Lawrence Washington (1718-1752)

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Lawrence Washington (1718-1752) was George Washington's half-brother and mentor. He 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 Lawrence's death, George inherited his estate at Mount Vernon, which Lawrence had named in honour of British admiral Edward Vernon, with whom Lawrence had served. Lawrence had served as an officer in Gooch's Marines, the 61st Foot, which was under the British Admiral Vernon's command in the War of Jenkins' Ear. Lawrence was a survivor of the expeditions against the seaport of Cartagena, New Granada and against Cuba and Panama. Lawrence admired his British naval commander, Edward Vernon so much that he named his Virginia plantation house Mount Vernon.

[edit] Lawrence Washington at Guantanamo

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

[edit] Death

Lawrence Washington died of smallpox in 1752.

Lawrence and Anne had several children (sadly 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.

Now Lawrence Washington has distant nieces and nephews that live in Ohio.