George Washington's Will

Leisure Hours, the Ninth day of July, 1799

George Washington composed his own will without the consult of an attorney or a person of professional character. His distinctive style of writing both powerful and lucid, left no room for question as to how is estate was to be distributed upon his death. Washington's will showed his strong sense of character and views about his divergent and valuable properties that he had attained over the course of his lifetime.

“The extraordinary care and precision with which he spelled out how and under what conditions his land and other possessions should be distributed among the numerous members of his extended family, among his old friends, and among various dependents, provide further insight into the workings of his mind and the impulses of his heart. The language of Washington's will and its contents combine to make it a document of particular importance among his papers.”