[Richardson], Joe (Postilion)
<p>As Custis died intestate, or, "without a will", his widow Martha received the lifetime use of one third of his property (known as a "dower share"),[12] and the other two thirds was held in trust for their children. The January 1759 Custis estate also included at least 85 slaves.[13] According to the Mount Vernon slave census, by 1799 the dower share included 153 slaves.</p>
<p>Upon Martha Custis's marriage to George Washington in 1759, her dower share came under his control, pursuant to the common law doctrine of seisin jure uxoris.</p>
Citations
Relation: ownedBy Custis, Daniel Parke, 1711-1757
Joe [Richardson] was enslaved, and was part of Martha Washington’s dower share of enslaved workers from the Custis estate. He worked as a postilion. Joe was married to Sall [Brass Richardson] owned by George Washington, who lived at River Farm. They had five children: Henry, Elijah, Dennis, Gutridge, and Polly.
Citations
Date: 1795-06-07 (Active) - 1795-10-19 (Active)
BiogHist
Name Entry: [Richardson], Joe (Postilion)
Occupation: Horsemen and horsewomen
Relation: associatedWith Mount Vernon (Va. : Estate). Mansion Farm
Relation: ownedBy Washington, George, 1732-1799
Relation: ownedBy Washington, Martha, 1731-1802
Place: Mount Vernon
Subject: Horsemanship
Subject: Slaves