Mildred Gale
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Mildred Gale (1671-1701), born Mildred Warner in the colony of Virginia, was the paternal grandmother of George Washington, the first president of the United States of America.
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[edit] Biography
[edit] Early life
She was born into an influential Virginia family. Her grandfather had been an acting Governor of Virginia, and her father was a speaker of the House of Burgesses.
[edit] First Marriage
She married Lawrence Washington in 1685, a union that produced three children John, Augustine and Mildred. Augustine would become the father of George Washington. Lawrence died in 1698, bequeathing to Mildred and the children shares in his estate, the profits from which were to be spent on their education.
[edit] Second Marriage
In 1700, she married George Gale, a prominent merchant who helped forge trade links between Whitehaven, England and Virginia. She settled in Whitehaven and fell pregnant. However, she contracted a fever and made her will before the baptism of her child. Mildred died on 30 January 1701. Her will placed care of the Washington children in the hands of George, although this was later challenged and overturned by John Washington in the Virginian courts and their custody passed to him.
[edit] Death
Mildred lies buried in the grounds of St. Nicholas' Church in Whitehaven. The exact whereabouts of her grave is unknown, due to several graveyard re-arrangements and a subsequent fire in the church in 1970. There is a commemorative plaque installed in the gardens of the church.
