Show I 1 THE DATE OF s a 1 8 I 1 BIRTH I 1 1 0 OLD 0 LD records what stories they can tell sometimes full of romance sometimes startling in their disclosures it I 1 would seem that birtha ay observed foi so many years on february 22 was a celebration founded securely on accurate historical facts yet burled in the family bible of mother and written in tier her own handwriting Is nn an entry which makes one pause with surprise there she lias has clearly recorded the astounding ata statement that george washington was born on february 11 Certain certainly lyno no one should know anore about this important event than airs washington there it la Is in black rind white in her ier own handwriting i i george washington son sell to augustino augustine and mary alary his wife was bore ye lattie of february 1732 about 10 lit in the morning and was I 1 baptised baptized sed the ad of april following mr beverley whiting and capt christopher brooks godfathers god fathers and mrs airs mildred gregory godmother family bibles especially in those times were the last word in accuracy so this statement must by be accepted as indisputable by the latter part of tile sixteenth century the calendar year had become askew with the astronomical year difference of eleven days by 1752 in england tile tho discrepancy had mounted up to 11 days and the disadvantages of two systems of dates was causing great annoyance it was necessary to date letters going from E england 1 n land or her colonies to france with the lays days of both systems for instance F february 1122 11 22 so at last to avoid all blits confusion england adopted the gregorian calendar and decreed that 11 days be omitted emitted in the year 1752 between september 8 and september 14 so for washington his birthday in 1753 and all succeeding years fell on february 22 but Is another record which throws light on what was probably tho the first public recognition of his birthday this time the record Is in his own handwriting while commander in chief of the continental armies with all Us other responsibilities and duties washington found time to keep exact records of all his expenses these expense accounts were several years ago made available by their transferal from arod the treasury department to the library of congress where they were placed with the great collection of tons papers there in one of Washington 8 dally ex geue account books there Is aa an entry under date of february 22 1778 which reads cash baid the lust to proctors band by the 0 0 an ali interpretation of tills this brief note shows that the band of colonel proctors fourth continental artillery apparently patently ly took it upon itself to serenade the commander in chief tins this old record brings to light that valley forge with lill all that that name means of privations and mif suffering fering was the setting where eliere was staged what was undoubtedly the first recognition in n an any y public way of birthday french first to celebrate there Is still another record of those revolutionary times which touches us perien roost wast poignantly today to the french Is credit duo due for the first public celebration of birthday it was in february 1781 that conito comte do robenu with true frenchi spirit declared a holiday forthe for the french troops who alio were then located in connecticut birthday fell that year on sunday so the frenche general specified that the following monday be set bet aside for the celebration of the birthday of ills his commander whom lie so highly esteemed ailt it was another of the many evidences of the close ties between franco france and america which existed in revolutionary lutio nary times it was on that memorable occasion that was first laid the foundation of our national holiday |