Fields, Joseph E. 'Worthy Partner': The Papers of Martha Washington. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 1994.

Custis Papers, Virginia Historical Society

Sir                                                                            May 10th 1759

According to your Command (I have) sent you as near as I am able (mutilated) accot of the nigros and stocks (mutilated) Rest of the (Estate) of Colo. Custis on this Shore Except (in) Smith's 1sland which I omited on accot of its being Rented out -but if meteral may be seen by a leas that Mr Vollentime has in his pirsession heare is som corn which is sold tho not delivered yet and will be about 1000 Bushells

(illegible) am at Command your humble sevt.

                                                                 James Biggs

Autograph Letter Signed

painting

56 inches high x 69 inches wide

Pogue, Dennis J. "The Domestic Architecture of Slavery at George Washington's Mount Vernon." Winterthur Portfolio, 37 1 (Spring, 2002): 3-22.

Rinaldi, Ann. Taking Liberty: The Story of Oney Judge, George Washington's Runaway Slave. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2002.

Robbins, Karen. "Power Among the Powerless: Domestic Resistance by Free and Slave Women in the McHenry Family of the New Republic," Journal of the Early Republic, 23 1 (Spring,2003): 47-68.

Wiencek, Henry. An Imperfect God: George Washington, His Slaves, and the Creation of America. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2003.

Farrar, Straus and Giroux

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University of Virginia

Fairfax County (Virginia) August 11, 1761.

Ran away from a Plantation of the Subscriber's, on Dogue Run in Fiarfax, on Sunday the 9th Instant, the following Negroes, viz.

Peros[?], 35 or 40 Years of Age, a well-set Fellow, of about 5 feet 8 Inches high, yellowish Complexion, with a very full round Face, and full black Beard, his Speech is something slow and broken, but not in so great a Degree as to render him remarkable. He had on when he went away, a dark colour'd Cloth Coat, a white Linen Waist-coat, white Breeches and white Stockings.

Jack, 30 Years (or thereabouts) old, a slim, black, well made Fellow, of near 6 Feet high, a small Face, with Cuts down each Cheek, being his Country Marks, his Feet are large (or long) for he requires a great Shoe: The Cloathing he went off in cannot be well ascertained, but it is thought in his common working Dress, such as Cotton Waistcoat (of which he had a new One) and Breeches, and Osnabrig Shirt.

Neptune, aged 25 or 30, well set, and of about 5 Feet 8 or 9 Inches high, thin jaw'd, his Teeth stragling and fil'd sharp, his Back, if rightly remember'd, has many small Marks or Dots running from both Shoulders down to his Waistband, and his Head was close shaved: Had on a Cotton Waistcoat, black or dark colour'd Breeches, and an Osnabrig Shirt.

Cupid, 23 or 25 Years old, a black well made Fellow, 5 Feet 8 or 9 Inches high, round and full faced, with broad Teeth before, the Skin of his Face is coarse, and inclined to be pimpley, he has no other distinguishable Mark that can be recollected: he carried with him his common working Cloaths, and an old Osnabrig Coat made Frockwise.

The two last of these Negroes were bought from an African Ship in August 1759, and talk very broken and unintelligible English. the second one, Jack, is Countryman to those, and speaks pretty good English, having been several Years in the Country. The other Peros [?], speaks much better than either, indeed has little of his Country Dialect left, and is esteemed a sensible judicious Negro.

As they went off without the least Suspicion, Provocation, or Difference with any Body, or the least angry Word or Abuse from their Overseers, 'tis supposed they will hardly lurk about in the Neighborhood, but steer some direct Course (which cannot even be guessed at) in Hopes of an Escape. Or, perhaps, as the Negro Peros [?] has lived many Years about Williamsburg, and King William County, and Jack in Middlesex, they may possibly bend their Course to one of those Places.

Whoever apprehends the said Negroes, so that the Subscriber may readily get them, shall have, if taken up in this County, Forty Shillings Reward, beside what the Law allows; and if at any greater Distance, or out of the Colony, a proportionable Recompence paid them, by

George Washington

N.B. If they should be taken separately, the Reward will be proportioned.

newspaper

The Martha Washington Collection, Mount Vernon.

Partial transcript:

"...am obliged to be my one [own] Housekeeper which takes up the greatest part of my time, - our cook Hercules went away so that I am as much at a loss for a cook as for a house keeper. - altogether I am sadly plaiged..."