Mary Simpson (house servant)
Mary Simpson (c.1752-1758, Virginia – March 18, 1836, New York, New York) was a woman who touted herself as a former slave of George Washington. She was credited with originating the tradition of celebrating Washington's birthday in New York City.[1]
Biography
Simpson worked as a laundress, and later ran a bakeshop in New York's financial district.[1] She would celebrate Washington's birthday by opening the doors of her shop to local businessmen and merchants, serving cakes and whisky punch.[2] She is credited with the creation of "Washington's Cake," a traditional ginger cake that is said to have been part of her annual open house celebrations.[3] Her story was often retold throughout the 19th century.[1][4][5]
Simpson claimed to have been enslaved by George Washington.[1] The 1786 Mount Vernon Slave Census does not list anyone named "Mary,"[6] and the only "Mary" listed in the 1799 Mount Vernon Slave Census was an 11-year-old girl.[7] She claimed to have worked in Washington's presidential household in New York City (1789-1790),[1] but she is not one of the seven slaves who have been documented there.[8] She claimed that President Washington freed her during his tenure in New York City,[1] although there is no record of this.[9]
She is known to have been a friend of Sojourner Truth, and has been described as a "doer of the Word," performing acts of charity among her fellow New Yorkers.[10]
She died on March 18, 1836.[11] Her obituary in the Commercial Advertiser listed her name as "Mary Washington."[11] New York City public records listed her as "Mary Simpson."[12]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Noah’s Advocate (New York, NY), Feb. 23-24, 1826, pg. ?, col. ? [original publication not located at New York Public Library, date uncertain].
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ The New York Mirror, and Ladies Literary Gazette, May 23, 1829, 6:46, pg. 367.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 1786 Mount Vernon Slave Census, from University of Virginia Press.
- ↑ 1799 Mount Vernon Slave Census, from University of Virginia Press.
- ↑ Enslaved Persons of African Descent in the President's House, from ushistory.org.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.[unreliable source?]
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Commercial Advertiser (NY), March 19, 1836, pg. 2.
- ↑ Municipal Archives of New York City, NY, "Manhattan Deaths," March 18, 1836 entry for "Mary Simpson," supra.
