Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1910-03-02


hand His Oldest brother, Lawrence.
was sent to England to be educated.
He came back in 1910 England ana
Spain We're at war, and the English
went on an expedition to the Nest
Indies 20 capture the Spanish towns.
Virginia raised some troops, and Law
renee Washington went as captain
| and had taste OF fighting in an at
tack by Admiral Vernon on Cartha-
l sena, He was gone two wears His
father died in 1745, leaving a great
estate on the Potomac to Lawrence.
which he named Mount Vernon, IN
honor of his commander, AdmiraI
Vernon. He built u fine mansion
overlooking the river. married Annie
Fairfax. and lived in fine style, hav-
ing a stable full OF horses.
George was II wears Old, and vas
sent to Mr.. Williams school. where
he studied surveying He wanted 10
/ be a midshipman on one OF Admiral
Nernons ships. a commission was
! obtained, but his mother asked MIN
/ TO give up the idea OF being a sailor
/ and his affection tor her was so ten
der that he did not accept the com.
mission. When he was fifteen years
| Old he went 10 Mount Vernon to ave
! with Lawrence, whose next neigh
/ Dor was Lord Fairfax-a tall. eaua.
/ raW-boned man, with suarp most,
piercing eyes, 60 years old. VINO
owned immense estates ON the Pc.
tomac, and beyond the Blue Ridge.
along the Shenandoah. which he mad
inherited from his mother, daughter
oil Lord Culpepper. 10 whom they
mad been given by Charles H. LORD
/ Fairfax had many horses. He was
iond Of hunting and riding at a
/ bicakneck speed leaping fallen trees
aud high fences, in chasing deer ana
/ foxes with a pack of hounds and a
troop OF his neighbors OF an the
riders there was none boide. than
George Washington. No untamed COLI,
no matter how nigh he might kick.
} could unseat the tail boy when he
was once on the animals back. Lord
faiftaN wanted his land in the Shen-
ahdoah surveyed, and engaged the
! l6Fearold lad to do the work. George
rode on horseback up the valley OF
the Potomac and entered the valley
OF the daughter OF the stars. as the
indians called the beautiful .Shenan-
( doah. He laid on the wild land into
4 farms WORKING hora all H. t., -
compass, sleeping at night on the
! floor Of log cabin, or wrapping
himself in his blanket beneath the
trees. and earning five on SIX dol.
lars day. He laid out a manor for
Lord Fairfax, who built great
house, with numerous outbuildings.
and who treated everybody with the
greatest hospitality lie called his
place Greenway court Squatters. ne
groes. Indians always could have a
meal at Greenway.
The governor Of Virginia appointed
him public suryo pr The planters
PAID him liberaIls They raised
great deal Of tobacco. which the,
pressed into hogsheads ana which
was rolled 10 Beihayen. on the Pc
tomac. where they loaded it on yes
sells and shipped il to England. Bel
haven was a hamlet Of few houses,
but Colonel Fairfax, Lawrence Wash
ingtoE and few of their neighbors.
thinking II might be made large
I town. purchased the land, and set
/ the young surveyor to laying it out.
They named it Alexandria. What.
/ ever he undertook to do was well
/ done. He wrote the note. of his
/ survey In clear, round hand. easy
/ to read as printed page He was
/ so much respected that the COVER.
nor appointed him a major In the
militia when he was only eighteen
He took fencing lessons of Jacob
Van Braam, Dutchman who had
been with his brother Lawrence IN
/ the war against the Spaniards.
/ Governor Dinwiddie had tried in
vain to find some one who would
take letter to the French beyond
! the mountains OF all the brave and
able men in Virginia, no one cared
! 10 20 There were terrible hardshfps
70 be encountered. to say nothing Of
The chance Of man losing his scalp
viii go sir said the Young
surveyor, % years old. and he was
/ 50 selfreliant and capable thar the
/ governor intrusteu him with the mis-
/ sion
The leaves were falling from the
elms and naples on the goth Of Octo-
/ Der 1852 when he started from VIII
iiamsburg with Jacob Van Braam,
who was 70 20 with him Eight rqen.
with tent and provisions accom-
panied them on horseback Two were
Indians. Thcy rode up the valley Of
/ The Potomac to Cumberland, followed
40 q little stream called wins creek,
Ciimbed over the mountains. and
reached the Nonongahela TIE pro
visions were put in canoe and
sent down the stream: but the men
on horseback reached the Ohio be
fore the boats While waiting for
i' th- young surveyor VAS making q
map Of the country
Here Is place for a fort. and
Is viii be a city some day b. said
be stood upon the point II lana
n tho Junction ot the Allegheny ana
NoHongaheia, where nos the smoke
Of thousand Of furnaces of pitts.
burg darkeu the sun.