Ford, West, approximately 1784-1863

Content Description

This collection includes correspondence between John Augustine Washington III and his mother and wife, as well as other family members, mostly dealing with family matters and running Mount Vernon.

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A copy of Bushrod Washington's will in the Fairfax County Court. Includes instructions for the division of the Mount Vernon property, library, and enslaved population, with instructions that land should be given to West Ford.

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A manuscript copy of the last will and testament of Hannah Bushrod Washington, in which she specifies that her body be left out until it putrefies so that she is not buried alive. In her will, Hannah specifies that West Ford, the son of an enslaved woman named Venus, should be inoculated from smallpox, apprenticed to a tradesman, and freed at the age of twenty-one.

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West [Ford] has taken sick this morning. “The stockings and socks for the negroes are nearly done…The coat patterns are eaten up by the rats…”

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Judith B. Alexander, Caledon, to John Augustine Washington III. Judith writes that she is suffering from melancholy and writes of religious matters. She also writes, “I observed with pleasure you have forbidden the intrusion of stages and omnibuses.” She asks that she be fondly remembered to Aunt Jenny, “my poor old Joe Mitchum,” Phil, West, Eliza, and Sarah.

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A letter signed BWH, possibly from Bushrod Washington Herbert, to his cousin John Augustine Washington III. In the letter, BWH asks what Remington is going to do with Muddy Hole Farm. If Remington sells, BWH thinks John Augustine should rent it to West Ford "as before."

Scope and Contents Autograph letter signed with integral address panel. Bushrod Herbert writes to his cousin about business and family news. The address panel contains three weeks of diary notes by John Augustine in pencil. He notes on August 27 that he went to Audley, where Lorenzo Lewis was "very ill and died after I left there." On September 2, his wife Nelly was attended to by a dentist named Dr. McCormick. On September 11, John Augustine notes that West Ford paid him "105.00 for 60 cords of wood and 8.23...

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Autograph letter signed with integral address panel. Jane writes about John Augustine's studies and mentions that some of the family attended the inauguration of William Henry Harrison, where they were kindly received and "surprised and charmed with the grace and agreeableness of young Mrs. Harrison." She writes that the city was "swarmed with office seekers." She also writes that she received a "woful letter" from West Ford about the lack of long forage at Mount Vernon.

Scope and Contents Autograph letter signed with integral address panel. Mount Vernon to the University of Virginia. Jane writes to her son about work taking place at Mount Vernon, where she has spent almost all of $800 she brought down with her. She reports that Skidmore has "finished the large room which is now to be plastered and painted." Mr. Ball has nearly finished the stables, and West Ford is still engaged with the enclosures. She writes of Mount Vernon , "The dear old place will be more comfortable and...

Scope and Contents Autograph letter initialed. Janes writes that she is sending down "four large shoulder of Bacon" to Mount Vernon, along with two enslaved men, Willoughby and Gabriel, who she hopes will be "faithful and useful." She writes, "have them comfortably fixed my dear son treat them kindly, and I trust they will both prove valuable servants. Gabriel will require a strict tho kind discipline. Sarah or Milly must wast and mend for them." Jane also writes that she has had a letter from West Ford asking...

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Retained copy of letter written by John Augustine Washington III to Fairfax County magistrate and landowner Dennis Johnston. In the letter, John Augustine states that based on a conversation with West Ford he believes Johnston is misinformed about the terms of Johnston's contract for cutting, hauling, and cording wood on the Mount Vernon estate.

Scope and Contents Letter written by a sixteen-year-old John Augustine Washington III in Alexandria, Virginia to his mother Jane C. Washington at Blakeley plantation near Charlestown, West Virginia. The address on the back page of the letter notes that the letter was delivered by Jim Mitchell ("Jim Mitchum") with a note from John Augustine that says "I let Jim have $1.00 for his expenses." Jim Mitchell, who was later employed by the Mount Vernon Ladies Association, was enslaved by the Washington family at the...

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Letter from John Augustine Washington III to his mother mentioning his poor health, West Ford, an enslaved woman named Betty, and the state of affairs at Mount Vernon. A note to "Dearest Mother" is added on at the end of the letter by John Augustine's sister, Anna Maria Alexander.

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A letter written by West Ford to Bushrod Washington at Blakeley, the home of Bushrod's neighbor and nephew John Augustine Washington II. Ford, a former slave of the Washington family who was later freed and employed as overseer of Mount Vernon, reports on arrangements being made at Mount Vernon for a workman to slate a "house for the books and papers." He mentions illnesses in his family and warns Bushrod against buying mules from his neighbor, Mr. Peake.

Scope and Contents Mount Vernon to Blakely. West Ford reports on illnesses at Mount Vernon: "i am very sorry to say to you that we have had a great deal of sickness Jessie Clark was take the 3 day of the month he was as crazy as he could be he did not know any person i had to send for doctor Powel." He also mentions that Jim Mitchell has been "laid up" and that July and Hannah, though "not yet confined," have been scarcely able to work. Andrew is also still sick. Ford also reports that he has begun breaking up...

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Washington family's emancipated slave West Ford writes to John Augustine Washington III, regarding wool, barrels of fruit, sweet potatoes, flock of sheep, sale of wheat, and weather. Autograph letter, signed.

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Division of slaves from the estate of John Augustine Washington amongst Bushrod Washington, Corbin Washington, and Hannah Washington. West Ford is listed under slaves to Hannah Washington.

Content Description From the Collection:

This collection includes correspondence between John Augustine Washington III and his mother and wife, as well as other family members, mostly dealing with family matters and running Mount Vernon.