the table in the center of the composition and his other arm is resting on his young ward and step-grandchild who george and martha called "wash." martha is shown with nelly. these are martha's grandchildren, the children of her son, jackie custis, who died very early at age 26 of what might have been cabin fever, maybe typhoid. these children came to live with martha and george when he was president in philadelphia and in new york, and then they came to mount vernon. they were very close, part of the family. george washington had high hopes for young wash, but they did not quite work out. he was not ready to take on the kind of activities that george washington had hoped with government and all, but he has his arm resting on him and you can see young wash with his hand on the globe. witches may be an indication of those hopes for him. martha and nelly are holding a map, and martha is pointing to something on the map which might be pennsylvania avenue or the grand avenue. something where the white house would be. something on that plan. is mount vernon, washington's home 30 miles u

ward and stepchild, john washington park custis. george and martha called wash. martha is shown with nelly custis. these are martha's grandchildren. the children of her son jackie custis who died early of what might be called cabin fever or typhoid. these children came to live with martha and george. they lived when he was presidenn in philadelphia and new york and then they came to mount vernon. so they were very, very close, part of the family. george washington had high hopes for young wash. they didn't quite work out that way.idn't he wasn't ready to take on the t kind of activities that george washington had hoped with government and all, but he has his arm resting on him. you can see young wash's hand n the globe, which is maybe an indication of those hopes for him. martha and nelly are holding a map. and that happens to be a plan for washington. martha is pointing to something on the map. we think it might be hol pennsylvania avenue or the grand avenue or something on -- maybe where the white house would be,e somethingnu on that plan. the setting is mount vernon, washington's