Elizabeth Parke Custis Law

Elizabeth Parke Custis Law (* August 21, 1776, † December 31, 1831 in Richmond ) was a granddaughter of Martha Washington and Stiefenkelin of George Washington. It was considered one of the leading ladies of the society in the District of Columbia, and dedicated to preserving the heritage of the Washington family.

Early years

Elizabeth was the eldest daughter of John Parke Custis, son of Martha Washington and stepson of George Washington, and Eleanor Calvert, daughter of Benedict Swingate Calvert and his wife Elizabeth Calvert. Her siblings include Martha Parke Custis Peter (1777-1854), Eleanor Parke Custis Lewis (1779-1852) and George Washington Parke Custis ( 1781-1857 ). Within the family it was Betsey, bed or called Eliza. Elizabeth was the eldest grandchild of George and Martha Washington.

After the death of her father, John Parke Custis in 1781, her mother Eleanor Dr. David Stuart, a physician from Alexandria married. The two older children ( Elizabeth and Martha ) thereafter remained with her mother and her stepfather, while the two younger children Eleanor and George lived with her grandparents George and Martha Washington.

Marriage and children

Elizabeth married on March 20, 1795 Thomas Law, the son of Edmund Law, Bishop of Carlisle. The announcement came for the grandparents, George and Martha Washington, surprising, especially since Thomas was twice as old as Elizabeth. The couple separated in 1804 and settled on January 15, 1811 divorce. They had a daughter, who survived childhood:

• Elizabeth Parke Custis Law Rogers ( born January 19, 1797 † August 9, 1822 ) ∞ April 15, 1817 Nicholas Lloyd Rogers

Slaves and possessions

George and Martha Washington had been unable to attend the wedding, but they invited the couple a honeymoon in Philadelphia to spend in the presidential seat. The First Lady promised her as a wedding gift Oney Judge, one of her female slaves from the presidential budget. But the young woman fled when she heard of this plan. Instead Oneys younger sister Delphy was passed on to the bride and groom. Delphy and her children were released in 1807. With her ​​marriage, Elizabeth inherited 80 slaves from the estate of her father, after the death of Martha Washington in 1802, she inherited another 35 dower slaves from Mount Vernon and after her mother's death in 1811 still followed 40 Custissklaven.

Elizabeth and Thomas built in 1796 near the present-day 6th and N Street in Southwest Washington called the Thomas Law House. After their separation Elizabeth lived from 1805 to 1809 in a "small country " and had an estate in Seminary Hill in Alexandria, which they called Mount Washington. Mount Washington later became the main administrative building of the Episcopal High School of Alexandria, in this function, it was referred to as Hoxton House.

According to the last will of Martha Washington in 1802, was Elizabeth John Trumbull's portrait of General Washington, as well as a dressing table and a mirror.

Death

Although her death date is sometimes listed with January 1, 1832, Elizabeth Parke Custis Law died in Richmond in a friend's house " on Saturday Night on December 31, 1831, 11:50 clock ," the obituary of the Richmond Enquirer. Elizabeth was buried in Mount Vernon.