What did George Washington say in his last will and testament?

Answer 1

In Washington's last will and testament, a 42-page document executed in his own hand in July of 1799, Washington provided his widow with the use and benifit of the estate, valued at more than $500,000,during her lifetime. Washington freed his personal servant William with a $30 annuity and ordred the rest of the slaves to be freed upon Martha's death. Washington also left his stock in the Bank of Alexandria to a school for poor and orphaned children and ordered his stock in the Potomac Company to be applied tword the construction of a national university. Washington also forgave the debts of his brother Samuel's family and that of his brother-in-law Bartholomew Dandridge. He also ensured that his aid Tobias Lear would live rent free for the rest of his life. To nephew Bushrod Washington he left Mount Vernon, his personal papers, and his library. In sundry other bequests, the gold-headed cane Benjamin Franklin had given him went to his brother Charles, his writing desk and chair to Doctor Craik, steel pistols taken from the British during the Revolution to Lafayette, and a sword to each of his five nephews on assurance that they ..."never unsheath them for the purpose of shedding blood except it be for self-defence, or in the defence of their country and its rights..." Here is more input: * In his will he freed his slaves and gave his stuff away. * Since he had no children I believe he left most of his property to Martha's daughters and their husbands. He provided that all of his slaves should be freed upon Martha's death. * George Washington had no children but was the stepfather of Martha's two children. He and Martha also raised her grandson and granddaughter. When he died he left his estate to his nephew. Martha's estate was left to her grandson, George Washington Custis, father of Mary Custis, wife of Robert E. Lee. The bed George Washington died in ended up in an upstairs bedroom at Arlington, the home of George Washington Custis. Arlington later was inherited by Mary Custis Lee, the only child to grow to adulthood. Arlington was seized by the Union at the beginning of the Civil War and was made a cemetery for Union soldiers.