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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Five Guys Burgers seeks plan approval ... Four injured in Grants Pass fifth-wheel explosion and fire ... Police chase stolen truck down I-5 from Myrtle Creek to Medford ... Five Guys Burgers seeks plan approval ... Four injured in Grants Pass fifth-wheel explosion and fire ... Police chase stolen truck down I-5 from Myrtle Creek to Medford ... 12 things you probably didn't know about George Washington Comment By Benn Steelman More Content Now MailTribune.com By Benn Steelman More Content Now Posted Feb. 15, 2016 at 1:34 PM By Benn Steelman More Content Now Posted Feb. 15, 2016 at 1:34 PM » Social News In honor of this month’s birthday of George Washington, the father of our country, we present 12 things you didn’t know about our first president. 1. His real birthday was Feb. 22, 1732, but his parents thought he was born on Feb. 11, 1731. In 1752, the British empire switched from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar, necessitating an 11-day correction. 2. The wooden false teeth? Not true. According to the Christian Science Monitor, Washington wore a variety of dentures during his life, including a set made of human teeth (other people’s, presumably), one made of lead and one cobbled together with cow’s teeth and hippopotamus ivory. 3. The silver dollar thrown across the Potomac? Another myth, according to the staff of Mount Vernon. Years later, his step-grandson claimed Washington threw a piece of slate across the Rappahannock River at Fredericksburg, a much narrower stream. 4. He never went to college. 5. Still, he was so good at math, he became a paid surveyor at the age of 16. 6. He did not have a middle name. 7. He never lived in Washington, D.C. During his two terms, the nation’s capital was first in Philadelphia, then in New York. 8. In 1793, he wound up his State of the Union address in 135 words. By contrast, President Obama’s 2014 State of the Union address ran to more than 7,000 words. Bill Clinton’s 1995 address was nearly 9,200 words long. 9. At 6 feet, 2 inches, he was one of the tallest American presidents. Only Abraham Lincoln and Lyndon Johnson, both 6-foot-4, were taller. President Obama’s official height is 6-foot-1. 10. He was the only founding father to free his slaves, although he waited until he was dead to do so. His last will granted freedom to 124 slaves and left money to pay them grants and annuities. His wife, Martha, kept her personal slaves. 11. He wasn’t the first American president, at least by some calculations. Dissenters argue that the honor should go to John Hanson of Maryland, who was president of the Congress when the Articles of Confederation – the nation’s first basic law, before the Constitution was ratified – went into effect in 1781. 12. He never collected pay for the eight-and-a-half years he commanded the Continental Army in the Revolution. All he asked was reimbursement for his expenses, which were never paid back. By Benn Steelman More Content Now MailTribune.com By Benn Steelman More Content Now Posted Feb. 15, 2016 at 1:34 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501