Major George William Ford was an original member of the 10th Cavalry (Buffalo Soldiers) and later a Major with the Second Battalion of the 23rd Kansas Volunteers during the Spanish American War.
Ford was born on November 23, 1847 on the Mount Vernon Plantation in Virginia, the home of George Washington.
He was the grandson of West Ford, once enslaved and later freed by the Washingtons to become a trusted manager for the estate.
George Ford was educated at the Mount Vernon school house and later worked as a tomb guard at the first president’s burial site.