M^r Fairfax got safe home and I myself safe to my Brothers[44]
which concludes my Journal[45]
[Illustration: (Mount Vernon River)]
[Footnote 44: Major Lawrence Washington, proprietor of Mount
Vernon, was the second child and oldest surviving son of Augustine
and his first wife Jane (Butler) Washington, born at Pope's Creek,
Westmoreland county, Va., in 1718, and died at his residence, Mount
Vernon, 26th July, 1752. He was the half-brother of the illustrious
George Washington and great-grandson of the emigrant, Col. John
Washington, who came to Virginia about 1657. It is a matter
of tradition that Lawrence was at about the age of 15 sent to
England to be educated, and leaving college he received a captain's
commission to serve in a regiment raised in Virginia to take part
in the expedition against Carthegenia, 1740-42, under the command
of Admiral Vernon.
The expedition failed of its purpose, and Major Lawrence Washington
returned to Virginia in the fall of 1742. He shortly after became
engaged to Anne Fairfax, which induced him to resign from the army.
His father died April 12, 1743, leaving a considerable estate and
named him, his oldest son, one of his executors. He inherited
from his father "the Hunting creek" plantation, consisting of
2,500 acres, on the Potomac but a few miles from and in sight of
"Belvoir." On the 19th of July Lawrence Washington was united in
marriage to Anne, eldest daughter of the Hon. William Fairfax of
"Belvoir." He made many improvements on his plantation and gave it
the name of "Mount Vernon," in compliment to his old commander,
Admiral Vernon. Lawrence Washington had received a good education,
had mixed with prominent personages, had seen much of the world,
and was a man of good habits and business qualifications.
His father at the time of his death, was largely engaged in
business which Lawrence was obliged to look after and close up.
This gradually led him into various business enterprises; such as
the manufacturing of iron, buying and selling land, etc. He and his
brother Augustin were among the organizers of "The Ohio Company,"
to explore the western country, encourage settlements, and conduct
a trade with the Indians. He was elected to the House of Burgesses
of Virginia from Fairfax county in 1748. It was largely through his
influence that a charter was granted to the towns of Alexandria
and Colchester, both in Fairfax county. He together with Lord
Fairfax, George Mason, Hon. William Fairfax, William Ramsay, John
Carlyle and others was named as trustee to lay out and govern the
town. He was a popular legislator, but declined to serve longer
in the Assembly, as it interfered with his present business. He
was greatly attached to his brother George, and made it a point
to have him with him at Mount Vernon whenever it was practicable
without interrupting his studies. Lawrence was always of a delicate
constitution, but by his prudent habits and systematic attention
to business he accomplished a great deal and enhanced the value of
his possessions. He was tall in stature and a man of fine personal
appearance, as is shown by an oil painting of him which still hangs
upon the wall of the Virginia room in Mount Vernon mansion. He was
rapidly becoming one of the leading business men of Virginia, when
his health broke down. As a last resort his physicians recommended
that he should spend a winter in the West Indies. In the fall of
1751, he resigned his commission as one of the adjutant-generals of
Virginia, and taking his brother George with him, he went to the
Island of Barbadoes. His pulmonary trouble had progressed too far
to be arrested, and after spending some five months on the Island,
and finding himself declining he returned home and died in July,
1752. His marriage had been blessed by four children, three of whom
had died, his surviving child, Sarah, was still an infant at the
time of her father's death. After providing in his will for his
wife he left Mount Vernon to his daughter, but in the event of her
death without heirs it was to go to his "beloved brother George,"
who was also named as one of his executors. This daughter Sarah
died within a year, and George inherited Mount Vernon before he was
21 years of age. A few years after Lawrence Washington's death,
his widow married George Lee, brother to the father of Arthur and
Richard Henry Lee, patriots in the Revolution.]
[Footnote 45: The note book which contains this journal of
Washington's includes also other memoranda, such as notes of
surveys, drafts of juvenile letters, verses, etc., all of which are
of interest for the glimpses they give of the character and early
life of their author, and are copied with literal exactness and
given with the journal and surveys.]
The Mannor how to Draw up a Return when Survey'd for His Lordship
or any of y^e Family