George Washington - 1738-1772

Little is known about George Washington’s youth. Throughout the next decade, archaeologists and historians will examine his early life by investigating the surviving documents in conjunction with the material remnants of his childhood home. This approach will focus mostly on George’s mother, Mary Ball Washington, who lived at Ferry Farm for over thirty years. Other inhabitants included his father and siblings, slaves, and an overseer.

Portrait of George Washington by Charles Wilson Peale, 1772
George Washington ~ Ferry Farm's most famous inhabitant.
Portrait by Charles Wilson Peale, 1772.

Washington Kitchen
Washington House Site ~ The remains of the Washington house situated on the slope of the terrace overlooking the Rappahannock River. Two stone-lined cellars, a large root cellar, and several sections of stone foundation have been identified. The approximate location of the walls of the house are outlined in blue in this photo. The Rappahannock river is beyond the top of the photo.

Washington Plantation
Washington house and outbuildings ~ The Washington house was a substantial, wooden structure, about 28x53 feet in size. In addition to the house, there were several other outbuildings including a kitchen and slave quarter.

Washington Kitchen
Architectural drawing of the first floor of the Washington House ~ There were four main rooms downstairs divided by a central passage. Each of the main rooms was heated by a fireplace. There was also an outside entrance to the basement. The upper half-story contained either two or three unheated chambers (bedrooms).

Washington Kitchen ~ The kitchen that served the Strothers in 1727 was also the Washington kitchen. The excavation of a stone-lined cellar unearthed a hand-etched wine bottle fragment inscribed "Joseph 174?," indicating that it was etched during the earliest years of the Washington occupation.

Wig Curlers ~ A number of ceramic wig curlers are among personal artifacts found at Ferry Farm. From 1680 to the early 1800s, men of fashion often wore wigs of human hair, which were sometimes created from their own cropped tresses. Curlers used to shape wigs were available in various sizes. The maker's mark "WB," which is stamped on the ends of the curlers found at Ferry Farm, indicates these date to the colonial period.

Wig Curler Distribution ~ The distribution of 18th-century wig curlers is surprising in that we find them everywhere we look. There is a shortage of male candidates whose station in life would permit them to wear wigs. William Strother and Augustine Washington were on the property for only a relatively short period of time, and historians are quick to point out that George did not wear a wig. Could these have belonged to George Washington's mother, Mary?

Ceramic Figurine ~ Among the most intriguing artifacts found on the site are fragments of ceramic figurines. Referred to as "image toys," these vernacular interpretations of fine art were popular in the mid-eighteenth century. At least two have been found here, including this hooded monk’s head. The depiction of the monk suggests a moralistic theme common to art of the period.

Root cellar under slave quarters
Slave Quarter ~ Situated on the north boundary of the Washington plantation seat is a square root cellar like those found in a number of mid-eighteenth-century slave quarters. A log cabin would have once stood over this substantial storage pit with a mud and stick chimney situated at one end. This cabin would have served as home to a single family. After the cabin was torn down, a tree grew in the soft dirt of the cellar.

Straight Pins ~ Artifacts found in the slave quarter root cellar include a barrel hoop, a bead, shoe buckles, lead shot, buttons, coins, and cutlery. Clothing and sewing artifacts include straight pins, scissors, and a thimble.

Map of Washington’s survey ~ In the early 1770s, Mary Washington moved to Fredericksburg. George’s preparations to sell the farm included surveying the property. While the survey mentions landscape features that dotted the property at the end of the Washington period, including a cemetery, it did not locate the house or any major structures.