ouse of Delegates. In the siege of Yorktown Jack served as an
officer of militia, and the exposure proved too much for him. Immediately
after the surrender, news reached Washington of his serious illness, and
by riding thirty miles in one day he succeeded in reaching Eltham in "time
enough to see poor Mr. Custis breath his last," leaving behind him "four
lovely children, three girls and a boy."

Owing to his public employment, Washington refused to be guardian for
these "little ones," writing "that it would be injurious to the children
and madness in me, to undertake, _as a principle_, a trust which I could
not discharge. Such aid, however, as it ever may be with me to give to the
children especially the boy, I will afford with all my heart, and on this
assurance you may rely." Yet "from their earliest infancy" two of Jack's
children, George Washington Parke and Eleanor Parke Custis, lived at Mount
Vernon, for, as Washington wrote in his will, "it has always been my
intention, since my expectation of having issue has ceased, to consider
the grandchildren of my wife in the same light as my own relations, and to
act a friendly part by them." Though the cares of war prevented his
watching their property interests, his eight years' absence could not make
him forget them, and on his way to Annapolis, in 1783, to tender Congress
his resignation, he spent sundry hours of his time in the purchase of
gifts obviously intended to increase the joy of his homecoming to the
family circle at Mount Vernon; set forth in his note-book as follows:

"By Sundries bo't. in Phil'a.

A Locket L5 5
3 Small Pockt. Books 1 10
3 Sashes 1 5 0
Dress Cap 2 8
Hatt 3 10
Handkerchief 1
Childrens Books 4 6
Whirligig 1 6
Fiddle 2 6
Quadrille Boxes 1 17 6."

Indeed, in every way Washington showed how entirely he considered himself
as a father, not merely speaking of them frequently as "the children," but
even alluding to himself in a letter to the boy as "your papa." Both were
much his companions during the Presidency. A frequent sight in New York
and Philadelphia was Washington taking "exercise in the coach with Mrs.
Washington and the two children," and several times they were ta