The "President Washington's Hatchet & Teeth!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Checking out my multitude of online mail and have begun to realize that most everyone has stopped sending mail by placing a stamp on it and putting it in a mailbox and has taken to their computer to send it online.  Took me close to five minutes to briefly check mail and send it to the "Trash" before actually pulling up the mail that looks to be promising and begin reading it.  

President George Washington smiling with his mouth closed.

One such email dealt with a fellow by the name of George Washington.  Oh, yeah!  I know him.  He's the guy who chopped down a cherry tree one time and after being caught by his dad, admitted to the feat since he could not tell a lie.  But, as I read on...he never really did that!  According to legend, Washington took a newly-received hatchet to his father's cherry tree and damaged it.  When confronted, the young boy fessed up for his wrongdoing and earned the praise and respect of his father.  But, that never happened.  It was a made-up story by Mason Locke Weems, author of "The Life of Washington."  He added the story to a biography he wrote on Washington after our fifth President had died.  So...there was no one to tell the world that it never happened.  But, because of it, everyone respected George a bit more.  

The Capitol; not his resting place!

Didn't you?  Well, there are quite a few more stories attributed to President George Washington that really aren't true...or at least not totally true.  Another story has to do with him being buried within a crypt beneath the U.S. Capitol. False!  But, it is sort of true, since on December 23, 1799, the House and Senate decided that, with the permission of his family, the body of George would be buried under a marble memorial at the United States Capitol.  Martha Washington agreed, despite her husband's wish to be buried in Mount Vernon.  But, the cost was found to be too high, so his body remained at his plantation.  Then in 1832 another attempt was made to relocate his body, but the owner of Mount Vernon at the time, Mr. John A. Washington II, refused to disturb his ancestor.  So, even though most people think he is buried beneath the capitol, he is really resting nicely at Mount Vernon.  

The White House wasn't occupied until the Adams moved in.

And then there is the story about he and his wife, Martha, being the first couple to live at the White House.  Not true!  The White House wasn't even started until after George's first year as President.  Then, it wasn't finished until it was time for John and Abigail Adams to move in as its first occupants.  Oh, yeah! How about the story that his teeth were made of wood.  Now, that one I never heard of until I began reading a bit more about his life.  Seems like George was plagued with dental issues most of his adult life and started to lose his teeth in his twenties.  

George Washington's teeth as seen in The Smithsonian.

But, the teeth weren't made of just wood.  Instead, they were a mix of human teeth, metal fasteners and hippo- potamus ivory.  Yep!  Hippo ivory.  Now that would have been neat.  But, they were extremely painful to wear and he couldn't take them out since they were held in place with gold wire and screws.  Now, that would have to hurt.  I guess that's why I have never seen a photo of George smiling.  So what else don't we know about George Washington?  I'm sure there a a few other items, both true and false, but you now know that he never chopped down a cherry tree as a child.  Heavens, I can't even cut a pine tree down with a hand saw as an adult!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

George showing his father the tree he had attempted to cut down.