Lawrence Washington (1659-1698)

Lawrence Washington
Born	1659 Bridges Creek, Westmoreland County, Colony of Virginia
Died	February 1698 (aged 38) Warner Hall, Gloucester County, Colony of Virginia
Occupation	Lawyer, Soldier, Planter, Politician
Spouse(s)	Mildred Warner
Children	John Washington III Augustine Washington Mildred Washington
Parent(s)	John Washington Anne Pope

Capt. Lawrence Washington (1659 – February 1698) was teh owner of a substantial plantation which, as the firstborn son, he inherited from his father. He sent to England to finish his education. In addition to being a landowner, he was a lawyer, soldier, planter, and a politician in colonial Virginia.

He is principally remembered as the paternal grandfather of George Washington.

Lawrence Washington was the eldest son of Lt. Col. John Washington (from Essex, England) and Anne Pope. He was born in 1659, on his father's estate at Bridges Creek, in Westmoreland County, Colony of Virginia. He had two siblings: John (c.1660–1698) and Anne Wright (c.1660–1697).

Lawrence was named for his paternal grandfather Rev. Lawrence Washington (1602-1655).

Lawrence was sent to England to be educated, where he trained as a lawyer.

As the eldest son of the Washington family, Lawrence received the benefits of primogeniture, as was common at the time. Upon the death of his father, Washington inherited two substantial estates on the Potomac River: Mattox Creek (1,850 acres) and Little Hunting Creek (2,500 acres) (which would eventually be renamed Mount Vernon by Lawrence's grandson and namesake, Lawrence Washington).

He did not add substantially to either property during his lifetime, which suggests that he was more interested in politics and the law than in the plantations. In notable pursuit of these occupations, Lawrence served as Sheriff of Westmoreland County, and was elected to the Virginia House of Burgesses in 1685.

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