1. The Washington Family
George Washington’s family was very important to him. He was only 11 years
old when his father, Augustine, died, but his mother, Mary, lived to see him become
our nation’s first President at age 57.
On January 6, 1759, at the age of 26, George Washington married a young
woman named Martha Dandridge Custis. Her husband had died a little more than a
year before, leaving her with two young children. George Washington helped raise the
two children, Jacky and Patsy.
George and Martha Washington were married for 40 years. They never had
children of their own. But in addition to raising Jacky and Patsy, they raised two of
Jacky’s children after his death at Yorktown, Nelly and Washy (shown below).
George Washington also had two older half-brothers, three younger brothers and
one younger sister. He was an uncle many times over.
American artist Edward Savage painted a family portrait when George Washington was President. Left
to right are: “Washy” or George Washington Parke Custis (Martha’s grandson); President Washington;
“Nelly” or Eleanor Parke Custis (Martha’s granddaughter); Martha Washington; and a family slave,
possibly William Lee or Christopher Sheels.