Many old history books from the 1800's were used as a source of inspiration, delight and information for this timeline.

A few good stories, poems, pictures and items of interest will be included on this web page. Although there are no claims that this is the "gospel truth" of history, old books are often more to be trusted than newer versions of history books.

A poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Each one of us, and in great books record
Our good and evil deeds. He who writes down
The good ones, after every action closes
His volume, and ascends with it to God.
The other keeps his dreadful day-book open
Till sunset, that we may repent; which doing
The record of the action fades away,
And leaves a line of white across the page.
Now if my act be good, as I believe,
It cannot be recalled. It is already
Sealed up in heaven, as a good deed accomplished.
The rest is yours. Why wait you? I am ready.

George Washington's father's name was Augustine Washington. He died when George was a small boy.

George was a good boy. He was honest, truthful, obedient, bold and strong. He could jump the farthest, run the fastest, climb the highest, wrestle the best, ride the swiftest, swim the longest, and "stump" all the other boys he played with. They all liked him, for he was gentle, kind and brave; he never was mean, never got "mad," and never told a lie.

His mother had a sorrel colt that she thought very much of, because it came of splendid stock, and, if once trained, would be a fine and fast horse. But the colt was wild and vicious, and people said it could never be trained. One summer morning, young George, with three or four boys, were in the field looking at the colt, and when the boys said again that it could never be tamed, George said: "You help me get on his back and I'll tame him."

After hard work they got a bridle-bit in the colt's mouth and put young George on its back. Then began a fight. The colt reared and kicked and plunged, and tried to throw George off. But George stuck on and finally conquered the colt so that he drove it about the field. But in a last mad plunge to free itself from this determined boy on its back, the colt burst a blood-vessel and fell to the ground dead.

The the boys felt worried, you may be sure. But while they were wondering what George's mother would say, the boy went straight to the house determined to tell the truth. "Mother," he said, "your colt is dead." "Dead?" said his mother. "Who killed it?" "I did," said George, and then he told her the whole story.

His mother looked at him a moment, then she said: "It is well, my son. I am sorry to lose the colt; it would have been a fine horse, but I am proud to know that my son never tried to put the blame of his acts upon others, and always speaks the truth."

So you see, that early in his life, this boy was one to be depended upon. This story, too, shows you that besides his being so truthful and honest, young George Washington did not give up trying to do a thing until he had succeeded. He was bound to tame that fierce sorrel colt, and he stuck to it until he had conquered the animal, instead of letting it conquer him.

~ Taken from Lives of Great Americans, by Elbridge S. Brooks and others, John C. Winston Company, 1898. p. 18-20