Peter, Martha Parke Custis, 1777-1854

Martha (Patty) Parke Custis Peter (1777-1854) was born to John Parke Custis and Eleanor (Nelly) Calvert Custis on December 31, 1777. She was one of four children in their family to survive to adulthood: Eliza Parke, Martha Parke, Eleanor Parke (Nelly), and George Washington (Washy) Parke. Following the death of their father in 1781, Patty and her older sister, Eliza, lived with their mother and stepfather, Dr. David Stuart, and their large family, while their younger siblings, Nelly and Washy, lived with their grandparents at Mount Vernon. There were frequent visits to Mount Vernon in both childhood and following her marriage to Thomas Peter in 1795. She died July 13 or 15, 1854.