George Eskridge (1683 – 1732), guardian of Mary Ball
You are a descendant of George Eskridge. George was a well-to-do plantation owner and lawyer in Northern Virginia. “Well-to-do” is an understatement, as he owned 12,000 acres, 20 square miles, about half the size of Manhattan. George Eskridge had an interesting life but that’s a story for another post.
George had many friends, including a neighbor couple named Joseph and Mary (no relation to Jesus). The couple had one young daughter also named Mary. Joseph passed away when young Mary was three and, ten years later, Mary’s mother died. That left young Mary, age 12, an orphan.
Before orphan Mary’s mother died she made arrangements for her neighbor George to be Mary’s guardian. Young Mary split her teen years between George’s house and the house of Mary’s half-sister Elizabeth. It is thought that much of Mary’s education and upbringing took place at George’s house.
George continued as Mary’s guardian for about ten years, until Mary married. Mary’s marriage took place at George’s house. The groom, a businessman named Augustine, was an acquaintance of George. It is suspected that George played Cupid and encouraged the courtship of Mary and Augustine, as older people sometimes do.
The following year Augustine and Mary had their first child, a son. They named their son George, in honor of Mary’s guardian and Augustine’s friend George.
Fifty-seven years later this first son of Augustine and Mary Washington, known to history as George Washington, was sworn in as the first President of the United States. You probably have his portrait in your wallet.
Further reading:
http://www.genealogy.com/ftm/r/i/t/Donna-L-Ritter/GENE51-0001.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Ball_Washington
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