There he was placed under the charge of one Hobby, the sexton of the parish, to learn his alphabet and his pothooks; and when that worthy man's store of learning was exhausted he was sent back to Bridges Creek, soon after his father's death, to live with his half-brother Augustine, and obtain the benefits of a school kept by a Mr.Williams.There he received what would now be called a fair common-school education, wholly destitute of any instruction in languages, ancient or modern, but apparently with some mathematical training.
[Footnote 1: There is a conflict about the period of this removal (see above, p.

37).

Tradition places it in 1735, but the Rev.Mr.McGuire (_Religious Opinions of Washington_) puts it in 1739.] That he studied faithfully cannot be doubted, and we know, too, that he matured early, and was a tall, active, and muscular boy.

He could outwalk and outrun and outride any of his companions.

As he could no doubt have thrashed any of them too, he was, in virtue of these qualities, which are respected everywhere by all wholesome minds, and especially by boys, a leader among his school-fellows.