The True George Washington [10th Ed.]Ford, Paul Leicester
History
The True George Washington [10th Ed.]
Ford, Paul Leicester
Generals -- United States -- Biography; Presidents -- United States -- Biography; Washington, George, 1732-1799
To many others, besides family, friends, and employees, Washington was
charitable. From an early date his ledger contains frequent items
covering gifts to the needy. To mention a tenth of them would take too
much space, but a few typical entries are worth quoting:
“By Cash gave a Soldiers wife 5/;” “To a crippled man 5/;” “Gave a man
who had his House Burnt £1.;” “By a begging woman /5;” “By Cash gave
for the Sufferers at Boston by fire £12;” “By a wounded soldier 10/;”
“Alexandria Academy, support of a teacher of Orphan children £50;” “By
Charity to an invalid wounded Soldier who came from Redston with a
petition for Charity 18/;” “Gave a poor man by the President’s order
$2;” “Delivd to the President to send to two distress’d french women at
Newcastle $25;” “Gave Pothe a poor old man by the President’s order
$2;” “Gave a poor sailor by the Presdt order $1;” “Gave a poor blind
man by the Presdt order $1.50;” “By Madame de Seguer a french Lady in
distress gave her $50;” “By Subscription paid to Mr. Jas. Blythe
towards erecting and Supporting an Academy in the State of Kentucky
$100;” “By Subscription towards an Academy in the South Western
Territory $100;” “By Charity sent Genl Charles Pinckney in Columbus
Bank Notes, for the sufferers by the fire in Charleston So. Carolina
$300;” “By Charity gave to the sufferers by fire in Geo. Town $10;” “By
an annual Donation to the Academy at Alexandria pd. Dr. Cook $166.67;”
“By Charity to the poor of Alexandria deld. to the revd. Dr. Muir
$100.”
To an overseer he said, concerning a distant relative, “Mrs. Haney
should endeavor to do what she can for herself—this is a duty incumbent
on every one; but you must not let her suffer, as she has thrown
herself upon me; your advances on this account will be allowed always,
at settlement; and I agree readily to furnish her with provisions, and
for the good character you give of her daughter make the latter a
present in my name of a handsome but not costly gown, and other things
which she may stand most in need of. You may charge me also with the
worth of your tenement in which she is placed, and where perhaps it is
better she should be than at a great distance from your attentions to
her.”
After the terrible attack of fever in Philadelphia in 1793, Washington
wrote to a clergyman of that city,—
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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