Peter Hardiman was an enslaved groom whom George Washington rented from a relative, to oversee the stable’s operations at Mount Vernon in Virginia. By 1787, Hardiman was married to Caroline Branham, a housemaid and seamstress, and they had six children. Although the state of Virginia did not recognize marriages between enslaved people, Washington did. He also was reluctant to break up families of enslaved individuals. Washington worked out a long-term contract through which he obtained permission to keep Hardiman at Mount Vernon.
Wilson, the couple’s oldest son, followed in his father’s footsteps as groom. The teenager led Washington’s horse in his funeral procession on December 18, 1799. After Mrs. Washington’s death, Caroline Branham and her children—all dower slaves—were inherited by George Washington Parke Custis and moved to his home, Arlington House. Hardiman later joined them there, where he continued to care for horses, donkeys, and mules.
