These were the homes of Martha Washington’s four grandchildren. Tudor Place in Georgetown, home to Martha Parke Custis Peter, was just across the Potomac from Arlington House, home of George Washington Parke Custis. Eleanor Parke Custis Lewis and…

Tudor Place was the home of one of Martha Washington’s four grandchildren, Martha Parke Custis Peter. Tudor Place is in Georgetown,  just across the Potomac from Arlington House, home of George Washington Parke Custis. Eleanor Parke…

This colorful china pattern was produced in China for export only in the eighteenth century. The plate pictured here is characteristic of a style dating to 1757 or earlier. It is known that Daniel Parke Custis owned a set of china with this or a…

John Mercer was one of the most eminent attorneys in Virginia, and had been retained by George Washington to help in the settlement of the Custis estate after George’s marriage to Martha Custis. In this letter, George asks Mercer a series of…

This letter, in the hand of Washington secretary Tobias Lear, was written in response to a letter of condolence sent by President Adams a few days before.  Adams requested that George Washington’s body be moved to the new District of…

This letter was part of a campaign by women throughout the colonies to raise money and make clothing for the soldiers of the Continental Army during their suffering in winterquarters. Thomas Jefferson’s wife Martha was placed in charge of the…

One of the marks of eighteenth century Virginia elite society was the elaborate tea ceremony. Virginia planters like George and Martha Washington imported Chinese tea, as well as export porcelain from China. The porcelain pictured here was likely…