1846 interview with Ona Judge Staines. This article was originally published After his election, John Adams resided in the same house in Philadelphia, before moving into the White House in Washington, D.C. on November 1, 1800. Martha also left one enslaved man, Elish (or Elijah), whom she could have legally freed, to her grandson in an addendum to her will. By then, Ona had an infant, and her husband [s2If !is_user_logged_in()] 1 Ona’s father was Andrew Judge, a white indentured servant who was employed on the estate. Which administration holds the record for the number of Christmas trees displayed at the White House? Ona took the opportunity to share her thoughts on the institution of slavery, proclaiming, “that she never received the least mental or moral instruction, of any kind, while she remained in Washington’s family.”30 She also criticized the Washingtons’ piety, saying she never saw or heard any indication of “piety and prayers” while she was enslaved. Andrew Judge’s indentured servitude ended in 1776, but he worked for Washington until 1781. There are no records to indicate why Ona received new shoes several times a year, but she likely received them because she was in New York and Philadelphia with the Washingtons.7, Ona may have been tempted to pursue her freedom during the early years of Washington’s presidency, but there were severe consequences for such an act. But Ona certainly met her father and likely had some relationship with him given his extended stay, which was not always the case for enslaved children. In the 1830s, both of Ona’s daughters also passed away and she became increasingly involved in her church community and perhaps the abolitionist movement.29 In late 1845 and early 1846, Ona gave two interviews to abolitionist newspapers in New Hampshire. Twice a week we compile our most fascinating features and deliver them straight to you. While I was aware that the Washington's held slaves, the history surrounding Ona Judge was new to … The judge ordered the registration of a case against Syed Ali Azhar, Arzoo's purported husband, as well as against cleric Qazi Abdul Rasool Naqshbandi, the justice of … In the end, Washington and his fellow founders would push the hard decisions about slavery off onto future generations of Americans–with explosive consequences. He was one of George Washington’s preferred tailors, eventually creating the blue uniform George wore when he was named commander in chief of the American forces in 1775. What are some interesting facts about presidents and first ladies? While Ona lived in Virginia, she was surrounded by several family members. She probably did the laundry, cooked meals, scrubbed floors, and cleaned the home—all physically demanding labor.16 In January 1797, she married a free man named Jack Staines and they moved into their own home. Philadelphia's father is unknown, but in 1807 she was freed from slavery and married William Costin, an abolitionist and free man, who was the son of an enslaved woman, Ann Dandridge, and whose father was possibly John Parke Custis, Martha Washington's son. Never Caught: The Washingtons' Relentless Pursuit of Their Runaway Slave, Ona Judge - Ebook written by Erica Armstrong Dunbar. Work was scarce, and Ona’s son, William, is believed to have left home in the 1820s to become a sailor, like his father. Yet freedom would not come without its costs. It would have made her a fugitive in the eyes of the law and she likely would never be able to see her family again. As children born to enslaved women were considered property of the slaveholder, according to Virginia law, his daughter remained in bondage. Judge had been among a group of slaves held by the estate of Martha Washington's first husband, Daniel Parke Custis. During the summer after she escaped, Judge was walking in Portsmouth when she saw Elizabeth Langdon, the daughter of New Hampshire Senator John Langdon. Judge, who … She revealed that her life in Portsmouth had been difficult. In 1773, Ona Judge … Oney Judge, a light mulatto girl, much freckled, with very black eyes and bushy black hair, she is of middle stature, slender, and delicately, about 20 years of age. Ona Judge (c.1773—February 25, 1848), known as Ona Judge Staines after marriage, was a light-skinned, heavily freckled and slight of build slave on George Washington’s plantation, Mount Vernon, in Virginia.. For example, Christopher Sheels, Washington’s enslaved manservant received shoes once per year. A depiction of George Washington during a harvest. The person shot Salas’ 20-year-old son, Daniel Anderl, when he answered the door and then shot her husband multiple times before fleeing. In her interviews fifty years later, Ona referred to John Langdon as Governor. Betty, Ona Judge’s mother, came to Mt. Members of the free black community helped her get aboard a ship commanded by Captain John Bowles, who sailed frequently between Philadelphia, New York and Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Ona died on February 25, 1848, in Greenland, New Hampshire as a free woman.32. White House Historian, This article is part of the Slavery in the President’s Neighborhood initiative. Learn more about Ona Judge’s path to freedom. Her father, Andrew Judge, was an English indentured tailor who served as a tailor. October 21, 2019, Next So, as the household prepared for the Washingtons’ return to Mount Vernon for the summer, Judge made plans for her escape. She quickly became suspicious, however, when Whipple began asking personal questions to verify her identity—the type of questions that would be unusual in a job interview. Her mother, Betty, was recognized as the finest seamstress on the plantation and was a “dower slave,” technically still owned by the estate of Martha Washington’s first husband, Daniel Peake Custis. She has written several books, including the award-winning middle grade novel Drizzle. Benjamin Chase. So, Ona Judge and six other enslaved people are taken to New York, where the nation’s first capital is. Ona Judge was a slave of the Washington’s who escaped to freedom while George was President of the United States. by the Rev. Considered the last “Founding Father” president, James Monroe was born in 1758 into an affluent, slave owning family in Westmoreland County, Virg... Andrew Johnson’s close association with Abraham Lincoln, as both his vice president and his successor, often disguises Johnson’s own... Uncovering the lives of enslaved people poses many challenges. (Baton Rouge and London: Louisiana State University Press, 1977), pp. Ona, on the other hand, said “she did not want to be a slave always, and she supposed if she went back to Virginia, she should never have a chance to escape.”13. But New York City, and then Philadelphia, offered new opportunities.4 Ona encountered a sizable free African-American community for the first time, saw interesting sights, tasted different foods, and met new people. Over more than five years in Philadelphia—traveling in and out every six months—she met and became acquainted with members of the city’s free black community and former enslaved workers who had gained their freedom under the gradual abolition law. "Interview with A Slave of George Washington." Frustrated, Washington wrote directly to Whipple asking him to return Ona by force.19 A quiet abolitionist, Whipple was deeply uncomfortable with this sort of violence. At sixteen, Ona may have been growing still and she may have outgrown her earlier shoes. As Dunbar writes, “Martha Washington’s decision to turn Judge over to Eliza was a reminder to Judge and everyone enslaved at the Executive Mansion that they had absolutely no control over their lives, no matter how loyally they served.”. Martha Washington, who lived until 1802, couldn’t even legally have emancipated her enslaved workers upon her death (including, technically, Oney Judge Staines and her children), as they were part of her inheritance from her first husband and by law went to her surviving grandchildren. South Church, Portsmouth, New Hampshire in 1903. Vernon as a slave, when Martha accepted the hand of George Washington to marry him as her second husband in 1759. Ona learned of the inquiry and met with Whipple to discuss the position. Her mother, Betty, was an enslaved seamstress; her father, Andrew Judge, was an English tailor working as an indentured servant at Mount Vernon. When a reporter asked why she chose that moment to escape, Ona said “she was determined never to be her slave,” referring to Eliza Custis.8 Eliza had earned a reputation among the enslaved women for being highly volatile and erratic—dangerous qualities in a slave owner. FACT CHECK: We strive for accuracy and fairness. When Ona opened the door, perhaps with her one-year-old daughter, Eliza, in her arms, she may have recognized him from her time at Mount Vernon. On October 4, 1796, Whipple wrote to Wolcott that he had failed to secure Ona. Like her mother, she became a talented and highly valued seamstress, and was later promoted to become Martha Washington’s personal maid. Pictured, where the nation ’ s granddaughter, married Thomas law Owners! Andrew Judge, a family friend, or her granddaughter Nelly Custis Philadelphia with her with the family..., Judge ’ s one of them as governor the afternoon of Saturday, May 21, 1796 Dunbar! 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