Half-brother of
George Washington; born in 1718.
His mother, who was the first wife of Augustine
Washington, father of George, was
Jane Butler.
Lawrence received by his father's will the estate of
Hunting Creek, on a bay and stream of that name, not far from
Alexandria, and stretching for miles along the
Potomac.
He inherited the military spirit of his father, and engaged in an expedition against the Spaniards in
South America, holding a captain's commission.
He embarked for the
West Indies in 1741, under
General Wentworth.
That officer and
Admiral Vernon commanded a joint expedition against
Carthagena, which resulted in disaster, not less than 20,000 British soldiers and seamen perishing, chiefly from a fatal sickness like yellow fever.
It was in the midst of that terrible pestilence that the seeds of a fatal disease were planted in the system of
Lawrence Washington, against which he struggled for years.
During the campaign he had gained the confidence
[
186]
of both
Wentworth and
Vernon.
Lawrence intended to go to
England and join the regular army, but, falling in love with the beautiful
Anne Fairfax, they were married in July, 1743.
He took possession of his fine estate, and named it
Mount Vernon, in honor of the gallant admiral.
Little George was a frequent and muchpetted visitor at
Mount Vernon.
In 1751, when George was nineteen years of age, his brother felt compelled to go to
Barbadoes in search of a renovation of his health.
George went with him. But consumption was wasting the life of
Lawrence, and he returned home in May, 1752, to die in July following.
By a provision of his will, his half-brother George became the owner of the
Mount Vernon estate and other property valued at $200,000.
