Before George Washington became the first President of the United States of American he was a land surveyor. He was as young as sixteen-years old when he became a surveyor's assistant in 1748. Some of the land he first 'cut his teeth' as a surveyor later became our present day Eastern Panhandle and Potomax Highlands - so it is conceivable that he left something behind. But his 'first set of wooden teeth'?
Robert and Ann found the dentures during one of their "Date Hunts" where they travel around the West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle with a metal detector, a shovel and a picnic basket. This time, however, they didin't have to go far. They claim they found George's Chompers at their family farm in Berkeley County.
Potomac Dentist / Historian Ida Bityaificud disputes their claim, "School children were taught that George Washington had wooden teeth, but that's simply not the case. He did have poor teeth possibly due to mercury poisoning, but those were made of ivory, and human, donkey or horse teeth, not wood,"
The Teeks are not discouraged. "I know they are his wooden teeth" Ann argues, "Historians are always coming up with new theories, but those stories had to come from somewhere. Besides, they have his name engraved on them!"
Sure enough, under a magnifying glass you can make out the ancient scribblings, "G Washington". Whether it is in his hand or not has yet to be determined. The Smithsonian Institution is requested to view the dentures to authenticate the Teek's claims.
If indeed the nibblers turn out to be the real deal, the couple plans to keep them in their own collection or perhaps loan them to a museum, but never sell them. If the false teeth turn out to be -- well, false, Robert Teek is undetered. "We will continue searching for artifacts from our past. Once you've been bitten by history, you stay bit."
