George Washington was the first child of Augustine Washington and Mary Ball Washington. He was born on their Pope's Creek Estate near present-day Colonial Beach in Westmoreland County, Virginia. According to the Gregorian calendar,Washington was born on February 22, 1732. His great-grandfather John Washington immigrated to Virginia in 1657. George's father was a slave-owning tobacco planter who also invested in iron mining. In George's early years, they were prosperous members of the Virginia gentry, of "middling rank" instead of being one of the leading families. When George was 11, his father died and his half-brother Lawrence became a surrogate father and role model. Lawrence's father-in-law was William Fairfax. William's cousin was Virginia's largest landowner, Lord Fairfax who also was very influential. Washington spent most of his boyhood at Ferry farm in Stafford County. Lawrence inherited a family property from his father, a plantation on the Potomac River which he would later name Mount Vernon. George inherited Ferry Farm from his father, and inherited Mount Vernon after Lawrence's death.
The death of Augustine prevented George from going to England to receive the rest of his education at England's Appleby school, as his brothers had done. He received the equivalent of an elementary school education from a variety tutors. His mother was a very stubborn woman. Lawrence and the Fairfaxes tried to secure George an appointment in the Royal Navy when he was 15, but his mother was adamant. She would not let him go. However, because of the connections the Fairfaxes had, George became official surveyor for Culpeper County in 1749, when he was 17. The job paid well and he was able to purchase land in the Shenandoah Valley. Washington came to notice of the lieutenant governor of Virginia, Robert Dinwiddie because of the influence of Lawrence. Lawrence was involved in the Ohio Company, a land investment company and a commander of the Virginia militia. When Lawrence died, Washington was appointed by Governor Dinwiddie as one of the four district adjutants with the rank of major in the Virginia militia.
The death of Augustine prevented George from going to England to receive the rest of his education at England's Appleby school, as his brothers had done. He received the equivalent of an elementary school education from a variety tutors. His mother was a very stubborn woman. Lawrence and the Fairfaxes tried to secure George an appointment in the Royal Navy when he was 15, but his mother was adamant. She would not let him go. However, because of the connections the Fairfaxes had, George became official surveyor for Culpeper County in 1749, when he was 17. The job paid well and he was able to purchase land in the Shenandoah Valley. Washington came to notice of the lieutenant governor of Virginia, Robert Dinwiddie because of the influence of Lawrence. Lawrence was involved in the Ohio Company, a land investment company and a commander of the Virginia militia. When Lawrence died, Washington was appointed by Governor Dinwiddie as one of the four district adjutants with the rank of major in the Virginia militia.