Washington Family Life

This collection of popular songs was well-known both in England and in colonial America. In 1758, Martha Custis ordered the work from Robert Cary, one of her London agents. The collection would have been used for communal singing as part of social or family gatherings at Mount Vernon.  It is inscribed with Martha’s name in the hand of George Washington.

R. Baldwin

1775

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ML 137-W

Bathing Gown

Washington Family Life

This bathing gown is a rare example of the survival of a complete garment worn by Martha Washington. The gown, made of blue and white linen with lead weights sown into the hem for modesty, was probably worn by Martha on a 1769 trip to the mineral waters in Berkeley Springs, Virginia. The trip was primarily for the benefit of Martha’s daughter Patsy; it was hoped the waters would help cure her epilepsy (image courtesy of Mount Vernon Ladies' Association).

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Samuel Vaughan, Plan of Mount Vernon

Maps

Samuel Vaughan, an Englishman who immigrated to America, visited Mount Vernon in August 1787. In his journal, he described Mount Vernon and made the earliest-known sketch of the grounds. He later mailed George Washington a more detailed and finished plan of the estate (pictured here) based on his earlier sketch. The drawing is an invaluable resource for reconstructing what Mount Vernon looked like in George and Martha Washington’s time (image courtesy of Mount Vernon Ladies' Association).

Samuel Vaughan

1787

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Leather letter box of Martha Washington

Correspondence between Martha and George Washington

Prayer book of Martha Washington

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Prayer book of Martha Washington

Martha Washington and religion

Leather letter box of Martha Washington

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