George Washington's Childhood: Lack of Books and the Family's Ancestry

There are few books about George Washington's childhood, but information can be found in old books, particularly in a set by Washington Irving. These books provide details of the Washington family's ancestors, tracing back to a knight who served William the Conqueror in the 11th century. George's great grandfather, John, and his younger brother Lawrence, moved to America in the mid-1650s, eventually acquiring land along the Potomac River, which would later be known as Mount Vernon.