We Continue in our Series on strong Black Slave Women of History The next Lady I will speak of.
Is ONEY JUDGE 1773-1848.
Young Oney Judge risk everyting to escape a life of Slavery in the household of George and Martha Washington, and to make her own way as a free Black women. According to Oney she decided to escape after Martha Washington informed her that she was giving her as a wedding gift to her grand daughter Eliza Custis.
According to Oney Judges interview in 1848 she never thought about freedom until Martha Washingtn tolded her she was being gven as a gift. Lets look at this young Black Slave Women. Oney Judge Defied the most Powerful White Couple of the Day. She Defied George and Martha Washington. Oney was Born to a Black Slave women and a White Indentured Servant. Oney was a dower Slave brought to Mount Vernon at the age of 10 After Martha Custis Married George Washington. Oney was one of seven Slaves taken to New York in 1789 to work in President Washingtons household. When the Capital moved to Philadelphia in 1790 Oney was one of nine Slaves that were taken along.
The Problem that President Washington had was that Pennsylvania Abolish Slavery in 1880. To ensure that the President would stay under the law he kept his Slaves in the State for six month. Oney said while everyone else was packing to go back to virginia she was packing to go.Oney said she did not know where she would go she only knew that if she went back to Virginia she would never know Liberty. Oney had made friends among Free Blacks of Philadelphia So White Abolitionist and Free Blacks helped her to escape to Portmouth New Hampshire
The President was urged by Martha to get her back The President refused realizing how unpopular that would be.
That summer a US Senators daughter spotted Oney walking on a street in Portmouth. The President wrote a letter to the Secretary of state asking him to handle this matter, the Secretary turned to the collector of customs to get this Slave girl back.
Joseph Whipple the customs agent interviewed Oney and reported back that her thirst for Freedom was her only reasion for absconding. Scared lonely and miserable Oney tried to negotiate through Whipple, she offered to return to the Washingtons but only if they would guarante her freedom upon the death of the President. The President was furious I dare A Slave girl try to negotiate with the President of the United States
.Two years later The Presidents nephew went to kidnap Oney hearing of this plot Abolitionist moved her to greenland New hampsshire where she went into hiding. Upon President washington death in 1799 nothing more was said about ONEY JUDGE. President Washington in 1793 did sign into law the fugtive Slave act. So Oney Judge live her life out as a Fugtive from the law meanng at anytime during her life she could be picked up and sent back into Slavery.
Right before her death a newspaper reporter ask her if she had any regrets of the desision that she made she said no. The hunger for Freedom was just to great. She did say her greatest joy in life other than living out her life in freedom was learning how to read.Miss Oney Judge died February 25, 1848 a free Women.
ONEY JUDGE A POWERFUL AMERICAN BLACK WOMEN.
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