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Charles Washington
Born	(1738-05-02)May 2, 1738 Hunting Creek, Virginia
Died	September 16, 1799(1799-09-16) (aged 61)
Spouse	Mildred Thornton
Children	4
Parent(s)	Augustine Washington Mary Ball Washington
Family	Washington family

Charles Washington (May 2, 1738 – September 16, 1799) was an American planter and politician who founded a town in theShenandoah Valley that was namedCharles Town in his honor shortly after his death and that of his eldest brother,George Washington.^[1]

Charles was born nearHunting Creek inStafford County, Virginia (nowFairfax County) toAugustine Washington (1693-1743) and his second wife,Mary Ball Washington (1708-1789), an orphan and heiress of Col. Joseph Ball ofLancaster County, Virginia. His father died when he was five years old. His eldest half-brotherLawrence Washington (1718-1752) returned from England (where he was being educated), took charge of most of his father's property as well as his underage half-siblings (including Charles, who would receive a private education locally, as was becoming the custom for children of his class), and also became the colony's Adjutant-General and one of Fairfax County's (part-time) representatives in theHouse of Burgesses.^[2]

In 1757, having reached legal age, Charles married Mildred Thornton, daughter of Colonel Francis Thornton and Frances Gregory.^[3] They had four children:^[4]

• George Augustine Washington
• Frances Washington
• Samuel Washington
• Mildred Gregory Washington

When Charles Washington reached legal age, he inherited 750 acres of land in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, per his late father's will. In 1761 he purchased two lots in the town of Fredericksburg, the Spotsylvania County seat, and built a house, which exists today but is known as the historic "Rising Sun Tavern." In 1773 he bought an additional 200 acres in Spotsylvania County. Though his parents' youngest son, Charles also inherited considerable property in what was then vastFrederick County, Virginia, because his eldest half-brother, Lawrence Washington, died without any surviving children (and his widow died in 1761).^[5] Charles operated such of his property already developed into farms using enslaved labor, and would in 1780 move to the Shenandoah Valley and develop much of that property to farms also using enslaved labor.

Initially, Charles Washington lived inFredericksburg, Virginia. He became a vestryman of the local Episcopal Church He arrived in presentJefferson County, West Virginia, between April and October 1780 and foundedCharles Town. There he erected a house,Happy Retreat, the same year. In 1786, on 80 acres (32 ha) of his adjoining land, Charles laid out the streets of Charles Town, naming many of them after his brothers and one after his wife, Mildred. He donated the four corner lots at the intersection of George and Washington Streets for public buildings of the town and county, provided the town become theseat of the county upon its separation fromBerkeley County. Jefferson County was formed in 1801 as Charles anticipated. The county court house stands on one of these lots.^[6]

Charles died sometime between July and September 1799, a span of between 3-5 months before the death of his brother George, who died on December 14th of that same year. Although his sonGeorge Augustine Washington had predeceased his father (although leaving behind George Fayette Washington, Charles Augustine Washington and Maria Washington), his other son Samuel Washington was one of the named executors of the President. He also was survived by his widow (who died in 1804) and their daughters Frances Washington Ball (wife of Burgess Ball) and Mildred Hammond (wife of Thomas Hammond).^[7] The grave sites of Charles and Mildred are near Evitts Run and have recently been located and surrounded by a stone wall.

• 1738 births
• 1799 deaths
• 18th-century American Episcopalians
• American planters
• American city founders
• Military personnel from Charles Town, West Virginia
• People from Fairfax County, Virginia
• Politicians from Charles Town, West Virginia
• Virginia militiamen in the American Revolution
• Washington family
• Slave owners from Virginia

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