Martha Washington

Portrait, The Custis Children, Matthew Pratt, c. 1773

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 18:56:10 +0000

Dublin Core

Title

Portrait, The Custis Children, Matthew Pratt, c. 1773

Subject

Children of Martha Washington

Description

This portrait is believed to depict John Parke and Martha Parke Custis, the surviving children of Martha Washington and her first husband, Daniel Parke Custis. Although George and Martha Washington were never able to have children of their own, George treated Jacky and Patsy as his own children. The artist of this portrait is unknown but believed to have been Matthew Pratt (image courtesy of Virginia Historical Society).

Creator

Unidentified, believed to be Matthew Pratt

Source

[no text]

Publisher

Virginia Historical Society

Date

1773

Contributor

[no text]

Rights

[no text]

Relation

[no text]

Format

painting, oil on canvas

Language

eng

Type

[no text]

Identifier

[no text]

Coverage

[no text]

Additional Item Metadata

Provenance

[no text]

Citation

[no text]

Spatial Coverage

[no text]

Rights Holder

Virginia Historical Society

Temporal Coverage

[no text]

Still Image Item Type Metadata

Original Format

portrait, oil on canvas

Physical Dimensions

[no text]

The Custis Children, Matthew Pratt, c. 1773
" width="100" height="100"/>

John Wollaston, Jacky and Patsy Custis, 1757

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 01:59:38 +0000

Dublin Core

Title

John Wollaston, Jacky and Patsy Custis, 1757

Subject

Portraits

Description

Well known portraitist John Wollaston painted the entire Custis family in 1757. This dual portrait is of Daniel and Martha Custis's two chidlren, John Parke (Jacky) and Martha Parke (Patsy) Custis.

Creator

John Wollaston

Source

[no text]

Publisher

[no text]

Date

1757

Contributor

[no text]

Rights

[no text]

Relation

[no text]

Format

[no text]

Language

eng

Type

[no text]

Identifier

[no text]

Coverage

[no text]

Additional Item Metadata

Provenance

[no text]

Citation

Wollaston, John. Jacky and Patsy Custis. 1757, oil on canvas. CAP Ref. 1951.119. Lee Chapel & Museum, Washington & Lee University.

Spatial Coverage

[no text]

Rights Holder

Washington & Lee University

Temporal Coverage

[no text]

Still Image Item Type Metadata

Original Format

[no text]

Physical Dimensions

[no text]

Jacky and Patsy Custis, 1757
" width="100" height="100"/>

Dandridge Christening Bowl

Thu, 05 Jun 2008 16:58:49 +0000

Dublin Core

Title

Dandridge Christening Bowl

Subject

Martha Washington's early life

Description

This bowl has been passed down through generations of Dandridge descendants and is known as the “Dandridge Christening Bowl.” It is an example of famille verte ware, a style of Chinese porcelain. Although the bowl’s precise provenance is uncertain, it is possible that Martha Dandridge was christened in 1731 with water from ithis bowl, or one like it.

Creator

[no text]

Source

[no text]

Publisher

[no text]

Date

[no text]

Contributor

[no text]

Rights

[no text]

Relation

[no text]

Format

[no text]

Language

eng

Type

[no text]

Identifier

[no text]

Coverage

[no text]

Additional Item Metadata

Provenance

[no text]

Citation

Mount Vernon, W-2405

Spatial Coverage

[no text]

Rights Holder

Mount Vernon Ladies Association

Temporal Coverage

[no text]

Still Image Item Type Metadata

Original Format

china

Physical Dimensions

[no text]

Miniature portrait, Martha Parke Custis, 1772, by Charles Willson Peale (watercolor on ivory, 1772)

Thu, 05 Jun 2008 16:29:19 +0000

Dublin Core

Title

Miniature portrait, Martha Parke Custis, 1772, by Charles Willson Peale (watercolor on ivory, 1772)

Subject

Portraits

Description

Martha Washington’s daughter Patsy was sixteen when this miniature portrait was painted by Charles Willson Peale. Patsy suffered from what was probably epilepsy, and a year after this portrait was executed would die as the result of a seizure (image courtesy of Mount Vernon Ladies' Association).

Creator

Charles Willson Peale

Source

[no text]

Publisher

[no text]

Date

1772

Contributor

[no text]

Rights

[no text]

Relation

[no text]

Format

portrait miniature, watercolor on ivory

Language

eng

Type

[no text]

Identifier

W-2355 A

Coverage

[no text]

Additional Item Metadata

Provenance

[no text]

Citation

[no text]

Spatial Coverage

[no text]

Rights Holder

Mount Vernon Ladies' Association

Temporal Coverage

[no text]

Still Image Item Type Metadata

Original Format

painting

Physical Dimensions

[no text]

Martha Parke Custis, 1772, by Charles Willson Peale (watercolor on ivory, 1772)
" width="100" height="100"/>

Miniature portrait, John Parke Custis, by Charles Willson Peale (watercolor on ivory, 1772)

Thu, 05 Jun 2008 16:23:12 +0000

Dublin Core

Title

Miniature portrait, John Parke Custis, by Charles Willson Peale (watercolor on ivory, 1772)

Subject

Portraits

Description

This miniature portrait of John Parke (Jacky) Custis was executed by Charles Willson Peale. Jacky brought the painter with him to Mount Vernon when returning home from his studies in Annapolis. Jacky was eighteen when this portrait was painted. Peale also completed miniatures at this time of Jacky’s sister Martha Parke (Patsy) Custis, Martha Washington, and of George Washington (Courtesy of an anonymous lender. Image courtesy of Mount Vernon Ladies' Association).

Creator

Charles WIllson Peale

Source

[no text]

Publisher

[no text]

Date

1772

Contributor

[no text]

Rights

[no text]

Relation

[no text]

Format

portrait miniature, watercolor on ivory

Language

eng

Type

[no text]

Identifier

W-2355 B

Coverage

[no text]

Additional Item Metadata

Provenance

[no text]

Citation

[no text]

Spatial Coverage

[no text]

Rights Holder

Mount Vernon Ladies' Association

Temporal Coverage

[no text]

Still Image Item Type Metadata

Original Format

painting

Physical Dimensions

[no text]

John Parke Custis, by Charles Willson Peale (watercolor on ivory, 1772)" width="100" height="100"/>

Letter, Martha Washington to Anna Maria Dandridge Bassett, August 28, 1762

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 16:37:40 +0000

Dublin Core

Title

Letter, Martha Washington to Anna Maria Dandridge Bassett, August 28, 1762

Subject

Children of Martha Washington

Description

In this letter, Martha Washington writes to her sister Anna Maria Dandridge Bassett about a variety of household news. The letter displays a characteristic social graciousness in interacting with friends and family. The grammar and spelling are erratic to modern eyes, as was characteristic of both Martha’s letters and those of the period more generally. Finally, the letter exhibits a typical preoccupation with illness and health in general, and reveals Martha’s inclination to cling to her children out of fear for their health (image courtesy of The Massachusetts Historical Society).

Creator

Martha Washington

Source

[no text]

Publisher

[no text]

Date

1762-08-28

Contributor

[no text]

Rights

Massachusetts Historical Society

Relation

[no text]

Format

[no text]

Language

eng

Type

[no text]

Identifier

[no text]

Coverage

[no text]

Additional Item Metadata

Provenance

[no text]

Citation

[no text]

Spatial Coverage

[no text]

Rights Holder

The Massachusetts Historical Society

Temporal Coverage

[no text]

Document Item Type Metadata

Text

[no text]

Original Format

[no text]

Letter, Henry Knox to Clement Biddle, November 11, 1781

Wed, 28 May 2008 18:32:19 +0000

Dublin Core

Title

Letter, Henry Knox to Clement Biddle, November 11, 1781

Subject

death of John Parke Custis (Jacky)

Description

Henry Knox (future Secretary of War) and Clement Biddle were Continental Army officers in 1781, and both were close to General Washington. This letter informs Biddle of the death of Jacky Custis, Martha Washington’s lone remaining child, from an illness (possibly smallpox) contracted at the siege of Yorktown. Knox tells Biddle that the General and his wife were both present at Jacky’s death.

Creator

Henry Knox

Source

[no text]

Publisher

[no text]

Date

1781-11-11

Contributor

[no text]

Rights

[no text]

Relation

[no text]

Format

[no text]

Language

eng

Type

[no text]

Identifier

[no text]

Coverage

[no text]

Additional Item Metadata

Provenance

[no text]

Citation

[no text]

Spatial Coverage

[no text]

Rights Holder

Henry E. Huntington Library and Art Gallery

Temporal Coverage

[no text]

Document Item Type Metadata

Text

“His excellency – the General & Mrs[.] Washington amidst flattering public prospects have Received the most fatal blow to their Domestic felicity – the amiable Mr[.] Custis, Mrs[.] Washington’s only child has just been obliged by the rigid hand of fate to pay his last Debt to nature – his patriotism led him to camp to participate above degree of [ ] of his amiable & illustrious father, where he contracted the [buds or seeds?] of his disease which in a night or two terminated his life, at Colonel Bassetts [sic] Mrs[.] Wahington’s Brother in law about 30 miles distant from Wmsburg.- Mrs[.] Washington & Mrs[.] Custis and the General were present at his last Gasp – It is only for an affectionate parent to form a totally adequate idea of [this family’s most afflicted?] state.”

Original Format

[no text]