Show I The One Hundred and I SeventySixth Anniversary of Washingtons Birth r J George Washington was born on tho banks of tho Potomac In West moreland county Virginia on February Febru-ary 22 1732 At the ago of 1C ho Was agood surveyor sur-veyor and at 19 he was adjutant of I ono of tho Virginia militia districts I with the rank of major At tho ago of 21 ho was selected by Gov Dlnwlddlo of Virginia as a person of distinction under orders of tho British government to do mund an explanation of tho French who were forming settlements In tho northwest and In the Mississippi valley At tho ago of 23 ho was commissioned commis-sioned as colonel In tho British army and from that time when as soldier of the king ho became distinguished on tho field until ho took leave of delivered over to tho vestry on February Feb-ruary 27 1773 tho construction having hav-ing been begun January 1 1767 Col Washington was ono of tho first vestrymen ves-trymen of the church and oh tho day that It was turned over by the builders ho purchased pew No 6 for tho sum of c30 10 shillings agreeing agree-ing also to pay an annual rental otc ot-c 6 for the same The church was consecrated by Qlshop Claggett of Maryland on June 14 1814 This ancient and historic edifice Is still used as a place of worship wor-ship It Is kept open every week day and Is annually visited by thousands A small admission fee Is i charged for tho purpose of defraying tho expense of keeping it open to tho public In tho rear of and on tho south slda is I II I II I I I f e Ir r r jJL9fSri 9fSri ylt Woodlawn Mansion Westmoreland County Virginia One of Washingtons Earliest Homes his oflicers on November 23 17S3 after having overthrown tho royal government he was the most Important Impor-tant factor In tho affairs of tho new country Ending an eventful and successful military career ho retired to his homo at Mount Vernon Va from which place In 1781 ho wrote to Lafayette La-fayette I havo become a private citizen on tho banks of the Potontc and under tho shadow of my own tine and fig tree free from the bustK of the camp I am solacing my jolt with those tranquil enjoyment fyol which the soldier who Is ever In pursuit pur-suit of fame tho statesman and tho courtier can have little conception con-ception At tho tlmo Washington wrote tho quoted words to Lafayette ho had no thought that ho would bo called OH tho president of tho republic the livIng liv-ing reality of which ho had created Hut so and on tho 30th day of April 1789 having been elected on tho Cth day of the same month ho took tho oath of office In New York city having journeyed to that place from Mount Vernon in his private carriage Washington served his country as its first chief executive for a period of eight years two termsand de clired a third term No other president presi-dent since Washington has enjoyed that distinction Tho national government In conjunction con-junction with tho states has undertaken under-taken to do honor to his memory by nuking his birthday a national holiday holi-day and by erecting monuments of marble pointing skyward but thu grandest and most expressive tribute Is embraced in tho lettering First In War First In Peace First In tho Hearts of Ills Countrymen as chiseled on tho statuo which stands an old burial ground and some very old tablets antedating the construction construc-tion of the church are still standing and are In a remarkable state of preservation pres-ervation The square pow with open door on the right of tho pulpit and under tho balcony Is pew No 5 which was occupied oc-cupied by Col Washington when attending at-tending services there until the date of his death ho never changed his membership from the church A sliver sli-ver plate bearing his autograph Is on tho top of tho pew door Originally Orig-inally all tho pews In tho church were built In a square form but later with the exception of the Washington pew were changed to the present day style of construction On tho east wall under the balcony bal-cony and to the right of the pulpit Is a memorial tablet placed to the memory of Gen Washington A similar tablet placed to the memory mem-ory of Gen Robert E Lee occupies similar space on tho wall to the left of tho pulpit Gen Lee was a vestryman vestry-man of the church at tho commencement commence-ment of the civil war and the pow occupied by him Is across tho aisle from and a little to the rear of tho Washington pow This pew is indicated indi-cated by a silver plato showing his autograph Washington received his commission commis-sion in 1755 as a colonel in tho British army from Gen Braddock In tho Carlyle Car-lyle house at Alexandria Va This house was erected In 1732 by John S Carlyle on the brow of a hill and Its base rests on an old fort built in 1C15 by Capt John Smith on one of tho occasions oc-casions when ho camo up tho Potomac Poto-mac to trade with tho Indians Originally Orig-Inally tho house was reached by a flue flight of stone stops from a beautiful lawn reaching to Fairfax street and adorned by 1C Lombardy poplars ar 1 I laf tli Washingtons Headquarters While Directing Survey of Washington City > 1791 on time plaza at the east of the capital cap-ital Washington was a very enthusiastic enthusias-tic Mason and was Identified with tho lodge In Alexandria Va which was chartered In 1783 under tho Pennsylvania Pennsyl-vania Jurisdiction but In 1788 It was rcchartered as tho Alexandria Washington lodge No 22 and Washington Wash-ington was named as worshipful master mas-ter In tho charter Christ church Alexandria Va Ivy and moss covered was completed and r ranged in four parallel rows The poplars and lawn havo long since disappeared dis-appeared and long ranges of rooms of the present Braddock houso occupy their site and tho houso Is only vis Ible to tho public from tho eastern or rear side It was also In this houso that tho unfortunate expedition against Fort Duquesno was arranged by Gen Brad dock and tho governors of Maryland New York North Carolina Pennsyl vania and Virginia In 1755 |