The Surveyor: Washington’s Early Years 

Before the arrival of European settlers, Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley was a region of field and forest carved with active pathways traveled by American Indians. A large trail ran north-south through the valley. A maze of branching paths feathered out east and west to small villages, mountain gaps, and creek fords.

Filled with rich soil, abundant game, and natural resources, it was not an uninhabited country. American Indians grew corn, beans, and squash in the fertile creek and river bottoms. They cleared meadows for hunting. They traveled for trade and communication with other nations and knew the places along the trails where they could take refuge, such as hollow trees, caves, and overhanging rock ledges.

In the 1730s, Sir William Gooch, Virginia’s lieutenant governor, pushed to extend settlements west of the Blue Ridge Mountains, which was the boundary line designated by the Treaty of Albany in 1722. He began issuing land grants that would total over a million acres during his administration (1727-1749).

One of Washington’s earliest journals is from the spring of 1748 when he was 16-years-old and had the opportunity to travel with his friend and neighbor, George William Fairfax, and his surveying party as they traversed Virginia’s western frontier. Washington was close to the Fairfax family of Belvoir, especially after his half brother, Lawrence, married Ann Fairfax, daughter of Colonel William Fairfax and sister of George William Fairfax. 

This particular journey is important in Washington’s story and his ultimate role in Winchester because it was the first time he traveled to the area and became familiar with Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley. In his journal entries, we begin to see Washington’s network of prominent Virginians developing. The following are a few selected entries from his journal, detailing his time in Frederick Town:

We sent our Baggage to Capt. Hites (near Frederick Town) went ourselves down the River about 16 Miles to Capt. Isaac Penningtons (the Land exceeding Rich & Fertile all the way produces abundance of Grain Hemp Tobacco &c.) in order to Lay of some Lands on Cates Marsh & Long Marsh.

George Washington, 14 March 1748²

Captain Hite is Jost Hite, who, in 1731, bought 40,000 acres in Frederick Town, which is present day Winchester. Isaac Pennington settled in present-day Frederick County around 1734 and had Washington survey land for him in 1750.

A couple of days later, on March 16, Washington and Fairfax’s surveying party collected their baggage, explored Frederick Town (Winchester), ate good food, drank good spirits, and had good night’s rest on clean sheets:

We set out early & finish’d about one oClock & then Travell’d up to Frederick Town where our Baggage came to us. We cleaned ourselves (to get Rid of the Game we had catched the Night before) & took a Review of the Town & then return’d to our Lodgings where we had a good Dinner prepar’d for us Wine & Rum Punch in Plenty & a good Feather Bed with clean Sheets which was a very agreeable regale.

George Washington, 16 March 1748³

On March 17, he met Major Andrew Campbell, who served as a member of the House of Burgesses from 1745–47:

Rain’d till Ten oClock & then clearing we reached as far as Major Campbells one of there Burgesses about 25 Miles from Town. Nothing Remarkable this day nor Night but that we had a Tolerable good Bed [to] lay on.

George Washington, 17 March 1748⁴

On March 18, he met Thomas Barwick, one of Frederick County’s early settlers and jurors:

We Travell’d up about 35 Miles to Thomas Barwicks on Potomack where we found the River so excessively high by Reason of the Great Rains that had fallen up about the Allegany Mountains as they told us which was then bringing down the melted Snow & that it would not be fordable for severall Days it was then above Six foot Higher than usual & was Rising. We agreed to stay till Monday. We this day call’d to see the Fam’d Warm Springs. We camped out in the field this Night. Nothing Remarkable happen’d till sunday the 20th.

George Washington, 18 March 1748⁵

On March 26, he met Soloman Hedges, the county’s justice of the peace and member of the county’s first grand jury:

Travelld up the Creek to Solomon Hedges Esqr. one of his Majestys Justices of the Peace for the County of Frederick where we camped. When we came to Supper there was neither a Cloth upon the Table nor a Knife to eat with but as good luck would have it we had Knives of [our] own.

George Washington, 26 March 1748⁶

On March 27, he met with Henry Van Meter, whose family was a prominent land owner in Frederick County:

Travell’d over to the South Branch (attended with the Esqr.) to Henry Vanmetriss in order to go about Intended Work of Lots.

George Washington, 27 March 1748⁷

This trip with Fairfax’s surveying party not only gained him invaluable experience in the art of surveying, but it also introduced him to Virginia’s vast western frontier, which would come to the forefront just a few years later as tensions continued to stir between Britain and France.

George Washington was a land surveyor throughout his life. For over fifty years, he documented territorial settlements along Virginia’s western frontier, as well as boundaries of his continuously expanding Mount Vernon plantation.

Surveying was a respectable profession in 18^th century America. His experience as a surveyor began in his teenage years, with schooling and practical field experience. In 1748, he was invited to join a survey party organized by his brother’s neighbor and friend George William Fairfax of Belvoir, who assembled an experienced team to lay out lots within a vast tract along Virginia’s western edge. In 1749, Washington received a commission to serve as surveyor for the newly formed Culpeper County. He completed his first survey within 2 days, measuring a tract of 400 acres, at the age of 17.

In October 1750, Washington left his position as official surveyor, but continued his work in parts of Frederick County, Virginia. By 1752, Washington had completed almost 200 surveys, totaling 60,000+ acres. 

Although Washington didn’t survey professionally after this date, he continued to utilize his survey skills. He completed at least fifty more surveys, often for the purpose of acquiring new land for himself, defending his property boundaries, or dividing his holdings into profitable farms.  At one time, Washington owned nearly 70,000 acres between the Potomac and Ohio Rivers. He continued to survey as late as November 5, 1799, five weeks before his death at age 67.  

Washington’s experience and relationships with large landowners gave him insight into the lucrative world of land speculation. This early immersion into surveying and speculation would shape Washington’s thinking, ambitions, and business transactions throughout his life. He fully understood the value of land, the frontier, and westward movement.^{10 11 12}

What exactly is surveying?

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Exhibit researched and written by Jess Pritchard-Ritter, Donna Leight, and David Grosso. Created by For the Love of History Consulting, LLC.