Lawrence Washington

Lawrence Washington (1718 – July 26, 1752) was an American colonial figure involved in military, political, and land development activities in Virginia. He was a landowner, a member of the colonial legislature representing Fairfax County, and a founding member of the Ohio Company of Virginia. Additionally, he established the town of Alexandria, Virginia, in 1749. Lawrence was the elder half-brother of George Washington, the future President of the United States. He was the first in his family to reside at Mount Vernon, a plantation that he named after British Admiral Edward Vernon, his commanding officer during the War of Jenkins' Ear. Lawrence Washington died of tuberculosis at Mount Vernon in 1752, after a failed attempt to improve his health through travel to Barbados.

Early life and family background:

Lawrence Washington was born in 1718, likely in Westmoreland County, Virginia, to Augustine Washington and Jane Butler Washington. He was the second child of this marriage, following an older son named Butler who died in infancy in 1716. In 1729, Augustine Washington took Lawrence and his younger brother Augustine Jr. to England for education at Appleby Grammar School in Appleby-in-Westmorland, Cumbria. After returning to Virginia in 1738, Lawrence managed his father’s extensive plantation on the Potomac River at Little Hunting Creek, in what was then Prince William County (later Fairfax County).

Family developments:

Following the death of his mother in Virginia, Augustine Washington remarried in 1731 to Mary Ball, with whom he had further children, including George Washington. The family moved into a home on the Little Hunting Creek plantation around 1735, where the foundations of Mount Vernon can still be seen. Lawrence completed his education in England and returned to Virginia to oversee family estates and lands, beginning land purchases in 1739, indicating he was of age to manage property.

Military career:

In 1739, Britain decided to raise a regiment in the American colonies for service in the West Indies during the War of Jenkins' Ear against Spain. Lawrence Washington was commissioned as a captain in Virginia's company within Colonel William Gooch’s Regiment of Foot. He participated in the expedition to Jamaica and later in the Battle of Cartagena de Indias in 1741, serving aboard Admiral Vernon’s flagship. The expedition was marked by high casualties from tropical diseases, notably yellow fever. Washington’s role involved acting as a Marine on Vernon's flagship, which contributed to his survival amid widespread sickness among the troops. He was promoted to Adjutant, with the rank of Major, in 1743.

Civilian pursuits:

In July 1743, Lawrence Washington married Anne Fairfax, daughter of Colonel William Fairfax. The marriage occurred when Anne was 15 and Lawrence was 25. Around this period, he began constructing a residence on the site of his father’s previous home, naming it Mount Vernon after Admiral Vernon. In 1744, he was elected to the Virginia House of Burgesses representing Fairfax County.

In 1747, Washington allied with his father-in-law and other landowners to form the Ohio Company of Virginia, which aimed to develop trade with the interior of North America through the Potomac River. He played a significant role in promoting the settlement and trade development along the river, facilitating the creation of Alexandria in 1749. Washington received legislative approval for the town and traveled to London to manage Ohio Company business and seek medical advice for his health concerns. His brother George, then an aspiring surveyor, attended the town's land auction and helped map and document the lots sold.

Death:

Lawrence Washington's health deteriorated due to tuberculosis. His travel to Barbados in an effort to recover was unsuccessful. He died at Mount Vernon in 1752 at the age of approximately 34.

This biography covers the basic chronological facts about Lawrence Washington's life, including his early years, family background, military service, civic activities, and death, adhering to a factual and neutral tone.