George Washington was famous!  Why wasn’t he a signer of the Declaration?

George had trained to be a surveyor, and in 1749 began surveying for government expeditions. Respected for his endurance and ingenuity, he eventually gained a military commission and served as the commander of the Virginia Regiment. Even with his demonstrations of courage and strategy, as a colonist he was denied a Royal Commission to the British Army, possibly souring him on British rule.

He was appointed as Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army in 1775, serving in that role until 1783 when the peace was declared. His prior military success gained him the respect of the Congress, and being a Virginian was helpful in unifying the colonies under one army.

Of course, he then went on to become our first President.

Did he really have wooden teeth, and did he really chop down a cherry tree and confess to his father?  Definitely not, and probably not.  As a teenager he did compile a booklet called “Rules of Civility” with over 100 ideas for polite behavior.  Maybe this contributed to his reputation for truth-telling.