Among all the contributors to this list, Richard Dixon holds my
highest respect for his deep knowledge of Virginia law and history,
but in the matter of Martha Custis Washington I fear he has made a
mistake. Upon the death of Martha's first husband, Daniel Parke
Custis, all his real property--the land and slaves--passed not to
Martha but to his heir-at-law, their son, John Parke "Jacky" Custis.
(Jacky's sister, Patsy, inherited a substantial cash income but no
real property.) Martha had a life interest in the income from DPC's
real property. This income came into the hands of George Washington
upon their marriage. The real property was owned by a legal entity,
the Custis Estate, with George Washington managing the property under
the oversight of a court. The income from the Custis Estate maintained
Mount Vernon and gave Washington the financial freedom to pursue
public service. Martha Washington never owned the so-called "dower
slaves" who formed the majority of the slaves who worked at Mount
Vernon. They remained the property of the Custis Estate until Jacky
Custis came of age. When Jacky died, his widow, Eleanor, married Dr.
David Stuart, who took control of the Custis slaves and frustrated
George Washington's 1795-96 attempt to free them along with his own
slaves.

Henry Wiencek

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