The True George Washington | Page 6

of three hundred dollars a year, provided he is diligent in
discharging the duties of it from breakfast until dinner--Sundays
excepted. This sum will be punctually paid him, and I am particular in
declaring beforehand what I require, and what he may expect, that there
may be no disappointment, or false expectations on either side. He will
live in the family in the same manner his brother Robert did." This
Robert had been for some time one of his secretaries, and at another
time was employed as a rent-collector.
Still another son, Lawrence, also served him in these dual capacities,
and Washington, on his retirement from the Presidency, offered him a
home at Mount Vernon. This led to a marriage with Mrs. Washington's
grandchild, Eleanor Custis, a match which so pleased Washington that

he made arrangements for Lawrence to build on the Mount Vernon
estate, in his will named him an executor, and left the couple a part of
this property, as well as a portion of the residuary estate.
As already noted, much of Washington's early life was passed at the
homes of his elder (half-) brothers, Lawrence and Augustine, who lived
respectively at Mount Vernon and Wakefield. When Lawrence
developed consumption, George was his travelling companion in a trip
to Barbadoes, and from him, when he died of that disease, in 1752,
came the bequest of Mount Vernon to "my loveing brother George." To
Augustine, in the only letter now extant, Washington wrote, "The
pleasure of your company at Mount Vernon always did, and always
will afford me infinite satisfaction," and signed himself "your most
affectionate brother." Surviving this brother, he left handsome bequests
to all his children.
Samuel, the eldest of his own brothers, and his junior by but two years,
though constantly corresponded with, was not a favorite. He seems to
have had extravagant tendencies, variously indicated by five marriages,
and by (perhaps as a consequence) pecuniary difficulties. In 1781,
Washington wrote to another brother, "In God's name how did my
brother Samuel get himself so enormously in debt?" Very quickly
requests for loans followed, than which nothing was more irritating to
Washington. Yet, though he replied that it would be "very
inconvenient" to him, his ledger shows that at least two thousand
dollars were advanced, and in a letter to this brother, on the danger of
borrowing at interest, Washington wrote, "I do not make these
observations on account of the money I purpose to lend you, because
all I shall require is that you return the net sum when in your power,
without interest." Better even than this, in his will Washington
discharged the debt.
To the family of Samuel, Washington was equally helpful. For the
eldest son he obtained an ensigncy, and "to save Thornton and you
[Samuel] the expence of buying a horse to ride home on, I have lent
him a mare." Two other sons he assumed all the expenses of, and
showed an almost fatherly interest in them. He placed them at school,
and when the lads proved somewhat unruly he wrote them long
admonitory letters, which became stern when actual misconduct ensued,
and when one of them ran away to Mount Vernon to escape a whipping,

Washington himself prepared "to correct him, but he begged so
earnestly and promised so faithfully that there should be no cause for
complaint in the future, that I have suspended punishment." Later the
two were sent to college, and in all cost Washington "near five
thousand dollars."
An even greater trouble was their sister Harriot, whose care was
assumed in 1785, and who was a member of Washington's household,
with only a slight interruption, till her marriage in 1796. Her chief
failing was "no disposition ... to be careful of her cloathes," which were
"dabbed about in every hole and corner and her best things always in
use," so that Washington said "she costs me enough!" To her uncle she
wrote on one occasion, "How shall I apologise to my dear and Honor'd
for intruding on his goodness so soon again, but being sensible for your
kindness to me which I shall ever remember with the most heartfelt
gratitude induces me to make known my wants. I have not had a pair of
stays since I first came here: if you could let me have a pair I should be
very much obleiged to you, and also a hat and a few other articles. I
hope my dear Uncle will not think me extravagant for really I take as
much care of my cloaths as I possibly can." Probably the expense that
pleased him best in her case was that which he recorded in his ledger
"By Miss Harriot Washington gave her to buy wedding clothes $100."
His second and favorite brother, John Augustine, who