Eliza Ridgely White Buckler

Eliza Ridgely White Buckler (1828-1894), known as “Didy”, was the daughter of the third owner of Hampton and sister of the fourth. Didy was a brilliant, well-educated and strong-minded woman who spoke several languages. She married John Campbell White in 1849; the couple had two sons - Henry and Julian - before John’s untimely death from consumption (tuberculosis) in 1853. After more than a decade of widowhood, Didy Ridgely White married Dr. Thomas H. Buckler, with whom she had another son, William H. Buckler. She and Dr. Buckler were both ardent Confederate sympathizers during the Civil War. After their marriage in 1865, she and her second husband spent much of their time living abroad, only returning permanently to the United States in the early 1890s. As a schoolgirl and young adult, she authored journals that provide a unique glimpse into life at Hampton in the 1840s-1850s.

Individuals

Hampton's best known enslaved person
Nancy Davis

The story of Hampton's most documented enslaved person.
John Carnan Ridgely

Third owner of the Hampton Estate.
Eliza Eichelberger Ridgely

Eliza Eichelberger Ridgely was one of the most influential women to come through Hampton.
Charles Ridgely

Charles Ridgely was the fourth owner of the Hampton Estate.
Henry White

One of the most influential diplomats in American history.

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The Ridgely Family

The Ridgely Family owned and managed the Hampton Estate for almost 200 years. Explore their impact on history!
The Ridgelys of Hampton

Learn about the history of the Ridgely family at Hampton.
Hampton During the Civil War

The Ridgely's passed their lives without worry until it became apparent that a civil war was about to impact their lives.
Slavery at Hampton

From the colonial period through 1864, the Ridgelys enslaved over 500 people. Enslaved persons, from young children to the elderly
Indentured Servants at Hampton

Indentured servants were not willing laborers and the working conditions at Northampton Furnace was grueling.
Free Black Laborers

Free Black Laborers worked at Hampton for various reasons. A good amount did to eventually purchase their family members.
Ridgelys as Entertainers

Learn about the Ridgelys events and how in order to maintain such a lavish social lifestyle, a large labor force made up mostly of enslaved.
Horse Racing and the Ridgelys

Learn about the importance of horses and racing for the Ridgelys.
Travels of the Ridgelys

The wealth of the Ridgely family allowed for many extensive world travels.
Revealing the Lives of the Enslaved

A recent Ethnographic Study uncovered major information on the lives of those enslaved at Hampton and their descendants. Read about it here.
History & Culture
History & Culture

Hampton National Historic Site today preserves the core of what was once a vast commercial, industrial, and agricultural plantation.