His Grandmother-in-Law Cant Spare a Stacker for John Augustine Washington III Letter Delivered by Freed Washington Family Slave West Ford Includes List of Mount Vernon Slaves
by SLAVERY. MOUNT VERNON. WEST FORD. MARY BOWLES ARMISTEAD SELDEN
$3,750 · Offered by Biblio
Signed
Mary B. Selden was the grandmother of Eleanor Love Selden, who married John Augustine Washington III in 1843. She regrets not being able to furnish Washington with the services of one of her slaves as a stacker for the upcoming wheat harvest. Still a faithful employee, West Ford worked for the Washington family well into the nineteenth century, including delivering this letter. The letter includes a list of two dozen slaves written in pencil by John Augustine Washington III. [SLAVERY. MOUNT VERNON. WEST FORD]. MARY BOWLES [ARMISTEAD] SELDEN. Autograph Letter Signed, to John Augustine Washington III, hand delivered by West Ford; JOHN AUGUSTINE WASHINGTON III. Autograph List of Slaves. Single folio leaf with autograph address on verso. [Alexandria, Virginia], [1845]. Complete Transcript My dear Augustine I am very sorry to be unable to render you the service you require. I have a very fine stacker but he is hired by the year to Mr Young, as I did not expect to have employment enough for him at Mt Ida. Another year if you wish it you can have him I receive very small wages for him and as a stacker I have never known any one equal to him. I am very sorry to hear that Nelly is sick. I hope she will be well enough to come up and meet the bridal party on thursday. I received a letter from Eliza to day in which she says they will be at Mt Ida that day but will bring no company with them. It will give great pleasure to them and to me if Mrs Washington, Nelly and yourself will come up
- Year: 1845
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