Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Otwell Is 5th Grade DAR Essay Winner

People all over the world were saddened by the recent death of our first President of the United States, George Washington. He died at home in Mount Vernon on December 14, 1799. He was 67 years old. His parents, Augustine and Mary Washington, preceded him in death. His wife of forty years, Martha Custis Washington, and two step-grandchildren, Eleanor Parke Custis and George Washington Parke Custis, survives him. His body was laid to rest in the family tomb at Mount Vernon after a military funeral.

George Washington was born to Augustine and Mary Ball Washington on February 22, 1732 on Pope's Creek Farm. Just before his third birthday, his family moved to Little Hunting Creek on the Potomac River. This would later be know as Mount Vernon. At the age of about seven his family moved to Ferry Farm on the Rappahannock River.

Washington ended his schoolwork after only six or seven years at the age of fourteen or fifteen. This was not long after his father's death. He was already capable of writing letters, keeping business accounts and doing simple figuring. He would spend the rest of his life keeping diaries and careful accounts of his expenses.

Washington's military career started at the age of twenty years. By the time he was twenty-two years old he had been promoted to colonel. This was after his part in the French and Indian War. In 1758, Washington and his troops were able to chase the French from Fort Duqnesne for good. It was then at age twenty-six that he resigned at war's end and retired to Mount Vernon.

Washington's political career would soon follow. In 1758, he was elected to the House of Burgesses. He would be re-elected time after time for the next fifteen years. In September of 1774, he was elected to the First Continental Congress. After Congress approved the boycott of trade with Great Britain by all colonies, Congress then adjourned. In March 1775, Washington was elected to the Second Continental Congress. By the time he arrived to attend the Congress, the Battles of Lexington and Concord had already taken place. Although the Congress wanted to avoid war, they feared they could not. Washington was elected Commander in Chief.

The Revolutionary War (1775-1783) would follow. During this time, Congress approved the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. After the victory at Yorktown in 1781, several military officers suggested that the army set up a monarchy with Washington as king. Washington refused the idea "with abhorrence." He ordered them to "banish these thoughts from your mind."

In 1786, Washington wrote, "We are verging to anarchy and conclusions." In 1787, the states finally agreed to revise the Articles of Confederation. Washington was elected to head the Virginia delegates. Once the Constitutional Convention opened, the delegates elected Washington as president of the convention.

In 1789, Washington was elected to the be the first President of the United States. He went on to be re-elected for another term in 1792. After his farewell speech in 1796 he happily went home to Mount Vernon to retire. George Washington is truly the father of our country.