The central record., 1911-02-17
George Washington.


Some men are born great some achieve
greatness and others have great
ness thrust upon them" In this bust
ling, thriving free country of ours our
great men become so by dint of the
second clause of the quotations, by
what has become to be known in for
aign countries as American pluck,
they Do things, Surely none are great
by virtu& Of the latter clause; are made
SO by the virtue of some crowned head.
who mayhap, himself; as an accident a
weakling, wearing his Potential powers
by virtue of being direct defendant of
some other person, perhaps as weak as
himself. We are not nation of hero
worshipers, and yet are we ever ready
to render unto Caesar the things
which are Caesars, and to accord to
every man his just dues, to give him
credit for his achievements.
Prominent among the great men whose
memory We cherish and revere is the
Father of our Country, and by ALL
from the lisping child who listens to
the story of the hatchet and the cherry
tree, to the gray haired patriarch who
points with pride to the picture of
Washington, which adorns nearly every
lodge room, and proudly says, "He was
a Mason, he is given the unstinted
honor of being First in peace, first in
war and first in the hearts of his coun-
trymen."
George Washington was born in West
moreland county Virginia, February %,
1872. His ancestors settled in Virginia
in or about 1857, and his ancestry can
be traced no further back than that
period. His father died when he was
about twelve years of age, he inherit
ing goodly estate in Stafford county
near Fredericksburg Va, upon which
he lived, leading the life of the average
young men of means in those days. He
did not receive much educations, even
for those days, his principal accomplish
ment being in mathematics, he being a
practical surveyor of no small repute in
his locality. Though having served his
district several times in the Legislature,
he was not brought into national repu-
tation until 1774 when the Virginia con-
vention appointed him as one of its
seven delegates to the Continental Con-
gress. His executive ability was quick
ly perceived by his colleagues and pre-
parations were even then being made
for armed resistance and he was looked
to as the prospective commander of the
Virginia troops. However, his ability
and judgement had reached beyond the
confines of his native state, troops had
commenced to mobilize in Massasschu-
sets, and, after the battles of Lexing-
ton and Concord, the determination
was reached to put the colonies in a
state of defense, the first practical step
was taken in this direction when upon
the motion of John Adams of Massass-
chusetts, Washington, then a Virginia
Colonel, was made Commander-in-chief
of the United Colonies armed forces.
In support of the contention yet made
of his unselfishness and his tendency to
belittle his own qualifications, he accept
ed the call, refusing to accept any sal
ary for his services and declaring his
unfitness for the position. These un-
assuming qualities marked his entire
career. His career from the time he
was commissioned Commander-in-chief,
through the Revolutionary War and ur
to the time he surrendered his commits.
sion to Congress and retired to private
life at Mt Vernon, is matter of Unit.
ed States history. Overcoming obsta.
cles seemingly unsurmountable, com.
manding an army of patriotic regimen
tails, half clothed, often fed, Otter
meeting with discord, dissatisfaction
and even treason within his own ranks,
he needs must have been a man OF
much more than ordinary ability te
have successfully coped with and final.
ly overcome all barriers and lead his
troops to ultimate and glorious victory
His military achievements however
were but the beginning of his brilliant
career. When the Federal Convention
convened in 1857 at Philadelphia
Washington was present as delegate
from Virginia and was unanimousl,
chosen as the presiding officer. Ther
and there the present constitution Of
the United States was framed. Short
ly thereafter when the time came un
der that constitution to elect a presi
dent, Washington's was the only name
thought of or suggested, aud he wsi
elected by the unanimous vote of the e
lectoral college, and rejected in 17ss
snd would have again been placed il