George Washington's Older Brother Lives

[Norman]

In OTL George Washigton's Older Brother Lawrence died of what was probably TB in 1752. Because of this George inherited Mount Vernon, BUT what if Lawrence had lived and actually held on to Mount Vernon?

What would have happened in the French and Indian War?

Would he have been more resistant to the British refusal to allow Governor Dimswittie (sp?) grant to him of lands in Ohio?

How about the revolution?

 

[Thande]

Lawrence Washington was part of Admiral Vernon's campaign in the War of the Austrian Succession, including the attack on Cartagena. If he had lived and decided to throw in with an American rebellion, I think he'd have been a better general than George, who had a militia background. OTOH, if Lawrence lived then he'd probably be able to get George that Regulars commission that he wanted, so George won't be so discontented with Britain in the first place.

 

[Wendell]

Lawrence Washington was part of Admiral Vernon's campaign in the War of the Austrian Succession, including the attack on Cartagena. If he had lived and decided to throw in with an American rebellion, I think he'd have been a better general than George, who had a militia background. OTOH, if Lawrence lived then he'd probably be able to get George that Regulars commission that he wanted, so George won't be so discontented with Britain in the first place.

So, Lawrence Washington could fight for the rebels while George sided with the British?

 

[Nosb]

So, Lawrence Washington could fight for the rebels while George sided with the British?

L. Washington sounds like he would be a royalist, because of his service in the British regular army (I don't know of many British-American regular soldiers that defected to the rebels' cause.) As Thande said G. Washington would probably be able to get a British regular commission if his brother was a British Army officer meaning G. and L. Washington would probably both be loyalists when the Revolution comes. That's an interesting switch, but I don't have high opinions of G. Washington's ability in regular combat, so wither the colonialists manage to win or not is still up in the air.

Also, from Wikipedia, "Sarah Washington b. Nov. 7, 1750 d. 1754 (?)
Note: She was her father's heir. Had she lived she would have inherited the property now known as Mount Vernon instead of her uncle George W."

If, because of butterflies, she lives longer to then we get an interesting scenario because G. Washington is just another younger brother how doesn't inherit anything and has to strike out on his own, maybe going to the frontier and ending up a minor political figure in early Western-American history.

 

[David S Poepoe]

I believe that young George Washington was actually contemplating joining the Royal Navy, but was persuaded not to by his mother.

 

[Thande]

I believe that young George Washington was actually contemplating joining the Royal Navy, but was persuaded not to by his mother.

Hmm. A lot of people have brought out the one about Napoleon's father almost applying for him to join the RN, but I've never heard that about Washington...

For ultimate irony value, Nappy could be Washington's young protege midshipman on the HMS Constitution or something

 

[The Mists Of Time]

The Washington's inherited two interesting tendencies.

First, an obsession with owning land. Had Lawarance lived it is doubtful George would have ever owned Mount Vernon. But I think he would have owned land and had a large palacial home and even a plantation, possibly in the tidewater region of Virginia close to Williamsburg since Williamsburg was then the seat of power in Virginia.

Second, a tendency to die young, form what we know today it was probably from coronary heart disease. As George approached age 65 he commented on his own mortality and the fact that no man in his family had ever reached age 65. By the time George died at age 67 in 1799, I believe some or all of his younger brothers had already passed on.

Had Lawarance not died in 1752 at age 34, how long would he have lived? By 1776 he would have been 58 and reachingthe critical age for Washington men. However, perhaps in this timeline the men in the Washington family don't have this tendency to die early like that.

Had Lawarance and the other elder half brother Augustine both lived I'm sure they would have had considerable influence on George. As the eldest, Lawarance seems to have felt some responsibility toward his younger half siblings after their father's death.

What we cannot really know for sure is where Lawarance and Augustine would have stood in terms of The Revolution and how that might have influenced George. Might they have gotten George the commission he wanted, and what would that have done to history?

Would either or both of the elder Washington brothers have sided with The Brittish, or with the Rebels? How would that have influenced George? They might have had other influences on history. Had Lawarance and Augustine lived they would have I'm sure been involved in Virginia and Colonial politics. What broader influences might they have had there? There is so much that Lawarance or Lawarance and Augustine both living could have butterflyed. It could have even butterflyed away The Revolution entirely or caused it to be a much smaller revolution that failed. We have the possibility for lots of butterflys.

If Lawarance and Augustine both sided with the Rebels, what would it have done to The American Revolution to have three brothers from a very wealthy, powerful, and influential family all as major players in The Revolution? Again, lots of butterflys are possible.

Anyone want to take a chance at where those butterflys might have gone?

 

[Aegyptos]

I believe that young George Washington was actually contemplating joining the Royal Navy, but was persuaded not to by his mother.

I just finished reading Flexner's bio of Washington and he makes it pretty clear that George Washington had his heart set on an army commission. If he had got that commission and never became a planter he probably would have been sent to Europe with his regiment in their regular rotation, served his time in the Army and not possessing anything like the requisite "interest" would have found it difficult to advance past middle rank. He would have been a nobody. The implications for the success of the AmRev without Washington at the helm are interesting to consider.

 

[fortyseven]

For ultimate irony value, Nappy could be Washington's young protege midshipman on the HMS Constitution or something

That could be an interesting novel (something like an AH Master and Commander)

 

[David S Poepoe]

I just finished reading Flexner's bio of Washington and he makes it pretty clear that George Washington had his heart set on an army commission. If he had got that commission and never became a planter he probably would have been sent to Europe with his regiment in their regular rotation, served his time in the Army and not possessing anything like the requisite "interest" would have found it difficult to advance past middle rank. He would have been a nobody. The implications for the success of the AmRev without Washington at the helm are interesting to consider.

From appearances he 'flirted' with the idea of joining the Royal Navy at age 14, but was discouraged by his uncle.

 

[The Mists Of Time]

As I said before, this could have cused all kinds of butterflys.

I'm sure Lawarance would have had more influence on George that his other elder half brother Augustine, but had one or both of the elder half brothers lived it would be interesting to see what that influence would have been and how it would have played out.

It would be interesting to know which side either or both half brothers would have taken in The Revolution and what influence that would have had on George.

Let's add another interesting factor. What if George's father, also named Augustine Washington, had lived? If George Washington's father had lived until George grew up and reached adulthood, it would be interesting to see what influence he would have had on his son.

It would be interesting to see what would have happened if George Washington's father and both elder half brothers had lived out full and normal lifespans.