Slaves of George Washington, Virginia

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: Fairfax, Virginia, United States
Surnames/tags: slavery mount_vernon

Mount Vernon Plantation, Fairfax County, Virginia

- - - - - - Note: this page is very much still in progress. (started in February 2022). - - - - - -

Contents 1 Introduction 1.1 1740- 1749 1.2 1768 Purchase 1.3 1799 Slave Census for Washington properties 2 Sources

Introduction

This page's purpose is to record the enslaved people owned by President George Washington, and attempt to connect them to their families. Over his lifetime, he had control over about 577 slaves.^[1]This page focuses on slaves owned prior to 1759; after he married Martha (Dandridge) Custis, there were 84 additional slaves from her late husband's estate. See also the Mount Vernon space page. ^[2]

Two of the most well-known of George Washington's slaves were his "body servant," William "Billy" Lee and Oney Judge. William was purchased from Mary Lee, and Washington also purchased his brother Frank. William appears in a John Trumbull painting with Washington.^[3] Oney Judge escaped when she was about 23; see her page for more information.

1740- 1749

The Mount Vernon database is divided into time periods and document type. This section covers all entries from 1740-1749. Important Note - the letters after each person's name that seem like initials are actually the Mount Vernon Database's way of differentiating among people with the same first name (and no last name)

• Most of the slaves below were owned by George's father Augustine, and will be added to his page, as well.

• Adam C Census Ferry Farm July 1, 1743 Inventory of the King George County Estate of Augustine Washington, 1 July 1743
• Beck C Census Pope's Creek June 28, 1743 Inventory of the Westmoreland County Estate of Augustine Washington, 1 July 1743
• Belinda A Census Ferry Farm July 1, 1743 Inventory of the King George County Estate of Augustine Washington, 1 July 1743
• Betty F Slave Inheritance April 11, 1743 Will of Augustine Washington, 11 April 1743
• Betty F Census Ferry Farm July 1, 1743 Inventory of the King George County Estate of Augustine Washington, 1 July 1743
• Bob B Slave Inheritance April 11, 1743 Will of Augustine Washington, 11 April 1743
• Bob B Census Ferry Farm July 1, 1743 Inventory of the King George County Estate of Augustine Washington, 1 July 1743
• Charles Baker Runaway New Kent County November 1745 Runaway Advertisement, 10 April 1746
• Charles E Census Pope's Creek June 28, 1743 Inventory of the Westmoreland County Estate of Augustine Washington, 1 July 1743
• Dick D Census Ferry Farm July 1, 1743 Inventory of the King George County Estate of Augustine Washington, 1 July 1743
• Dublin A Slave Purchase February 04, 1743 Slave Purchase: Pearce Nowland to Lawrence Washington, 4 February 1743
• Dublin B Census Ferry Farm July 1, 1743 Inventory of the King George County Estate of Augustine Washington, 1 July 1743
• Fortune A Census Pope's Creek June 28, 1743 Inventory of the Westmoreland County Estate of Augustine Washington, 1 July 1743
• Frank D Slave Inheritance April 11, 1743 Will of Augustine Washington, 11 April 1743
• Frank D Census Pope's Creek June 28, 1743 Inventory of the Westmoreland County Estate of Augustine Washington, 1 July 1743
• George P Census Ferry Farm July 01, 1743 Inventory of the King George County Estate of Augustine Washington, 1 July 1743
• Hannah H Census Ferry Farm July 1, 1743 Inventory of the King George County Estate of Augustine Washington, 1 July 1743
• Harry B Census Ferry Farm July 1, 1743 Inventory of the King George County Estate of Augustine Washington, 1 July 1743
• Jack K Slave Inheritance April 11, 1743 Will of Augustine Washington, 11 April 1743
• Jack K Census Ferry Farm July 1, 1743 Inventory of the King George County Estate of Augustine Washington, 1 July 1743
• Jack L Census Ferry Farm July 1, 1743 Inventory of the King George County Estate of Augustine Washington, 1 July 1743
• James G Census Pope's Creek June 28, 1743 Inventory of the Westmoreland County Estate of Augustine Washington, 1 July 1743
• Jane A Census Little Hunting Creek Plantatio June 14, 1743 Inventory of the Stafford County Estate of Augustine Washington, 1 July 1743
• Jenny I Census Ferry Farm July 1, 1743 Inventory of the King George County Estate of Augustine Washington, 1 July 1743
• Jeremy A Census Ferry Farm July 1, 1743 Inventory of the King George County Estate of Augustine Washington, 1 July 1743

(Joe H Census Pope's Creek June 28, 1743 Inventory of the Westmoreland County Estate of Augustine Washington, 1 July 1743

• Joe I Census Little Hunting Creek Plantatio June 14, 1743 Inventory of the Stafford County Estate of Augustine Washington, 1 July 1743
• Joe K Census Ferry Farm July 1, 1743 Inventory of the King George County Estate of Augustine Washington, 1 July 1743
• Judy E Slave Inheritance April 11, 1743 Will of Augustine Washington, 11 April 1743
• Judy F Census Ferry Farm July 1, 1743 Inventory of the King George County Estate of Augustine Washington, 1 July 1743
• Kate F Census Pope's Creek June 28, 1743 Inventory of the Westmoreland County Estate of Augustine Washington, 1 July 1743
• Kate G Census Pope's Creek June 28, 1743 Inventory of the Westmoreland County Estate of Augustine Washington, 1 July 1743

(London B Census Ferry Farm July 1, 1743 Inventory of the King George County Estate of Augustine Washington, 1 July 1743

• Lucy I Slave Inheritance April 11, 1743 Will of Augustine Washington, 11 April 1743
• Lucy I Census Ferry Farm July 1, 1743 Inventory of the King George County Estate of Augustine Washington, 1 July 1743
• Mary B Slave Inheritance April 11, 1743 Will of Augustine Washington, 11 April 1743
• Milly G Census Little Hunting Creek Plantatio June 14, 1743 Inventory of the Stafford County Estate of Augustine Washington, 1 July 1743
• Nan A Census Ferry Farm July 1, 1743 Inventory of the King George County Estate of Augustine Washington, 1 July 1743
• Ned E Slave Inheritance April 11, 1743 Will of Augustine Washington, 11 April 1743
• Ned E Census Ferry Farm July 1, 1743 Inventory of the King George County Estate of Augustine Washington, 1 July 1743
• Ned F Census Ferry Farm July 1, 1743 Inventory of the King George County Estate of Augustine Washington, 1 July 1743
• Peg E Census Little Hunting Creek Plantatio June 14, 1743 Inventory of the Stafford County Estate of Augustine Washington, 1 July 1743
• Peg F Census Pope's Creek June 28, 1743 Inventory of the Westmoreland County Estate of Augustine Washington, 1 July 1743
• Peter E Census Little Hunting Creek Plantatio June 14, 1743 Inventory of the Stafford County Estate of Augustine Washington, 1 July 1743
• Phillis A Census Ferry Farm July 1, 1743 Inventory of the King George County Estate of Augustine Washington, 1 July 1743
• Prince A Census Pope's Creek June 28, 1743 Inventory of the Westmoreland County Estate of Augustine Washington, 1 July 1743
• Prince B Census Pope's Creek June 28, 1743 Inventory of the Westmoreland County Estate of Augustine Washington, 1 July 1743
• Ralph B Census Ferry Farm July 1, 1743 Inventory of the King George County Estate of Augustine Washington, 1 July 1743
• Rosa A Census Little Hunting Creek Plantatio June 14, 1743 Inventory of the Stafford County Estate of Augustine Washington, 1 July 1743
• Sarah E Census Little Hunting Creek Plantatio June 14, 1743 Inventory of the Stafford County Estate of Augustine Washington, 1 July 1743
• Steven A Census Ferry Farm July 1, 1743 Inventory of the King George County Estate of Augustine Washington, 1 July 1743
• Sue B Slave Inheritance April 11, 1743 Will of Augustine Washington, 11 April 1743
• Sue B Census Ferry Farm July 1, 1743 Inventory of the King George County Estate of Augustine Washington, 1 July 1743
• Tim A Census Ferry Farm July 1, 1743 Inventory of the King George County Estate of Augustine Washington, 1 July 1743
• Tom Merry Census Pope's Creek June 28, 1743 Inventory of the Westmoreland County Estate of Augustine Washington, 1 July 1743
• Tony B Census Ferry Farm July 1, 1743 Inventory of the King George County Estate of Augustine Washington, 1 July 1743
• 6 "unknown" entries representing more than 6 slaves:

Unknown Slave Inheritance April 11, 1743 Will of Augustine Washington, 11 April 1743

• Unknown, Census Little Hunting Creek Plantatio June 14, 1743 Inventory of the Stafford County Estate of Augustine Washington, 1 July 1743
• Unknown, Census Mount Vernon 1749 Fairfax County List of Tithables, 1749
• Will J, Census Pope's Creek June 28, 1743 Inventory of the Westmoreland County Estate of Augustine Washington, 1 July 1743
• Winna B, Census, Little Hunting Creek Plantation, June 14, 1743, Inventory of the Stafford County Estate of Augustine Washington, 1 July 1743
• Winny A, Ferry Farm July 1, 1743 Inventory of the King George County Estate of Augustine Washington, 1 July 1743

1768 Purchase

• Mary (Smith) Ball Lee is recorded in President George Washington's papers as having sold him 4 slaves: ^[4][5]
  • William "Billy" Lee (recorded as Mulatto Will) for £61.15,
  • Mulatto Frank for £50,
  • the “Negro boy” Adam for £19,
  • Jack for £19

1799 Slave Census for Washington properties

• Natt age 55, River Farm, page 4.^[6]

Sources

1. ↑ George Washington's Mount Vernon. Author: Mount Vernon's Ladies' Association. Page visited 3 Feb 2022. Link and Archived Link
2. ↑ Mount Vernon website, accessed 2 Feb 2022 George Washington and Slavery
3. ↑ Mount Vernon's Washington Library, Center for Digital History. Digital Encyclopedia: William (Billy) Lee. https://www.mountvernon.org/library/digitalhistory/digital-encyclopedia/article/william-billy-lee/ Live Link] and Archived Link
4. ↑ Entry for Mary Smith Ball Lee. The Washington Papers, Center for Digital Editing, University of Virginia. (accessed 2 Feb 2022). Live Link and Archived Link
5. ↑ The Washington Papers, Center for Digital Editing, University of Virginia. General Ledger A, 1750 - 1772 p261, image 2 [Washington]. Image 2
6. ↑ Washington, George. List, "Negroes Belonging to George Washington in his own right and by Marriage", 1799 July. Page 4 of 8, first column. Fred W Smith National Library for the Study of George Washington at Mount Vernon. George Washington Collection Image Link