The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1909-02-25
George Wasbin9ton

Paper Read Before the Cha,ttauqua Circle.
- OMMANDER-IN-CHIEF o
the Continental forces in the
Revolution and first president
of the United States, was born
February 22nd, 1882, at Bridges Creek,
Westmoreland Co., Va. Little or moth
ing is known of Washington's ancestors
in England.
His grandfather, John Washington.
emigrated to Virginia in 1857, and
served as a colonel in the early Indian
wars. His father died when he was
eleven years of age, SO that his educa-
tion and training was undertaken by !
his mother, who was woman of noble
character, and, as events proved, fully
equal to the task. All thru his life we
are able to note the deep love and re-
spect that he bore her, and to her In
fiuence, no doubt, is due the develop !
ment of many of his admirable charac-
teristics.
AS boy Washington was very fond
of outdoor sports, and it was his great
delight to organize his boy friends into
a soldier company and drill them. His
attendance at school was from necessity
quite limited, but as he was very bright
he soon became the best scholar in the
vicinity of his home, cxcelling in math-
ematics, and at the age Of sixteen had
thoroly fitted himself as practical
surveyor.
One of Washington's early friends
was Lord Fairfax, an eccentric Eng
lishman. who owned an immense estate
in Virginia. He employed him to sur
vey this land, and it was while engaged
in this work, away from civilization
and compelled to undergo numerous
hardships, that he learned many lessons
that afterward proved useful to him.
When Governor Dinwiddle arrived in
Virginia he appointed Washington,
with the rank of major, over one OF the
four military districts into which he
divided the colony.
Iswas at this time, in 17o3, and when
only twenty-one years of age, that he
was dispatched on his mission to Ve-
mango IA French fort on the Allegheny
riyer) to find out from the French COM
mander his reasons for invading British
territory. This being accomplished he
returned, in imminent peril from In
dian bullets and floating ice, for it was
while on his homeward journey that he
was fired upon by an Indian not thirty
feet distant. Fortunately the latter
missed his mark, and was captured by
Washington and his guide. The gulde
desired to kill the savage at once, but
acting on Washington's advice, they
merely detained him until night ane
the allowed him to depart. During
the night while attempting to cross TT
Allegheny on raft, they were hullet
amidst the grinding ice and Lad t
cling to the timbers of the destroyed
raft until morning, when they foun'
ice solid enough to cross on foot.
When called upon to take comman
OF INC army VI IhO ChA'0~ e'S>"S~
Washington was forty-three years
age, He had married wealthy youn
widow in 1859 and being heir to larg
estates himself, had decided. to devot
the rest of his life to agriculture an
the improvement of his property. HI
kind and genial disposition SCENE
better fitted for the quiet of domesti
life than for the stern duties OF militai
command, but to these gentler trai
he Joined a high enthusiasm, an VI
conquerable spirit of daring and e
durance, which later on made him tt
idol of his soldiers.
1t was in May, 1775, that the Seeol
Continental Congress met at Phiiad'
phia, and appointed him to be col
mander-in-chief of the continental 9
nv. Altho he had written letter
a fri, nd in which he stated that
aabhorred the idea of independence"
cheerfulIy gave up his hone circle 81
risked his property and his life.
On the 3rd of July, IT'S, this gre
general took command of the fort
besieging Boston. His first task v
to create an army out OF these raw
cruits, and happily the inaction OF
British gave him few months for