Interesting Facts about George Washington

Here are some interesting facts and information about the America's first president


George Washington was the oldest son of his father’s second marriage. He grew up with nine brothers and sisters.

When George was three years old his family moved to a large tobacco plantation, which they called Mount Vernon. Despite his lengthy travels and many temporary homes, George considered Mount Vernon to be his true home until the day he died.

Though he believed strongly in virtues of education, his own schooling ended at the age of 14. This is a fact that haunted Washington throughout his life, even though this was not uncommon in his day and age.

George joined the British Royal Navy at age 14.

Once during battle, a cannonball almost hit him and his men. Everyone hid, except George, who kept on fighting.

By the time he was president of the United States, George only had one original tooth left. He spent the rest of his life in constant pain from ill-fitting dentures that distorted the shape of his mouth.

George’s first set of dentures were made from cow’s teeth. Later, he had a second pair made of hippopotamus ivory.

His favorite foods were pineapples and Brazil Nuts. It was said by John Adams that George lost all his teeth by cracking Brazil nuts between his jaws.

George never had any children of his own, though his wife Martha had two from a previous marriage.

George always preferred the quiet solitude of farming to politics, and often felt miserable living such a public life. Upon his election as president, he blurted out to a close friend that he must, “bid adieu to happiness,” as “public life will be a more distressing one than any I have known yet.”

He is the only president in history to have been unanimously elected, receiving all 69 votes of the electoral college. At the time, there was no popular vote for the presidency.

He was the only president who did not live in Washington, D.C.

Contrary to popular belief, George Washington never wore a wig.

Washington gave his name to 1 U.S. state, 1 capital city, 33 counties, 7 mountains, 9 colleges, and 121 post offices.

George Washington is the only one of America’s founding fathers to free his slaves. He freed all 124 of his slaves in his will, and left enough money in his estate to care for all of them for decades after his death.

According to Newsweek, 14 percent of all pre-school children think George Washington is still sitting in the oval office.


Source: trcabc