Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-02-20
Early Life of George Wash
ington - BY Lizzie Jones

George Washington was born IN
westmoreland county, Virginia, on the
22d day Of February, 1882. He was sent
to an old field school. The country
school houses in Virginia at that time
were built in the fields too much worn
out to grow anything. Little George
Washington went to school taught by
man named Hobby.
In that day the land in Virginia was
left to the oldest son after the custom
In England for Virginia was an Enghsh
colony. AS Georges elder brother Law
renee was to have the land and be the
great gentleman of the family, he had
been sent to England for his education.
When he got back with many q strange
story Of England to tell, George pc
came very proud Of him, and Lawrence
was equally proud Of his manly little
brother. When Lawrence went away as
captain in a regiment raised ~
America for service In the Englisn
army against the Spaniards In the
West Indies, George began to tnlhk
much of a soldiers life, and to drill the
boys in Hobby's school. There were
marches and parades and bloodless pat
ties fought among tufts of broom straw
in the old field and in these young
George was captain. ~
This play captain was soon tan
boy. He could run swiftly, ana ne was
a powerful wrestler. He could jump
farther than anybody else, he could
throw farther and he could jump high
err than anybody else. The people IN
that day always rode around on horse
back. George was not afraid TO get Oh
the back Of any horse. He was so just
that his. schoolmates would bring thell
quarrels to him to settle.
When Washington was eleven years
old his father died, but his mother TOOK
pains to bring him up with manly
ideas. He was now sent to school TO
Mr.. Williams, from whom he learned
reading. writing and arithmetic. 10
there were added little bookkeeping
and surveying.
George took great pains with every
thing he did. He was always neat IN
his handwriting and kept his DOCKS
very neat. His brother Lawrence wish
ed him to be a seaman and George
liked the idea pretty good himself. But
his mother was unwilling to part with
him so he stayed in school until he was
sixteen years old.
great deal Of the northern part Of
Virginia at this time belonged to Lord
Fairfax. So when he was just sixteen
years old young Washington accepted
the offer Of Lord Fairfax and set out
for the wilderness. The settlers BEDS
were onlv masses of straw or corn
shocks with ragged blanket on them.
Sometimes the men, women and chill
dren slept around the fire like cats and
dogs. Once the straw on which WASH
inzton was sleeping blaZed up and ne
might have been burned II 1t had not
been for some Of the men that were
with him.
The food of the people in those days
was the flesh of the wild turkey ana
other game. Each person would cook
his own meals on forked stick held
over the fire. Washington led the rough
life for three years. One night he saw
party Of Indians dance at the SOUND
Of a kettle drum and gourds with shot
in them.
When Washington was but nineteen
years old he was made major OF a mill
tia company by the governor or VIZ
GINA. He took military lessons from an
old soldier and practiced sword exer-
cises from an old Dutchman named
Van Broom. The people in Virginia and
other colonies were looking for war
with the French. They claimed the ter
ritory west Of the Allegheny mountains.
The French stirred up the Indians so
as to have help against the colonies.
The governor of Virginia thought he
would send an officer to warn the
French that they were on English soil.
So he sent young Major Washington
who knew the woods and the ways OF
the Indians. When at length he crossed
swollen streams and rough mountains
I, and called the Indians together and had
! big talk with them at the place called
| Logtown He got the chief called Half
King and some other Indians to go
with him.
The French did not like to give up
! their forts but they liked this brave
| Major Washington. When Washington
! got to a place where he had to leave
| the Indians and recross the mountains
| he found out that his pack horses were
giving out, so he put a pack on his
own horse and strapped pack on his
back He and a man named G1st were
along together and had a rascally Ind
| ian for a guide.
When Washington was tired the Ind
ian wanted to carry his gun. But the
young major thought it safer in his
own hands At length as evening came
I on the Indian suddenly turned and lev
eled his gun and fired, but without hit
| ting either one Of them. They seized
| him before he could reload his gun.
Gist wanted to kill him, but Washing
ton thought it better to let him go.
| Afraid of being attacked, they now
travelled night and day until they got
to the Allegheny river. This was full
of floating ice and they tried to cross 1t
on a raft Washington was pushing the
raft with a long pole, when it caught
in the Ice In such a way as to throw
him into the river He caught hold OF
the raft and pulled himself out again.
EIe and Gist spent the cold night on an
island in the river and got ashore next
morning by walking on the ice.
They now stopped at the house Of an
Indian trader Nearby was a squaw
| chief who was offened by not being
asked to council with Washington
Washington bought horse here and
soon got back to the settlement where
the story OF the adventures of the
young major was told from one planta-
ton to another, producing much excite
! ment
| Lizzie Jones,
1913 e. Mary ST., Ottumwa, Iowa.