Washington, George (1732–99). First president of the USA. Washington's ancestors came from Northamptonshire and the first of the family to settle in Virginia was John, in 1657. George Washington was his great-grandson. He inherited the Mount Vernon estate in 1752 when his half-brother died. His first military experience was gained in the Virginia militia, he was with Braddock when he was killed in 1755, appointed commander of the Virginia forces at the age of 23, and elected to the state legislature. After attending the first and second continental congresses in 1774 and 1775, he was elected commander of the congress forces. His early years in command were necessarily defensive, largely concerned with gathering, training, and retaining some sort of army. His first victory of any importance was at Trenton in December 1776 and he held his army together through the terrible winter at Valley Forge in 1777–8. French support from 1778 onwards helped to turn the tide, though as late as 1780 Washington could write, ‘I have almost ceased to hope.’ At the end of hostilities, on 19 April 1783, he led the triumphal march into New York. When the Federal constitution was adopted, he was the obvious choice for the presidency, and was unanimously elected and re-elected in 1789 and 1793. He retired in 1797 to spend his last two years back in Mount Vernon. Tall, with natural authority and genuinely reluctant to serve, Washington was honest, patient, and shrewd.

J. A. Cannon