Lawrence Washington (1659-1698)

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Major Lawrence Washington (1659-1698) was the grandfather of George Washington. Lawrence was born in 1659 at Bridges Creek in Westmoreland County, Virginia on the Northern Neck. Lawrence married Mildred Warner, daughter of Augustine Warner II (ref: ext.link), around 1686 at Warner Hall in Gloucester County, Virginia.

[edit] Abridgement

In the Goldsmiths'-Kress Library of Economic Literature 1450-1850 , University of London an anonymous work is conserved that bears the title:

An abridgement of the laws in force and use in her Majesty's plantations, (viz) of Virginia, Jamaica, Barbados, Maryland, New England, Carolina & c. Digested under proper heads in the method of Mr Wingate, and Mr Washington's abridgements

London, printed for John Nicholson 1704

In 1702 the lawyer George Eskridge represented George Gale, the stepfather of Lawrence's children, before the Westmoreland County court over the custodial claims by John Washington, Lawrence's executor. John's aim was to bring back the children, who were being educated at Appleby-in-Westmorland, near Mr Gale's homebase in Whitehaven.

A connection with Washington's abridgements can be situated in this circle. If Lawrence Washington collected notes on laws in force, as he was qualified to do as a court justice,sherrif and burgess for Westmoreland County in the Assembly at Jamestown, it is conceiveable that they ended up in the care of either George Gale or George Eskridge. They may well have been perceived to be of considerable importance for the use of the Whitehaven merchant-mariners for whom Mr Gale was the Virginian company agent. George Eskridge became the mentor of Mr Gale's stepson, Augustine Washington in Westmoreland County.