We actually do not know much about Washington’s childhood.  George’s father was Augustine Washington.  He already had three children (Lawrence, Augustine Jr., and Jane) when he married George’s mother in 1731.  Mary Ball Washington gave birth to George on February 11, 1732.

[In 1752 the Georgian calendar was corrected, by adding 11 days.  The uncorrected calendar was called the Old Style calendar.  The calendar that added 11 days was called the New Style calendar.  That’s why we celebrate Washington’s birthday on February 22 (New Style).]

George’s mother had several other children:  Betty (born 1733), Samuel (born 1735), John Augustine (born 1736) and Charles (born 1737).

We know that George looked up to his oldest half-brother Lawrence.  Lawrence marched off to serve in Admiral Vernon’s expedition to capture the Spanish colony of Cartagena in 1739.  The 7 year old George probably admired his brother’s uniform and regalia.

George was also close to his younger brother John Augustine and remembered that Jack (as he called him) was “the intimate companion of my youth.”

And we also know that in 1743, when George was only 11, his father died.

 
Explore each of the links below to discover more about
George Washington: Man and Myth.

Back to Washington Home Page
Back to Electronic Field Trip Home Page
Copyright 1999 Colonial Williamsburg Foundation