Washington’s Virginia
George Washington is myth and legend, a military leader, statesman, founder, and held in our esteem as the Father of Our Country. Washington served as Commander of the Continental Army, President of the Constitutional Convention and First President of the United States of America. Yet despite his glorious public persona, George Washington always clung to his roots in the Virginia countryside and his private identity as a farmer. At the end of his presidency, Washington wrote “I am once more seated under my own vine and fig tree and hope to spend the remainder of my days – which, in the ordinary course of things…cannot be many – in peaceful retirement.”
For our own trip through Virginia, Albert and I chose to pack lightly. The Q2 and Q2 Monochrom as always were versatile and easy to carry. The Q2 handled a wide range of lighting conditions from very dark interiors to bright outdoors. Albert brought the M-system with a limited number of lenses because of severe space constraints on a regional airline. Once again, he rendered romantic landscapes with the Thambar-M 90 mm f/2.2 .
George Washington was born on February 22, 1732, at Pope’s Creek in Westmoreland County. Most of his childhood and early years were spent at the Ferry Farm, outside of Fredericksburg. (#2) So called because it sat at the juncture of the ferry landing on the Rappahannock River and the highway into the town. The house was substantial for its time. Little is known about the details of daily life, but the Washingtons were on the fringe of Fredericksburg gentility. Unlike his two older brothers, George did not receive a formal education, rather was likely tutored privately, perhaps by local teachers. The family’s financial situation was uncertain, worsened after his father died when the lad was but 11 years old. George supplemented whatever education he received with his own constant studies.
Washington was eager to leave Ferry Farm and make his way in the world. His first career was surveying. Working close to home and journeying out to Western Virginia, he learned a great deal of geography and developed a keen interest in real estate property. He ultimately became a substantial landholder, possessing up to 70,000 acres between the Potomac and Ohio Rivers.
Washington realized that although surveying provided him with reliable income it would not lead to upward social rise. A military career provided this entrée and came as the British entered the French and Indian War. Washington proved his astonishing bravery and sang-froid in battle. In March 1758, during a break in the fighting, Washington returned to Williamsburg, the center of Virginia politics – home to the Governor’s Palace and the House of Burgesses. (#1 & #3) There he met Martha Dandridge Custis, a young wealthy widow with two children; they were married in January 1759. Both he and Martha found a loving and trusted mate in one another.
Washington inherited Mount Vernon, a 2,000-acre plantation on the Potomac River, from his older brother Lawrence. (#4) Mount Vernon was the center of George and Martha’s world. Their household bustled with activity. One month after his marriage, Washington assumed his elected seat in the House of Burgesses, the beginning of an illustrious political career. From then on Washington would be torn between his public duties and longing for quiet life at home in Mount Vernon. (#6)
Washington’s social circle centered on the Virginia gentry. Among these were the prominent Lee family. It is likely that Washington could have visited their home Stratford Hall in the rolling hills of the county. (#5 & #7) Washington also maintained close connections to Fredericksburg. He purchased a house in town for his mother to be closer to his sister Betty and her husband Fielding Lewis. Lewis minded Washington’s affairs while he was away at war and in government service.
Hugh Mercer, physician and apothecary, practiced in Fredericksburg. (#9) A Scotsman who escaped to America after fighting against the English, he became an American patriot and close friend of Washington’s. Mercer fought beside Washington in the French and Indian War, and as brigadier general of the Continental Army, dying in the Battle of Princeton in January 1777.
Mount Vernon provided great pleasure and delight for the Washingtons, but also proved to be a burdensome challenge. Managing the large estate, at times suffering significant financial losses, Washington was continuously seeking to improve the operation of the plantation. His goal was to transform Mount Vernon into something more like a self-sufficient village than a farm, fusing his economic interests with his political ideas. A gracious and expansive country house, Mount Vernon was also designed for entertaining. The centerpiece of the public rooms is the refined large dining room, illuminated by a magnificent Palladian window, adorned with an elaborate plasterwork ceiling, and painted bright green, a striking sign of power and affluence. (#10) The green verdigris pigment, made by suspending copper over a bath of vinegar, was a costly process. Imported from England, it was a “must have” in every great house. Completed just in time for the return from the Presidency, Washington knew that this room would receive statesmen, dignitaries, and guests from the highest ranks. During his decades of public service Washington corresponded regularly with a succession of property managers who were entrusted with running the estate and managing family finances, always tenuous.
At long last in March 1797, Washington retired from public life and returned to Mount Vernon. Both he and his beloved home wore the effects of the preceding decades. Washington, 65 years old, was not as vigorous as before. Though he still went on horseback each morning to inspect his farms, he did not have the strength and endurance of his youth. On December 12, 1799, he returned home after riding out in inclement weather. Guests were present, but Washington went to bed early with a sore throat. His condition deteriorated rapidly; exacerbated by the doctors’ bloodletting, he weakened further. George Washington died at Mount Vernon with Martha by his side. He is buried in the simple yet dignified family vault on the property. Always remembering his home in Virginia, “No estate in the United America is more pleasantly situated than this... on one of the finest Rivers in the world.” (#8)
