About 1672, John was commissioned a lieutenant colonel in the county militia and, in 1675, was directed to raise troops to conduct a campaign against the Doeg Indians in Maryland who had made forays into Virginia and murdered three citizens. On at least two occasions, John represented his county in the Virginia House of Burgesses and attended its sessions at Jamestown, the “Capital Cittie” of the colony. In 1676 he actively supported Royal Governor William Berkeley against rebellious Nathaniel Bacon and his followers, and later was awarded 9,950 pounds of tobacco for his part in raising forces to aid in suppressing the rebellion. By importing servants whose land “headrights” he could claim by purchase, by original patent, and by taking up grants of deserted land, John yearly added to his holdings, and at the time of his death owned several thousand acres of land in tidewater Virginia, including the property on the Potomac which later became known as Mount Vernon. John died in 1677 and was buried in the family cemetery at Bridges Creek, about 1¼ miles northwest of the site where his illustrious great-grandson, George, was born 55 years later. _Lawrence Washington_ Lawrence Washington was 5 years old when his parents moved from Mattox Creek to the Bridges Creek plantation. Except for a few months when he may have attended grammar school in England, he lived at Bridges Creek until early manhood. He was 18 when his father, John Washington, died; being the eldest son, he inherited the largest share of the land. As he grew and matured, he became a man of means, culture, and ability, and during his short life-span of 39 years he was honored with the highest political offices which the citizens of Westmoreland County could bestow. [Illustration: _The memorial house built in 1931 by the Wakefield National Memorial Association to commemorate the birthplace of George Washington._] [Illustration: _Ax and hoe of the 17th century unearthed at Bridges Creek, near where John Washington lived, 1664-77._] Following in his father’s footsteps, he served as justice of the Court of Westmoreland County, as an officer in the county militia, and a member of the Virginia House of Burgesses. He was first elected to the latter office when only 25, serving four terms as a burgess in the Colonial Assembly at Jamestown. Another position he held for several years was sheriff of Westmoreland County. In 1690 Lawrence married Mildred Warner of Gloucester County, Va., daughter of a prominent planter, Augustine Warner, who at one time had been speaker of the House of Burgesses and a member of the Governor’s council. Their second son, Augustine, born in 1694, was destined to become the father of George Washington.