The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-23

From the Washington otdr'
 !" HE birthday of George Washing
 ton, celebrated February 22. and
 1 for more than century the memorable event has been observed on that date, though the date on which the great American was born was February II, 1732. Until he was 20 years old George Washington always observed February II as his birthday, and even after Washington had become the great est and most famous American, Febru- ary II was observed as his birthday, which sometimes was celebrated in diff ferent places both on the 11th and 22d of February.
 Washingtons diary for 17ss contains this note
 |. February 12 went with the family to a ball in Alexandria given by the citi- zens of it and its vicinity in commem- oration of my birthday"
 That birthday ball in Alexandria was held February 12 which was Monday, because the 11th of February fell on Sunday.
 Washington's diary for 1799, the year of his death, contains this birthday ref erence;
 February II went up to Alexandria to the celebration of my birthday. Many maneuvers were performed by uniform corps, and an elegant ball and supper at night February 12, returned home" Washington's early birthday anni- versaries were spent on the farm where he was born on the Potomac river, close to the mouth of Popes creek, in West moreland county, later at the new home of his mother and father in Stafford county, on the Rappahannock river across from Fredericksburg, also at the Popes creek farm when, after his fath- CTS death, it came into possession of his (George's) brother. Augustine, and still later at his half brothers home, Mount Vernon. Washingtons twentieth tbirthday was spent on the island of Bar | bados, where he contracted smallpox. which pockmarked him for life. and on his birthday he was just recovering | from the disease. He had gone to Bar bardos with his half-brother, Lawrence who was then dying from consumption 1 for the better in the condition of Law renee, and, returning to Mount Vernon he died there and bequeathed the prop erty to George.
 l There is a record of Georges birth day in 1760, and in his journal under 1 the date of February II, in that year you may read this:
 Went out myself and continued with my people till o'clock. in which time we got the house about 25O yards. Was informed then that Mir Diggs was al my house, upon which I returned, find ing him and Dr. Laurie there. The ground being soft and deep, we found it to be no easy matter with 20 hands eight horses and six oxen to get this house along"
 The business which Washington ha6 then in hand and to which he makes reference in his journal was the work of moving one of the tenant houses te another site on the farm. Washington's journal shows that hi.
 birthday in f76S was spent by him ir overseeing the work of the farm and il fox hunting. Under the head of Feb ruary II, 1769, you will find this note: Went duck hunting till dinner. MT Piper dined here and Betsey Dandridg, came in the evening"
 It would appear that there was n,
 observance of Washington's birthday il
 the continental army until 17S1, and i is likely that that was the first observ ance of the day by any other persons
 than Washington and his family. Or that occasion Rochambeau and a nun Der of French and American officer celebrated the day with a dinner, thougl Washington was not present. being ab sent from headquarters of the army. Or
 February 12 Rochambeau sent to Wash
 ington the following letter:
 Yesterday Sunday was the anniver sary of your excellency's birthday. w
 have put off celebrating that holiday uri til today by reason of the Lords day
 and we will celebrate it with the sole re
 gret that your excellency be not a wit
 ness of the effusion and gladness of ou
 hearts,
 To that letter Washington sent tn
 following reply:
 '"The flattering distinction paid to tn
 anniversary of my birthday Is an hono
 for which I dare not attempt to expres
 my gratitude. confide in your excel
 lencys sensibility to interpret my feel
 ings for this. and for the obliging man ner in which you are pleased to an
 bounce it,
 The first popular observance of Feb
 ruary P as Washington's birthday was a
 Newport. R. l.. in 17s4. The chronicle
 of that event say that the bells of tn town were rung, that the houses wer ] decorated with flags and other buntin
 knd that brilliant entertainment wa