All the spare time he had, he used it playing with a surveying instrument which would help him find work in the future. Years later Washington's brother Lawrence married the daughter of a Colonel named William Fairfax who was one of the wealthiest landowners in Virginia. William would take Washington around his wealthy friends who needed landscaping work around their houses and that's how Washington first got his name out and made him good money. A couple years later in 1752, Lawrence died which was said to very dramatic for Washington because they were so close. Lawrence gave some of his land and slaves to Washington but left most to his wife; however, his wife remarried and sold the land to Washington. Lawrence was an officer in the Virginia militia, and Washington only being twenty he interviewed for Lawrence's job, but the men that held the job were usually older and wealthier. Washington was sent to a less populated area to serve as a major but it was just the start of his military career. Washington soon found himself in war during the French and Indian War, during the war Washington rose to the commander in chief of the Virginia