The Many Voices of Arlington Plantation

Acknowledgement & Remembrance

Here we tell the stories of the people of Arlington House. Some were born free, some sought their freedom, some died in enslavement, and some were emancipated. Many have descendants who are living today. These historical records are incomplete, and we are always seeking to further our knowledge and work to build a more complete history of the people of Arlington House. If you have knowledge, information, or a lead on information about this person, or any of the people of Arlington House, please contact the National Park Service at e-mail us

First Name

Last Name

Family Relationship

Details

Born

(approximate year)

Death

Austin

Bingham

father

Louisa

Bingham

mother

Harrison

Bingham

son

Parks

Bingham

son

Were jailed and hired away from the plantation after refusing to obey Lee's orders, contending that GWP Custis' will meant they were free

Reuben

Bingham

son

Were jailed and hired away from the plantation after refusing to obey Lee's orders, contending that GWP Custis' will meant they were free

Austin

Bingham

son

Were jailed and hired away from the plantation after refusing to obey Lee's orders, contending that GWP Custis' will meant they were free

1839?

Harrison

Bingham

son

Henry

Bingham

son

Edward

Bingham

son

Lucius

Bingham

son

Leanthe

Bingham

Daughter

Louisa

Caroline

Bingham

Bingham

Daughter

Daughter

Caroline

Branham

daughter

Personal maid to Martha Washington, present at George Washington's death. Caroline Branham negotiated the emancipation of her grandson with GWP Custis in exchange for giving an account of Washington's death to reporter Jared Sparks.

1764

1843

Jem

Bingham

grandson- Caroline's son

Infant - no name given

Bingham

Austin

Branham

Possibly descendants of Charlotte & Austin, an enslaved couple at Mount Vernon

Rachel

Branham

Sold in 1813; relationship to Marcellena and Almira unknown

Marcellena

Branham

Have have been married to Cornelius Syphax. Sold in 1813. Enslaved to the Lees until 1861. Relationship to Rachel and Almira unknown. In 1860 the Federal Census includes a Marceline Brown who is listed as "free" and may have been the same person.

1840

Almira

Branham

Sold in 1813; relationship to Marcellena and Rachel unknown

Lucy

Branham

Robert Branham's mother

Lucy Branham and her son Robert Branham were sold in 1827; their fate is unknown

Robert

Branham

Lucy Branham's son

Lucy Branham and her son Robert Branham were sold in 1827; their fate is unknown

Catharine

Burke

Fanny Burke's mother; Agnes Burke's sister

After GWP Custis' death, Agnes Burke, her sister Catharine Burke, and Catherine's daughter Fanny fled to Washington DC. Robert E. Lee attempted to recapture them; no documentation exists about whether they were able to escape.

1835?

Fanny

Burke

Catharine Burke's daughter

After GWP Custis' death, Agnes Burke, her sister Catharine Burke, and Catherine's daughter Fanny fled to Washington DC. Robert E. Lee attempted to recapture them; no documentation exists about whether they were able to escape.

1856?

Mary Ann

Burke

Agnes

Burke

Catharine Burke's sister

After GWP Custis' death, Agnes Burke, her sister Catharine Burke, and Catherine's daughter Fanny fled to Washington DC. Robert E. Lee attempted to recapture them; no documentation exists about whether they were able to escape.

1844?

William

Burke

father

Immigrated to Liberia in 1853. Daughter Martha Custis Burke was born in Liberia. Descendants of the Burke family still live in Liberia today.

Rosabella

Burke

mother

Immigrated to Liberia in 1853. Daughter Martha Custis Burke was born in Liberia. Descendants of the Burke family still live in Liberia today.

Grandison

Burke

son

Immigrated to Liberia in 1853. Daughter Martha Custis Burke was born in Liberia. Descendants of the Burke family still live in Liberia today.

Cornelia

Burke

daughter

Immigrated to Liberia in 1853. Daughter Martha Custis Burke was born in Liberia. Descendants of the Burke family still live in Liberia today.

Alexander

Burke

son

Immigrated to Liberia in 1853. Daughter Martha Custis Burke was born in Liberia. Descendants of the Burke family still live in Liberia today.

William

Burke

son

Immigrated to Liberia in 1853. Daughter Martha Custis Burke was born in Liberia. Descendants of the Burke family still live in Liberia today.

Martha Custis

Burke

daughter

Born in Liberia

Arianna

Carter

Maria Carter Custis Syphax' mother

Charles

Syphax

married to Maria Carter Custis Syphax; father of their children

1791

1869

Maria Carter Custis

Syphax

married to Charles Syphax

Daughter of George Washigton Parke Custis and Arianna Carter, an enslaved woman. Raised on the plantation in enslavement. In 1826, GWP Custis freed adult Maria and gave her land on the plantation. Possibly related to Marcellena who was married to Cornelius Syphax. Descendants of the Syphax family live in the Washington DC area and other places today.

1803

1886

Elinor Bertha

Syphax

daughter

William

Syphax

son

Cornelius

Syphax

son

Charles

Syphax

son

Colbert Stewart

Syphax

son

Shaulter

Syphax

son

Austin

Syphax

son

John Bryce

Syphax

son

Ennis Gray

Syphax

son

Maria

Syphax

daughter

Mary

Syphax

granddaughter

Washington

Syphax

grandson

Cassy

Surname not recorded

married to Lewis [Surname not recorded]

Gained their freedom before the Civil War and moved to New York. Cassy suggested they move closer to Washington DC to be closer to friends; Lewis refused, concerned he might be returned to enslavement.

Lewis

Surname not recorded

married to Cassy [Surname not recorded]

Gained their freedom before the Civil War and moved to New York. Cassy suggested they move closer to Washington DC to be closer to friends; Lewis refused, concerned he might be returned to enslavement.

Julia Ann

Check

Catharine Check's mother

The Check family was enslaved at Arlington Plantation, and freed in GWP Custis' will in 1862. This was enacted by Robert E. Lee, the will's executor, five years after Custis' death at the last moment allowed by the terms of the will.

Catharine

Check

Julia Ann Check's daughter

The Check family was enslaved at Arlington Plantation, and freed in GWP Custis' will in 1862. This was enacted by Robert E. Lee, the will's executor, five years after Custis' death at the last moment allowed by the terms of the will.

Catharine Check's child - first name not recorded

Check

Catharine Check's child

The Check family was enslaved at Arlington Plantation, and freed in GWP Custis' will in 1862. This was enacted by Robert E. Lee, the will's executor, five years after Custis' death at the last moment allowed by the terms of the will.

Louis

Check

Catharine Check's son

The Check family was enslaved at Arlington Plantation, and freed in GWP Custis' will in 1862. This was enacted by Robert E. Lee, the will's executor, five years after Custis' death at the last moment allowed by the terms of the will.

Henry

Check

Catharine Check's son

The Check family was enslaved at Arlington Plantation, and freed in GWP Custis' will in 1862. This was enacted by Robert E. Lee, the will's executor, five years after Custis' death at the last moment allowed by the terms of the will.

"Old Shack"

Check

Relationship unknown

The Check family was enslaved at Arlington Plantation, and freed in GWP Custis' will in 1862. This was enacted by Robert E. Lee, the will's executor, five years after Custis' death at the last moment allowed by the terms of the will.

Ephraim

Derricks

Left each Saturday and returned Monday, visting his wife in Washington DC over the weekend. Enslaved at Arlington House as GWP Custis' valet, and after his death, gardener.

Daniel

Dotson

Enslaved as a coachman at Arlington Plantation, and ran errands such as carrying mail.

Eddison

Surname not recorded

Gained his freedom and moved to New York - details unknown. Moved with Lily, another formerly enslaved person from Arlington.

Elijah

Surname not recorded

Willed to GWP Custis from Martha Washington's estate.

Lily

Surname not recorded

Sold in 1829 to Edward Stabler, who probably freed Lily. By 1845 she was living in New York with Eddison, another member of the Arlington former enslaved community

Eloisa

Surname not recorded

Charles' mother

Died in enslavement in 1818. After her death, GWP Custis freed her son Charles

Charles

Surname not recorded

Eloisa's son

After his mother Eloisa's death in 1818, GWP Custis freed Charles

1804?

Gardner [possibly first name or title]

Surname not recorded

Austin

Gray

Possibly descendants of Charlotte & Austin, an enslaved couple at Mount Vernon. Possibly a brother or uncle of Thornton Gray.

Obediah

Gray

Possibly a brother or uncle of Thornton Gray. Manumitted in 1862.

Sally

Norris

Selina Gray's mother

Leonard "Len"

Norris

Selina Gray's father

Wesley

Norris

Child of Sally Norris; sibling to Selina Gray

Made a bid for freedom after GWP Custis' death with Mary Norris and George Parks. Was captured and brutally beaten by Robert E. Lee. Manumitted in 1862

Mary

Norris

Child of Sally Norris; sibling to Selina Gray

Made a bid for freedom after GWP Custis' death with Mary Norris and George Parks. Was captured and brutally beaten by Robert E. Lee. Manumitted in 1862

Selina Norris

Gray

married to Thornton Gray

Married to Thornton Gray, and raised eight children together. Selina Gray was enslaved as the Lee's housekeeper.

1823

1907

Thornton

Gray

married to Selina Gray

Married to Selina Gray and raised eight children together. Thornton Gray was ensalved as a groom in the stable. Thorton Gray was denied a petition to Congress after the Civil War for some land at Arlington Plantation after the Civil War (though Custis Lee was successful in suing the government for payment for the entire estate).

Emma Norris Gray

Spyhax

daughter

Sarah

Gray

daughter

Harry W

Gray

son

1851

Annice

Gray

daughter

1853?

Ada

Gray

daughter

1857?

Thornton

Gray

son

Selina L

Gray

daughter

John

Gray

son

Angelo

Harris

Sold in 1844 to the Quaker Stabler family with the promise he would be set free. He was freed. Possibly related to Eleanor Harris.

Eleanor

Harris

Enslaved as Mary Fitzhugh Custis' housekeeper. Possibly related to Angelo Harris.

Nelson

Harris

Sold in 1829 to Edward Stabler with the stipulation that Stabler free Nelson Harris.

James

Surname not recorded

Manumitted in 1862

"Aunt" Judy

She is written about in Agnes Lee's journal because of her stories about life at Mount Vernon. Though she was a major figure in the lives of the Lee children, her importance was regarded only because of her connection to Washington. She died in enslavement.

1779

1855

Judith

Surname not recorded

mother of Louisa and John

Initially enslaved at Mount Vernon. May be the same person who was called "Aunt Judy" in records - if so, she died in enslavement at Arlington. In 1803, GWP Custis freed her 2 year old daughter Louisa, and in 1818 freed her son John

Louisa

Surname not recorded

daughter of Judith

Manumitted in 1803

1801

John

Surname not recorded

son of Judith

Manumitted in 1818

1804

Gideon

Lancaster

Shared a home between the house and the river with Michael Meredith, Shack Check, "Aunt" Sukey, and Sally Norris

Michael

Meredith

Enslaved as the "market man" for the Custis-Lee family. He took chickens and butter enslaved people produced on the plantation to market and collected mail. He visited family in Washington DC. He was manumitted in 1862. Possibly related to Philip Merriday.

Sukey

Surname not recorded

Phillip

Lee

nephew of Billy Lee

Enslaved as GWP Custis' valet. In 1829 he tried to raise money to prevent his seven children from being sold to a planter in Georgia. It is unknown if he succeeded.

Billy

Lee

uncle of Phillip Lee

Enslaved as George Washington's valet during the American Revolution

Phillip

Merriday

Hired out in 1852 by Robert E. Lee to an individual in Washington DC. The 1860 census lists a "Philip Meredith" in the District of Columbia as "free." It is unclear if they are the same person.

"Nurse" First name not recorded

Surname not recorded

Documents refer to an enslaved woman whose given name was not recorded as "Nurse." Speculation that she was "Aunt" Judy are negated in a record in Markie William's diary that mentions "Nurse" living in 1861, while "Aunt" Judy died in the 1850s.

1787?

Oney

Surname not recorded

Mother of Edmund and Eliza

Edmund

Surname not recorded

Son of Oney

Freed by GWP Custis in 1818

Eliza

Surname not recorded

Daughter of Oney

Freed by GWP Custis in 1818

George

Clark

Patsy Clark's father; James Parks' grandfather

Enslaved as the Custis-Lee family's cook and worked in the garden. He was separated from his wife, enslaved away from Arlington Plantation. George Clark may have learned to cook at Mount Vernon. According to grandson James Parks, George Clark lived to be more than 100 years old.

Patsy Clark

Parks

George Clark's daughter; married to Lawrence Parks

Cousins to the Norris family

Lawrence

Parks

married to Patsy Clark Parks

Cousins to the Norris family

Perry

Parks

son

1836

George

Parks

son

Amanda

Parks

daughter

Martha

Parks

daughter

Lawrence

Parks

son

James

Parks

son

1843

1929

Magdalena

Parks

daughter

Leanna

Parks

daughter

William

Parks

son

Robert

Parks

son

Matilda

Parks

daughter

John

Sawyer

manumitted in 1862

"Aunt" Sukey

Enslaved at Arlington plantation and lived with Michael Meredith, Gideon Lancaster, Shack Check, and Sally Norris

Margaret

Taylor

mother

Fled Arlington House with her son Billy Taylor in 1861

Danbridge

Taylor

son

Ihon

Taylor

son

Billy

Taylor

son

Fled Arlington House with his mother Margaret Taylor in 1861

Quincy

Taylor

son

Last updated: November 2, 2021

Park footer

Contact Info

Mailing Address:

Arlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial
700 George Washington Memorial Parkway
c/o Turkey Run Park

McLean, VA 22101

Phone:

703 235-1530

Contact Us