Thompson, Mary V. "In the Hands of a Good Providence": Religion in the Life of George Washington. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2008.

Chamberlayne, C.G., ed. The Vestry Book and Register of St. Peter's Parish, New Kent and James City Counties, Virginia, 1684-1786. Richmond: Division of Purchase and Printing, 1937.

1731/9/29 Vestry:

"To major Dandridge for the Copie of 2 Lists of Tythables"1735/10/5 Vestry:

"At the Petition of William Paisley an Overseer of the High Road from the Old Church to Mr. Chamberlaynes Ordinary, That he have...Major Dandridge's [along with a long list of other parishioners] Tithables at the old Quarter and upon the River"


1735/9/29 Vestry:

"Major John Dandridge is chosen Church Warden in the Room of Captain Jos[eph?]: ffoster"

John Dandridge listed as Church Warden along with one David Pattison


1736/9/29 Vestry:

"To Major John Dandridge Copy 2 Lists Titheables & for a Copy of a Deed...80 pounds Tobacco"


1737/10/8 Vestry:

"To Major John Dandridge his Account....279 pounds tobacco" (252)

"That Major John Dandridge & Captain Mich[ell?] Sherman be Continued Church Wardens for the Ensuing Year" (254)


1738/10/2 Vestry:

"That Captain Richard Littlepage & Mr. Ambrose Dudley be Chosen Church Wardens for the Ensuing year in the Room of Major John Dandridge & Captain Mich[] Shermon & accordingly Sworn this Day before Colonel William Macon" (256)

Dandridge at this point becomes a vestryman. He continues to appear in most account lists (often for recording lists of titheables).


1740/4/12 Vestry:

"Mr. Daniel Parke Custis was this Day Sworn a Vestryman & took the Oaths appointed by Law instead of the Oaths of Allegiance & Supremacy before Major Joseph Foster one of his Maties Justices of the Peace for this County & Subscribed the Test"

"Whereas the Minister & Vestry of this Parish have Agreed with Mr. William Walker of the Parish of St. Paul in the County of Stafford Builder to Erect & Build A Steeple & Vestry Room according to a Plan Delivered into the Vestry drawn by the Said Walker for the Consideration of One hundred & thirty Pounds at times to be Paid[.]
Ordered that the Churchwardens in Company with Major Joseph ffoster & Major John Dandridge do meet at Some Convenient time to Execute mutual Bonds between them the Churchwardens & the Said Walker together with his Security the Reverend Patrick Henry for the Performance of the Contract"


1740/9/29 Vestry:

"That Colonel Daniel Parke Custis & Mr Walter Clopton be Chosen Churchwardens for the Ensuing Year & were Accordingly Sworn" (265)

John Dandridge continues in the role of vestryman at this point. Both continue to appear in account lists, for example on 9/29/1741: "To Colonel Custis his Account 1 pound/4 shillings/0 pence in Tobacco at Ditto [2 pence]....144 [lbs. tobacco].......To Major John Dandridge his Account....311 [lbs. tobacco]" (267)

Also on 9/29/1741, a rather humorous entry: "That the Church Wardens [i.e. including DPC] be impowered to Employ Some Person to ffree the Church Yard & all about it from all Rubbish fflith & Nastiness" (269)


1742/6/3 Vestry:

"That Colonel Daniel Parke Custis be Desired to Agree with Some Workmen for Erecting the font" (270)

"That the Church Wardens together with Major Foster & Major Dandridge Settle the Accounts with Captain Richard Littlepage for all the Tobacco in his hands as Collector" (271)


1742/9/29 Vestry:

"To Colonel Custis for freeing the Church Yard & bringing the font....150 [lbs. tobacco]"

"That Colonel William Macon Major Joseph Foster Colonel Custis & Major Dandridge or any two of them Agree with Mr. Edward Russell towards Repairing the Spire & Erecting Dormant Windows for the Steeple" (274)

Also, new wardens are elected at this meeting; Custis goes back to being a vestryman (alongside Dandridge).


1743/11/17 Vestry:

"...Captain Massie Appearing Accordingly was this Day Sworn before Colonel William Macon & Colonel Daniel Parke Custis two of his Maties Justices of the Peace for the County of New Kent & after Captain Massie was Sworn the Vestry Proceeded to Appoint the Several Persons to Procession the Lands as the Law Requires & Ordered them to be Recorded in the Processioning Book" (279)


1744/9/29 Vestry:

John Dandridge again appointed Church Warden (283)


1757/9/29 Vestry:

"Mr. Lewis Webb, & Mr. Izard Wilkinson, are Chosen Vestry-Men, to Serve in the Room of Colonel Daniel Parke Custis, Deceased and Mr. John Lewis, who is Remov'd out of the Parish." (333-334)

"Order'd. That Richard Crump, have five of Madam Custis's Male Tiths, from the Brick House, & Old Quarter to work upon his Road, And that those Tiths be Excused from working upon any Other Road." (335)


Birth on October 29, 1757 of "Morris Jones -- belonging to Martha Custis" (563)


"Negros Belonging to Major John Custis (viz)

Patty A Mullato Born March the 18th 1709
Patty A Negro Born March the 18th 1709
[ ] a Negro Born May 1713
[ ]obb A Negro Born 7[ber in superscript] 1712
Betty A Negro Born May 1712

[ ]rge A Negro belonging to to Major Custis Born April the 18th 1714"

(348)


See pp. 426-428; list of deaths in register includes 10 slaves of John Custis


"This indenture made the Twenty Seventh Day of April Anno Domini 1738 Between Major John Dandridge & Captain Mitchell Shermon Church Wardens of St. Peters Parish for the time being in the County of New Kent of the one Part & John Lightfoot of the Parish & County Aforesaid: of the other Park WITNESSETH that Whereas it is made manifestly appear that Ann Holt a Mullatto Woman was Delivered of a female Bastard Child the 30th Day of January in the year of our Lord 1731 named Delph Holt AND WHEREAS at a Court held for New Kent County the Ninth Day of March Anno Domini 1737 on the Motion of Mr. John Lightfoot & on the Evidence of Mr. Wade Netherland it was Ordered that the Church Wardens of the Parish Aforesaid Should Bind & Put out the Said Delph Holt an apprentice or Servant to the Said John Lightfoot & his Heirs untill She Shall attain to the full & Compleat Age of Twenty one years from the Day of her Birth as by an Act of Assembly in that Case made & Provided Reference being thereunto had may more fully & at Large appear NOW WE the above named John Dandridge & Mitchell Shermon Church Wardens of the Aforesaid Parish of St. Peters Do Pursuant to the Aforesaid Order & by Vertue of these Presents Sett & Put the Said Delph Holt daughter of the Said Ann Holt an Apprentice or Servant to the Aforesaid John Lightfoot his Heirs or Assigns from the Day of the Date of these Presents untill the Said Delph Holt Shall attain to the full & Compleat Age of Twenty one years from the Day of her Birth & with him or them during the Said time truly & faithfully to Serve in all Such Services & Employments as he or they Shall Employ her about without Lett or Gainsay AND the Said John Lightfoot Doth Covenant & agree for himself his heirs &c. to find & Provide for the Said Servant During the Said Time Sufficient Dyett Apparrell Washing & Lodging & to bring her up in the Protestant Religion & to give her at the End of the Said Time three Barrells of Indian Corn & two Suits of Apparell IN WITNESS whereof the Said Partyes have interchangeably Sett their Hands & Seals the Day & yeas above Written
John Dandridge [seal]
Mich[ell] Sherman [seal]
Sealed & Delivered
in Presence of us

Daniel Parke Custis
Jacob Waddill

Recorded by
James Holmes [Clerk] of the Vestry"

[pp. 505-506]

manuscript church records

Mount Vernon, W-2405

china

book

book

print in newspaper

Karl C. Harrison Museum of George Washington

book

Adams, T.H., Rev. "Washington's Runaway Slave." The Granite Freeman. May 22, 1845.

There is now living in the borders of the town of Greenland, N.H., a runaway slave of Gen. Washington, at present supported by the County of Rockingham. Her name at the time of her elopement was ONA MARIA JUDGE. She is not able to give the year of her escape, but says that she came from Philadelphia just after the close of Washington's second term of the Presidency, which must fix it somewhere in the [early?] part of the year 1797.

Being a waiting maid of Mrs. Washington, she was not exposed to any peculiar hardships. If asked why she did not remain in his service, she gives two reasons, first, that she wanted to be free; secondly that she understood that after the decease of her master and mistress, she was to become the property of a grand-daughter of theirs, by name of Custis, and that she was determined never to be her slave.

Being asked how she escaped, she replied substantially as follows, "Whilst they were packing up to go to Virginia, I was packing to go, I didn't know where; for I knew that if I went back to Virginia, I should never get my liberty. I had friends among the colored people of Philadelphia, had my things carried there beforehand, and left Washington's house while they were eating dinner."

She came on board a ship commanded by CAPT. JOHN BOLLES, and bound to Portsmouth, N.H. In relating it, she added, "I never told his name till after he died, a few years since, lest they should punish him for bringing me away. …"

Washington made two attempts to recover her. First, he sent a man by the name of Bassett to persuade her to return; but she resisted all the argument he employed for this end. He told her they would set her free when she arrived at Mount Vernon, to which she replied, "I am free now and choose to remain so."

Finding all attempts to seduce her to slavery again in this manner useless, Bassett was sent once more by Washington, with orders to bring her and her infant child by force. The messenger, being acquainted with Gov. [then Senator John] Langdon, then of Portsmouth, took up lodgings with him, and disclosed to him the object of his mission.

The good old Governor. (to his honor be it spoken), must have possessed something of the spirit of modern anti-slavery. He entertained Bassett very handsomely, and in the meantime sent word to Mrs. Staines, to leave town before twelve o'clock at night, which she did, retired to a place of concealment, and escaped the clutches of the oppressor.

Shortly after this, Washington died, and, said she, "they never troubled me any more after he was gone. …

The facts here related are known through this region, and may be relied on as substantially correct. Probably they were not for years given to the public, through fear of her recapture; but this reason no longer exists, since she is too old and infirm to be of sufficient value to repay the expense of search.

Though a house servant, she had no education, nor any valuable religious instruction; says she never heard Washington pray, and does not believe that he was accustomed to. "Mrs. Washington used to read prayers, but I don't call that praying.["] Since her escape she has learned to read, trusts she has been made "wise unto salvation," and is, I think, connected with a church in Portsmouth.

When asked if she is not sorry she left Washington, as she has labored so much harder since, than before, her reply is, "No, I am free, and have, I trust been made a child of God by the means.["]

Never shall I forget the fire that kindled in her age-bedimmed eye, or the smile that played upon her withered countenance, as I spake of the Redeemer in whom there is neither "bond nor free," bowed with her at the mercy seat and commended her to Him "who heareth prayer" and who regards "the poor and needy when they cry," I felt that were it mine to choose, I would not exchange her possessions, "rich in faith," and sustained, while tottering over the grave, by "a hope full of immortality," for tall the glory and renown of him whose slave she was.