Did George Washington, as a youngster, chop down a cherry tree and admit the deed to his father? The answer lies in the writings of another man, Mason Locke Weems. It is generally believed today that the entire story was a fabrication by Weems. But before making up the mind on whether the story is true or not more should be told of Mr. Weems.
In truth, the author of the Washington/Cherry Tree story should be referred to as Reverend Weems. Reverend Weems, it seems, was not only a pastor but also, each in its turn, a sailor, a medical student, an accomplished player of the fiddle, author, and a seller of books. The last profession, selling books, was to be his longest stretch of employment although he never completely ceased with sermons.
Being inclined towards the ministry, he was often heard, while selling books, to boast that The Bible was his best seller. His second best selling book, as he toured the countryside peddling his printed wares, was a volume he himself had authored. It was the first biography of George Washington .
ever written, entitled: Life of George Washington; with Curious Anecdotes, Equally Honorable to Himself, and Exemplary to His Young Countrymen.
It was the above small volume, published in 1800, which related the chopping of the cherry tree tale. The cherry tree incident and much of this book is today considered nothing short of elaborate fabrication. But in spite of whether the tale be true or false, in the first century and a half after it was first published it went through eighty-two known editions, including translations into French and German. The last edition appeared in 1927.
If most of the incidents in the book were born of Weems' imagination why then did he write it?
George Washington's Cherry Tree:
