William Custis Costin

So last night the part of the book I was reading had to do with William Custis Costin, who is apparently GW's step mulatto grandson. You see Martha Washington had a half sister who was a her fathers child with a slave woman. Her name was Ann Dandridge and when she was young she was sent to live with Martha. She was kept at Mt Vernon as a slave, but she was kept in the main house doing "light" work.

Martha had a daughter who died and she had a son Jacky, these were children from her marriage before GW. Jacky eventually died also but had fathered 4 children with his wife and 1 child with his AUNT!! Yes William Custis Costin was the child of Jacky Custis and Ann Dandridge. So Martha had a grandchild that was also her nephew!! Amazing.

He was a free man even though his mother was a slave. GW and Martha would have given him a private manumission which was legal in Virginia, however, they would not have done it publicly because of the backlash they would have received for having black relatives.  After Ann had William she married a slave man by the name of Costin, they went on to have 4 other children.

When both Martha and GW had died Ann was set free by a family member. Thomas Law had married Jacky's daughter Eliza, he freed Ann and her other children.

Another small note, when Jacky died his wife sent their 2 youngest children to live with Martha at Mt Vernon, she raised them as her own.

So I guess with the all the talk these days about dysfunctional families, it really isn't a new issue.