His Excellency: George Washington

Washington’s marriage to Martha Custis is one of the decisive events of his life, bringing him stability and allowing him to enter the “top tier of Virginia’s planter class” (40) as master of Mount Vernon. Mount Vernon is a series of loosely connected farms, each with its own distinct workforce. Washington busies himself overseeing his property, but enjoys more leisure activities, including foxhunting, after his distant cousin Lund becomes the main manager of the estate. Although accepting of the institution of slavery, viewing it primarily in economic terms, Washington sees to it that his slaves are well cared for and refuses to break up their families through sale. The issue of slavery will become important for Washington, and American society at large, in later years.

Like many other Virginia planters, Washington “consigns” his tobacco crop to a London mercantile house, Cary & Company. This allows the Washington family to have access to English consumer goods, which they avidly buy, to the detriment of their finances. In time, Washington becomes entrapped in a “chronic condition of indebtedness” (50) and dependence on a remote businessman in London. Washington suspects Robert Cary of taking advantage of him financially in their business deals.