Servants, Slaves, and Personal and Household Services

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John Alton (d. 1785) was GW’s body servant in Braddock’s campaign and remained in his service until his death in 1785. At different times Alton was overseer of one or another of the Mount Vernon ... Read More

Charles Anthony was one of the 33 slaves purchased from the Bartholomew Dandridge Estate in 1788. On 24 April of that year, GW had Burwell Bassett, Jr., purchase 33 slaves and some stock from the ... Read More

Major was one of the 33 slaves purchased from the Bartholomew Dandridge Estate in 1788. On 24 April of that year, GW had Burwell Bassett, Jr., purchase 33 slaves and some stock from the estate of ... Read More

Thomas Bishop (c.1705–1795) came to America with Edward Braddock’s forces in 1755, and became GW’s personal military servant in the army in the fall of that year. Bishop served in that capacity  ... Read More

Clara was one of the 33 slaves purchased from the Bartholomew Dandridge Estate in 1788. On 24 April of that year, GW had Burwell Bassett, Jr., purchase 33 slaves and some stock from the estate of ... Read More

Marz was one of the 33 slaves purchased from the Bartholomew Dandridge Estate in 1788. On 24 April of that year, GW had Burwell Bassett, Jr., purchase 33 slaves and some stock from the estate of ... Read More

In March 1762, GW bought from his brother Samuel the indenture of Robert Haims, a white servant, who worked for a time as a ditcher at Mount Vernon. Haims, whom GW employed again in 1763, 1766, ... Read More

Dick was one of the 33 slaves purchased from the Bartholomew Dandridge Estate in 1788. On 24 April of that year, GW had Burwell Bassett, Jr., purchase 33 slaves and some stock from the estate of ... Read More

Moses was one of two slaves by that name purchased from the Bartholomew Dandridge Estate in 1788. On 24 April of that year, GW had Burwell Bassett, Jr., purchase 33 slaves and some stock from the ... Read More

In September 1765 Sarah Harle, probably the daughter of William Harle (d. 1750) of Fairfax County, went to work for GW at Mount Vernon and remained in his employ at the house for more than two ... Read More

Dinah was one of the 33 slaves purchased from the Bartholomew Dandridge Estate in 1788. On 24 April of that year, GW had Burwell Bassett, Jr., purchase 33 slaves and some stock from the estate of ... Read More

Moses was one of two slaves by that name purchased from the Bartholomew Dandridge Estate in 1788. On 24 April of that year, GW had Burwell Bassett, Jr., purchase 33 slaves and some stock from the ... Read More

John Knowles and his wife Rachael were two indentured servants bought by GW for £45.6.8 in 1774 (see Ledger B, 119). John worked for GW as a bricklayer in the mid–1770s, and payments were made to ... Read More

Frederick was one of the 33 slaves purchased from the Bartholomew Dandridge Estate in 1788. On 24 April of that year, GW had Burwell Bassett, Jr., purchase 33 slaves and some stock from the estate ... Read More

Ned was one of the 33 slaves purchased from the Bartholomew Dandridge Estate in 1788. On 24 April of that year, GW had Burwell Bassett, Jr., purchase 33 slaves and some stock from the estate of ... Read More

Rachael Knowles and her husband, John, were indentured servants purchased by GW for £45.6.8 in 1774 (see Ledger B, 119).  In 1789 GW hired Rachael to be a household servant for one year. Her ... Read More

George was one of the 33 slaves purchased from the Bartholomew Dandridge Estate in 1788. On 24 April of that year, GW had Burwell Bassett, Jr., purchase 33 slaves and some stock from the estate of ... Read More

Onez was one of the 33 slaves purchased from the Bartholomew Dandridge Estate in 1788. On 24 April of that year, GW had Burwell Bassett, Jr., purchase 33 slaves and some stock from the estate of ... Read More

Tobias Lear was a Harvard graduate and native of New Hampshire. In 1786 he became GW’s secretary upon the recommendation of Benjamin Lincoln. He accompanied the president to New York in 1789 and ... Read More

Jack Slow was one of the 33 slaves purchased from the Bartholomew Dandridge Estate in 1788. On 24 April of that year, GW had Burwell Bassett, Jr., purchase 33 slaves and some stock from the estate ... Read More

Phillis was one of the 33 slaves purchased from the Bartholomew Dandridge Estate in 1788. On 24 April of that year, GW had Burwell Bassett, Jr., purchase 33 slaves and some stock from the estate ... Read More

Robert Lewis (1769-1829) was the tenth child of Betty Washington Lewis and Fielding Lewis, and nephew to GW. He served as GW's presidential secretary from 1789 until 1791 when he resigned to ... Read More

Jenney was one of the 33 slaves purchased from the Bartholomew Dandridge Estate in 1788. On 24 April of that year, GW had Burwell Bassett, Jr., purchase 33 slaves and some stock from the estate of ... Read More

Pleasant was one of the 33 slaves purchased from the Bartholomew Dandridge Estate in 1788. On 24 April of that year, GW had Burwell Bassett, Jr., purchase 33 slaves and some stock from the estate ... Read More

Beginning in November 1767, Rachel McKeaver was in GW's employ at Mount Vernon as a housekeeper. She worked there for ten months and may have been a replacement for Sarah Harle who had left ... Read More

Jenny was one of the 33 slaves purchased from the Bartholomew Dandridge Estate in 1788. On 24 April of that year, GW had Burwell Bassett, Jr., purchase 33 slaves and some stock from the estate of ... Read More

Sall was one of the 33 slaves purchased from the Bartholomew Dandridge Estate in 1788. On 24 April of that year, GW had Burwell Bassett, Jr., purchase 33 slaves and some stock from the estate of ... Read More

A native of Falmouth, England, Eleazer Oswald (d. 1795) had immigrated to America in 1770, and was apprenticed to John Holt, the printer of the New-York Journal. During the Revolutionary ... Read More

Jerrez was one of the 33 slaves purchased from the Bartholomew Dandridge Estate in 1788. On 24 April of that year, GW had Burwell Bassett, Jr., purchase 33 slaves and some stock from the estate of ... Read More

Seilla was one of the 33 slaves purchased from the Bartholomew Dandridge Estate in 1788. On 24 April of that year, GW had Burwell Bassett, Jr., purchase 33 slaves and some stock from the estate of ... Read More

Abram was one of the 33 slaves purchased from the Bartholomew Dandridge Estate in 1788. On 24 April of that year, GW had Burwell Bassett, Jr., purchase 33 slaves and some stock from the estate of ... Read More

Jess was one of the 33 slaves purchased from the Bartholomew Dandridge Estate in 1788. On 24 April of that year, GW had Burwell Bassett, Jr., purchase 33 slaves and some stock from the estate of ... Read More

Sukey was one of the 33 slaves purchased from the Bartholomew Dandridge Estate in 1788. On 24 April of that year, GW had Burwell Bassett, Jr., purchase 33 slaves and some stock from the estate of ... Read More

Anderson was one of the 33 slaves purchased from the Bartholomew Dandridge Estate in 1788. On 24 April of that year, GW had Burwell Bassett, Jr., purchase 33 slaves and some stock from the estate ... Read More

John was one of the 33 slaves purchased from the Bartholomew Dandridge Estate in 1788. On 24 April of that year, GW had Burwell Bassett, Jr., purchase 33 slaves and some stock from the estate of ... Read More

On 24 April 1788, GW had Burwell Bassett, Jr., purchase 33 slaves and some stock from the estate of Bartholomew Dandridge, Sr. While the acquired slaves and stock belonged to GW, they were left at ... Read More

Anna was one of the 33 slaves purchased from the Bartholomew Dandridge Estate in 1788. On 24 April of that year, GW had Burwell Bassett, Jr., purchase 33 slaves and some stock from the estate of ... Read More

Kate and her child were among the slaves purchased from the Bartholomew Dandridge Estate in 1788. On 24 April of that year, GW had Burwell Bassett, Jr., purchase 33 slaves and some stock from the ... Read More

Richard Burnet Walker, whose tenure at Mount Vernon began in 1783, was a “House keeper,” or steward. When hired to work at Mount Vernon in 1783, he went by the name of Richard Burnet. While it is ... Read More

Betty was one of the 33 slaves purchased from the Bartholomew Dandridge Estate in 1788. On 24 April of that year, GW had Burwell Bassett, Jr., purchase 33 slaves and some stock from the estate of ... Read More

Laura was one of the slaves purchased from the Bartholomew Dandridge Estate in 1788. On 24 April of that year, GW had Burwell Bassett, Jr., purchase 33 slaves and some stock from the estate of ... Read More

GW employed West as a recording clerk under the direction of Tobias Lear. West remained in GW’s official household until 1792, when GW certified on 15 Aug. his sobriety, diligence, prudence, and ... Read More

Billy was one of the 33 slaves purchased from the Bartholomew Dandridge Estate in 1788. On 24 April of that year, GW had Burwell Bassett, Jr., purchase 33 slaves and some stock from the estate of ... Read More

Louisa was one of the slaves purchased from the Bartholomew Dandridge Estate in 1788. On 24 April of that year, GW had Burwell Bassett, Jr., purchase 33 slaves and some stock from the estate of ... Read More

On 17 Dec. 1768 GW wrote in his diary: “Mary Wilson came to live here as a Ho. keeper a[t] 15/. pr. Month” ( ... Read More

Burwell was one of the 33 slaves purchased from the Bartholomew Dandridge Estate in 1788. On 24 April of that year, GW had Burwell Bassett, Jr., purchase 33 slaves and some stock from the estate ... Read More

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