THE WASHINGTON FAMILY’S EMANCIPATED SLAVE WEST FORD HANDWRITES A LETTER TO JOHN AUGUSTINE WASHINGTON III: “I AM IN HOPES THE LORD HAS BLEST US WITH A GOOD CROP OF CORN AS PERSONS COMES HERE SAYS THEY DO NOT THINK VIRGINIA CAN AFFORD BETTER.  I WILL SAY THANK GOD THE PEOPLE’S HEALTH ARE GOOD AT PRESENT”

WEST FORD (1784-1863).  Ford was enslaved by the family of George Washington.  He was emancipated in 1805 when he turned twenty-one and had skills.  He worked for the Washington family and owned property, becoming the second wealthiest African-American in Fairfax County, Virginia.  When the Mount Vernon Ladies Association purchased the estate in 1858, an elderly Ford was brought in to recreate historical details. 

JOHN AUGUSTINE WASHINGTON III (1821-1861).  Washington was President Washington’s great-grand nephew and the last private owner of Mount Vernon.  He was killed serving the Confederacy.

ALS. 3pg. 8” x 10”. August 21, 1842. No place [Virginia].  An autograph letter signed “West Ford” addressed to John Augustine Washington III.  Ford’s idiosyncratic spelling and grammar has been modernized for easier reading: “I received your letter by George and was sorry to hear of your illness but are glad to hear that you are recovering.  I received the quantity of wheat you mentioned but am upset that some of it is a little injured by the rain. All so received the sum you mentioned and the time being so short would like to see more of him…I part with this sum I will be more able to see better by the time that I can…barrel and the horses which will not be used till the 10 or 12 of September and if he can be spared I will send him then I all so…the plow.  I put in the post office a letter on the 13 of this month for you.  I am afraid you have not received it as you do not mention anything of it in your letter.  I send 10,089 pounds of wool.  I kept some for the people stocking and two barrels of fruit of different kinds. I send word to Mr. Koop this morning to buy of watermelons to send up by George as there is not any here…to send.  I have sent some few to market they was very well…the fruit I sends to market as you said was to go but are such I will sell…the time Mrs. Astin back wood have all ben put on the score there is 8 cards and a half there know and all…as to the white there has been same…rain.  I have not been able to get out. I got the other out between times I made an agreement on Saturday with Mr. Wheat at 900 bushel on Tuesday I hauled up sixty bushels…I take it home and towed it away as I hope the price will rise as Gabriel [Johnson] will be there about the 10 or 12. I shall be able to know whether there will be any sweet potatoes…to send.  I am sorry to mention that the flock of sheep you send from Jefferson has some disease among them so that I am afraid that I shall lose them all.  I have moved them in different pastures but does not do no good; am afraid to let them run with the others as I have no sale for the wheat. I shall not be able to meet with none of your arrangements you made.  I am in hopes the Lord has blest us with a good crop of corn as persons comes here says they do not think Virginia can afford better.  I will say thank God the people’s health are good at present the servants all desire to be remember to all the same by your humble servant West Ford”.  Gabriel Johnson (1820-1900) was a slave owned by the Washington family; starting in 1841, he began working at Mount Vernon.  Handwritten letters by enslaved people are of the utmost rarity.  The letter has mailing folds and dark ink.