Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-16

man Of landed wealth, and evidently enterpris-
ing He made several trading voyages to Eng
land sent his two eldest sons Lawrence and
Augustine (AuStine), to school In England
profited by the sale Of iron ore deposits on his
Stafford County estate to q smelling company
and the carrying Of cargoes Of pig iron to Eng
land
All Of the children Of Augustine washington
received o good inheritance but inasmuch as
the Hunting Greek estate was bequeathed to
the eldest son Lawrence, it seems likely that
their father looked upon 1t as his principal
estate, though he lived on the fredericksburg
plantation. Lawrence Washington served as q
captain under Admiral Vernon In the expedi-
ton against Cartagena, In 1740, and never re-
covered from the effects of that brief campaign,
though death did not come to him until another
IL years had passed. Lord Fairfax, whose es-
tate adjoined that Of the WaShingtons, was also
at Cartagena, and this wartime friendship be-
tween the two families was to grow closer in
later years through the marriage of Lawrence
washington into the Fairfax family and the
fopdness of Lord Fairfax for George. There
were several other ariStocratic families In the
vicinity, Gunston Hall, the home of the Mason
family adjoining the Washington estate and
Rippon Lodge was just beyond, the seat Of Col.
Richard Blackburn.
In 1743, after inheriting the Hunting Creek
estate, Lawrence Washington built house that
was in keeping with his station, and renamed
the estate Mount Vernon, in honor of the Brit
1sh admiral under whom he had served One
writer asserts that Mount Vernon was not
named for the admiral, but we may confidently
take as corroborative evidence the hall lantern
that Is now at Mount Vernon It was given to
Lawrence Washington by Admiral Vernon in
1745
Wealthy and of good family, Capt. Lawrence
Washington lived in gentlemanly state at Mount
Vernon. He was q prominent member OF the
House Of Burgesses, and was respected as one
OF the leading men of Northern Virginia.
I AWRENCE was fond of his half brother
George, this fondness developing almost
into guardianship George loved his brother,
and was fond Of Mount Vernon too; SO, much
Of his time In adolescent years was spent at
Mount Vernon, or at Belvoir, with the Fair
faxes who thought highly Of this outstanding
among gentlemen Of position and birth in
Northern Virginia, so progressing, gentleman
~, intelligent and active, became favorite In
society. Wen built--he was 6 feet well
poised, clean-minded, fearless adventurous, q
lover OF all manly sports and gentlemanly
pastimes, George Washington also gave early
evidence that he possessed the modesty, good
sense and initiative that indicate leadership.
But he had no intention Of passing his time
idly. George Hume, who was surveyor to Lord
Fairfax, grandson OF Lord Culpeper from l743
to $780, found the young man an apt pupil,
able, when Is years old, to be htrusted with
the responsibilities Of surveyor And, as there
was much surveying to be done on the vast
Culpeper grant, George Washington spent about
three years In that way, much Of the time be-
ing passed beyond the Blue Ridge Mountains
in company with one Of the Fairfaxes. He
lived o hardy life in the open, but passed much