Elizabeth Parke Custis Law
Encyclopedia
Elizabeth Parke Custis Law (21 August 1776 – 31 December 1831) was a granddaughter of Martha Dandridge Washington
and the step-granddaughter of George Washington
. She was a social leader of the District of Columbia and a preserver of the Washington family heritage.
, son of Martha Washington and her first husband Daniel Parke Custis
, and his wife Eleanor Calvert
, daughter of Benedict Swingate Calvert
and his wife Elizabeth Calvert. Elizabeth's siblings included Martha Parke Custis Peter
(1777–1854), Eleanor Parke Custis Lewis
(1779–1852), and George Washington Parke Custis
(1781–1857). She was known to her family as "Betsey." Elizabeth was the eldest grandchild of George and Martha Washington.
After the death of her father John Parke Custis in 1781, her mother married Dr. David Stuart
, an Alexandria
physician
. The eldest two daughters (Elizabeth and Martha) lived with their mother and stepfather, while the two youngest children (Eleanor and George) lived with their grandparents, George and Martha Washington.
, Bishop of Carlisle
, and the brother of Edward Law, 1st Baron Ellenborough
, George Henry Law
, later Bishop of Bath and Wells
, and John Law
, a Church of Ireland
bishop. The announcement of their engagement came as a surprise to her grandparents George and Martha Washington, as Thomas was twice Elizabeth's age. Elizabeth and Thomas separated in 1804 and divorced on 15 January 1811.
The couple had one daughter who survived infancy, Elizabeth Parke Custis Law (19 January 1797–9 August 1822), married Nicholas Lloyd Rogers on 5 April 1817.
. The First Lady promised one of the slaves in the presidential household, Oney Judge
, as a wedding gift, but the young woman fled after learning of the plan. (Her younger sister, Delphy, was bequeathed to the bride and groom; Delphy and her children were manumitted in 1807.)
Upon her marriage, Elizabeth Law inherited about 80 slaves from her late father's estate; following Martha Washington's 1802 death, she inherited about 35 dower slaves from her grandfather Daniel Parke Custis's estate; following her mother's 1811 death, her father's estate was liquidated, and she inherited about 40 more slaves.
Elizabeth and Thomas built a Washington, DC mansion
in 1796, near present day 6th and N Streets. Following her separation from Thomas, Elizabeth resided between 1805 and 1809 at a "small country house" and estate on Seminary Hill in Alexandria that she called Mount Washington. Mount Washington later became the central administration building of Episcopal High School
in which capacity it was referred to as Hoxton House.
Martha Washington's bequeathed to Elizabeth the John Trumbull
portrait of General Washington, as well as a dressing table and looking glass
.
, Virginia
at the home of a friend "on Saturday night (that is, 31 December 1831), ten minutes before 12 o'clock," according to her obituary in the Richmond Enquirer. Elizabeth was buried at Mount Vernon.
Martha Washington
Martha Dandridge Custis Washington was the wife of George Washington, the first president of the United States. Although the title was not coined until after her death, Martha Washington is considered to be the first First Lady of the United States...
and the step-granddaughter of George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
. She was a social leader of the District of Columbia and a preserver of the Washington family heritage.
Early life
Elizabeth Parke Custis was born on 21 August 1776. She was the eldest daughter of John Parke CustisJohn Parke Custis
John Parke Custis was a Virginia planter, the son of Martha Washington and stepson of George Washington.-Childhood:...
, son of Martha Washington and her first husband Daniel Parke Custis
Daniel Parke Custis
Daniel Parke Custis was a wealthy Virginia planter whose widow, Martha, married George Washington.He was the son of John Custis , a powerful member of Virginia's Governor's Council, and Frances Parke Custis...
, and his wife Eleanor Calvert
Eleanor Calvert
Eleanor Calvert Custis Stuart was a prominent member of the Calvert family of Maryland. Upon her marriage to John Parke Custis, she became the daughter-in-law of Martha Dandridge Custis Washington and the stepdaughter-in-law of George Washington...
, daughter of Benedict Swingate Calvert
Benedict Swingate Calvert
Benedict Swingate Calvert was a Maryland Loyalist during the American Revolution. He was the son of Charles Calvert, 5th Baron Baltimore, the third Proprietor Governor of Maryland , and may have been the grandson of King George I of Great Britain...
and his wife Elizabeth Calvert. Elizabeth's siblings included Martha Parke Custis Peter
Martha Parke Custis Peter
Martha Parke Custis Peter was a granddaughter of Martha Dandridge Washington and the step-granddaughter of George Washington.-Early life:Martha Parke Custis was born on 31 December 1777 in the Blue Room at Mount Vernon...
(1777–1854), Eleanor Parke Custis Lewis
Eleanor Parke Custis Lewis
Eleanor Parke Custis Lewis , known as Nelly, was the granddaughter of Martha Washington and the step-granddaughter of George Washington.-Childhood:Nelly was the daughter of John Parke Custis and Eleanor Calvert Custis...
(1779–1852), and George Washington Parke Custis
George Washington Parke Custis
George Washington Parke Custis , the step-grandson of United States President George Washington, was a nineteenth-century American writer, orator, and agricultural reformer.-Family:...
(1781–1857). She was known to her family as "Betsey." Elizabeth was the eldest grandchild of George and Martha Washington.
After the death of her father John Parke Custis in 1781, her mother married Dr. David Stuart
David Stuart (Virginia)
David Stuart was an associate and correspondent of George Washington. When Washington became President of the United States, he appointed Stuart to be one of the three commissioners that were in charge of siting and designing the nation's new capital city.-Private life:Born in Scotland, Stuart...
, an Alexandria
Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2009, the city had a total population of 139,966. Located along the Western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately six miles south of downtown Washington, D.C.Like the rest of northern Virginia, as well as...
physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
. The eldest two daughters (Elizabeth and Martha) lived with their mother and stepfather, while the two youngest children (Eleanor and George) lived with their grandparents, George and Martha Washington.
Marriage and children
On 20 March 1795, Elizabeth married Thomas Law, the son of Edmund LawEdmund Law
Edmund Law was a priest in the Church of England. He served as Master of Peterhouse, Cambridge, as Knightbridge Professor of Philosophy in the University of Cambridge from 1764 to 1769, and as bishop of Carlisle from 1768 to 1787....
, Bishop of Carlisle
Bishop of Carlisle
The Bishop of Carlisle is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Carlisle in the Province of York.The diocese covers the County of Cumbria except for Alston Moor and the former Sedbergh Rural District...
, and the brother of Edward Law, 1st Baron Ellenborough
Edward Law, 1st Baron Ellenborough
Edward Law, 1st Baron Ellenborough PC KC was an English judge. After serving as a Member of Parliament and Attorney General, he became Lord Chief Justice.-Early life:...
, George Henry Law
George Henry Law
George Henry Law was the Bishop of Chester and then, from 1824, Bishop of Bath and Wells. He was the son of Edmund Law, Bishop of Carlisle....
, later Bishop of Bath and Wells
Bishop of Bath and Wells
The Bishop of Bath and Wells heads the Church of England Diocese of Bath and Wells in the Province of Canterbury in England.The present diocese covers the vast majority of the county of Somerset and a small area of Dorset. The Episcopal seat is located in the Cathedral Church of Saint Andrew in...
, and John Law
John Law (bishop)
John Law DD was an English mathematician and clergyman who began his career as a Fellow of Christ's College, Cambridge, and went on to become chaplain to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and Church of Ireland bishop of Clonfert and Kilmacduagh , Killala and Achonry , and finally of Elphin .He was a...
, a Church of Ireland
Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...
bishop. The announcement of their engagement came as a surprise to her grandparents George and Martha Washington, as Thomas was twice Elizabeth's age. Elizabeth and Thomas separated in 1804 and divorced on 15 January 1811.
The couple had one daughter who survived infancy, Elizabeth Parke Custis Law (19 January 1797–9 August 1822), married Nicholas Lloyd Rogers on 5 April 1817.
Slaves, residences and possessions
George and Martha Washington were unable to attend the Laws' wedding, but invited the couple to honeymoon in Philadelphia at the President's HousePresident's House (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
The President's House in Philadelphia at 524-30 Market Street was the third Presidential mansion. It was occupied by President George Washington from November 1790 to March 1797 and President John Adams from March 1797 to May 1800....
. The First Lady promised one of the slaves in the presidential household, Oney Judge
Oney Judge
Oney "Ona" Judge, later Oney Judge Staines , was a slave at George Washington's plantation, Mount Vernon in Virginia. A servant in Washington's presidential households beginning in 1789, she escaped to freedom in 1796 and made her way to New Hampshire, where she lived the rest of her life...
, as a wedding gift, but the young woman fled after learning of the plan. (Her younger sister, Delphy, was bequeathed to the bride and groom; Delphy and her children were manumitted in 1807.)
Upon her marriage, Elizabeth Law inherited about 80 slaves from her late father's estate; following Martha Washington's 1802 death, she inherited about 35 dower slaves from her grandfather Daniel Parke Custis's estate; following her mother's 1811 death, her father's estate was liquidated, and she inherited about 40 more slaves.
Elizabeth and Thomas built a Washington, DC mansion
Thomas Law House
The Thomas Law House was built in 1796 near present day 6th and N Streets, Southwest in Washington, D.C. Originally inhabited by Thomas Law and Elizabeth Parke Custis, oldest granddaughter of Martha Washington....
in 1796, near present day 6th and N Streets. Following her separation from Thomas, Elizabeth resided between 1805 and 1809 at a "small country house" and estate on Seminary Hill in Alexandria that she called Mount Washington. Mount Washington later became the central administration building of Episcopal High School
Episcopal High School (Alexandria, Virginia)
Episcopal High School , founded in 1839, is a private boarding school located in Alexandria, Virginia. The Holy Hill's campus houses 435 students from 30 states, the District of Columbia and 17 different countries...
in which capacity it was referred to as Hoxton House.
Martha Washington's bequeathed to Elizabeth the John Trumbull
John Trumbull
John Trumbull was an American artist during the period of the American Revolutionary War and was notable for his historical paintings...
portrait of General Washington, as well as a dressing table and looking glass
Mirror
A mirror is an object that reflects light or sound in a way that preserves much of its original quality prior to its contact with the mirror. Some mirrors also filter out some wavelengths, while preserving other wavelengths in the reflection...
.
Death and burial
Although her death date is sometimes given as 1 January 1832, Elizabeth Parke Custis Law died in RichmondRichmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
at the home of a friend "on Saturday night (that is, 31 December 1831), ten minutes before 12 o'clock," according to her obituary in the Richmond Enquirer. Elizabeth was buried at Mount Vernon.