John Carnan Ridgely

John Carnan Ridgely by Thomas Sully.

NPS

Third owner of Hampton estate, John Carnan Ridgely (1790-1867), was the first member of the family born in the mansion and the last member of the family to enslave people. His father was Charles Carnan Ridgely and his mother was Priscilla Dorsey Ridgely. John inherited a plantation with no enslaved labor, due to the terms of his father's will. In partnership with his second wife, Eliza, he decided to rebuild the agricultural plantation system and purchased 61 enslaved people. One of the many people John enslaved was a 17-year-old girl named Harriet Hawkins, who John sexually assaulted in the mid-1820s, when he was about 34 years old. This assault resulted in the birth of John’s enslaved son, Charles Hale Brown. The only person John Ridgely freed was his son, Charles Hale Brown, in 1846. John continued to enslave Charles' mother, Harriet Hawkins, half-brother, Nelson Hawkins, and three sisters.

After spending significant money to buy back enslaved people, animals, farming tools and laborers to work the land at Hampton, John Ridgely spent more funds and attention on the mansion, grounds and farm, introducing modern conveniences such as plumbing, gas lighting and “central heating” to the mansion. Less engaged in politics and civic endeavors than his father, he focused his attentions on the estate and was said to have “a great passion for horses and the outdoor life.” John and Eliza’s love of music, travel and collecting is still evident in the mansion today.

 

Individuals

Harriet Hawkins

Learn about the story of Hampton's head dressmaker and how the story goes deeper than other enslaved people.

Charles Hale Brown

Charles Hale Brown was Harriet Hawkins’ eldest child, fathered by John Ridgely and born into chattel slavery.

Eliza Eichelberger Ridgely

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

Charles Carnan Ridgely

Second owner of the Hampton mansion and at one time the governor of Maryland.

Priscilla Dorsey Ridgely

She embodied the ideal of Republican Motherhood in her era. This new American notion elevated the woman's traditional maternal role.

Sophia Gough Ridgely Howard

According to several historical accounts, she helped influence her father, Charles Carnan Ridgely, to free many of those he enslaved.

Hampton's best known enslaved person

Nancy Davis

The story of Hampton's most documented enslaved person.

Charles Ridgely

Charles Ridgely was the fourth owner of the Hampton Estate.

Margaretta Sophia Howard Ridgely

Following the death of her husband, Margaretta ran the Hampton estate for decades

 

Learn More

The Ridgely Family

The Ridgely Family owned and managed the Hampton Estate for almost 200 years. Explore their history.

The Ridgelys of Hampton

Learn about the history of the Ridgely family at Hampton.

Chattel Slavery at Hampton

From the colonial period through 1864, the Ridgelys enslaved over 500 people. Enslaved people, 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.

Gruesome

Working Conditions

Accounts of the working conditions of the forced labor iron works.

Forms of Control

From physical to mental abuse for the youngest ages to the oldest. Learn about the harsh truths and forms of control.

Travels of the Ridgelys

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

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.

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.

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 was once a 25,000-acre commercial, industrial, and agricultural plantation. Discover its history here.