Was George Washington the most famous American colonist for most of the 1700s?

No. George Washington was not the most famous American Colonist for most of the 1700's. The most famous colonist for most of the 1700's was Benjamin Franklin. During that era, Benjamin Franklin was a world famous inventor, publisher, and millionaire. George Washington had received some respect in Europe for turning a military fiasco into a victory early in the French and Indian War, but other than that, he was not well known outside Virginia.