Lawrence Washington (1718-1752)

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Lawrence Washington (1718-1752) was a soldier and prominent landowner in colonial Virginia. Washington was also the older and beloved half-brother of future United States President George Washington.

[edit] Military career

Lawrence served as an officer in Gooch's Marines, the 61st Foot, which was under the British Admiral Edward Vernon's command in the War of Jenkins' Ear. Lawrence was a survivor of the expeditions against the seaport of Cartagena, New Granada (see Battle of Cartagena de Indias) and against Cuba and Panama.

Washington also participated in the 1741 British landing at Guantanamo (Cumberland Harbor) Cuba led by Admiral Vernon. He served with the American Regiment [1][2] [[3]]. Lawrence Washington survived the fevers which killed off a large number of his fellow soldiers during the unsuccessful attack on Santiago de Cuba.

[edit] Personal life

Washington married Anne Fairfax (1728-1761), daughter of Colonel William Fairfax of Belvoir, himself a land agent for his cousin, Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron. George accompanied his brother Lawrence to the warm springs at Bath (present-day Berkeley Springs, West Virginia), which Lawrence visited frequently to cure his ailments. On the death of Lawrence's widow, George inherited his estate at Mount Vernon, which Lawrence had named in honour of British Admiral Edward Vernon, with whom Lawrence had served. Lawrence died of tuberculosis in 1752.

Lawrence and Anne had several children (none of them lived past child-hood):

• Jane Washington

b. Sep. 27, 1744

d. Jan. 1745

• Fairfax Washington

b. Aug. 22, 1747

d. Oct. 1747

Note:It was not uncommon for a male child's given name to be his mother's surname.

• Mildred Washington

b.Sept. 28, 1748

d.1749

• Sarah Washington

b. Nov. 7, 1750

d. 1754 (?)

Note: She was her father's heir. Had she lived she would have inherited the property now known as Mount Vernon instead of her uncle George W.

Mount Vernon Ladies' Association (2007). George Washington's Mount Vernon - History of Mount Vernon. Mount Vernon Ladies' Association. Retrieved on 2007-10-10.