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Hub AI
Hercules Posey AI simulator
(@Hercules Posey_simulator)
Hub AI
Hercules Posey AI simulator
(@Hercules Posey_simulator)
Hercules Posey
Hercules Posey (c. 1748 – May 15, 1812) was an enslaved African American held at George Washington's plantation Mount Vernon in Virginia. "Uncle Harkless," as he was called by a grandson of Martha Washington, served as chief cook at the Mansion House for many years. In November 1790, Hercules was one of eight enslaved Africans brought by President Washington to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, then the temporary national capital, to serve in the household of the President's House, as the third presidential mansion was known.
On February 22, 1797, Washington's 65th birthday, Hercules escaped from Mount Vernon and reached New York City, where he lived free under the name "Hercules Posey." Posey remained legally a fugitive slave until January 1, 1801, when he was manumitted under the terms of Washington's will. Because Posey's late wife Alice had been a "Dower" slave, owned by the estate of Martha Washington's first husband, their three children also had "dower" status and were not freed. Posey died in New York City in 1812 and was buried in the Second African Burying Ground.
Hercules was probably born around 1748, and was acquired by Washington as collateral for an unpaid loan made to Hercules's original owner, Washington's neighbor John Posey. Hercules first appears on tax records for Mount Vernon in 1771.
Hercules chose Alice, one of Martha Washington's "dower" slaves, as his wife, and they had three children: Richmond (born 1777), Eve (born 1782), and Delia (born 1785). He, Alice, and the three children were listed in the February 1786 Mount Vernon Slave Census, which records him as one of two cooks in the Mansion House. Alice died in 1787.
Following Alice's death, he may have had another daughter. The sole source for this daughter is Louis Philippe's diary (see below). Louis Philippe's secretary estimated the girl's age as six, but she may have been Hercules's daughter Eve, who was listed in the June 1799 Mount Vernon Slave Census as "a dwarf."
Hercules was one of eight enslaved Africans brought to Philadelphia in 1790 by Washington to work in the presidential household. The others were Hercules's son Richmond (then 13 years old), Oney Judge, Moll, Austin, Christopher Sheels, Giles, and Paris. Following the December 20, 1794 death of Austin in Maryland while on a solo trip back to Mount Vernon, Washington brought "Postillion" Joe (Richardson) to Philadelphia.
In the memoirs of Martha Washington's grandson, G.W.P. Custis, Hercules was recalled as "a celebrated artiste ... as highly accomplished a proficient in the culinary art as could be found in the United States." The cook was given the privilege of selling the extra food from the Philadelphia kitchen which, by Custis's estimate, earned him nearly $200 a year, the annual salary of a hired cook. According to Custis, Hercules was a dapper dresser and was given freedom to walk about in the city.
Washington allowed Hercules's son Richmond to work alongside his father in the Philadelphia kitchen for about a year, before returning him to Virginia. In November 1796, Richmond was implicated in a theft of money at Mount Vernon. Washington had suspicions that the father and son were planning a joint escape.
Hercules Posey
Hercules Posey (c. 1748 – May 15, 1812) was an enslaved African American held at George Washington's plantation Mount Vernon in Virginia. "Uncle Harkless," as he was called by a grandson of Martha Washington, served as chief cook at the Mansion House for many years. In November 1790, Hercules was one of eight enslaved Africans brought by President Washington to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, then the temporary national capital, to serve in the household of the President's House, as the third presidential mansion was known.
On February 22, 1797, Washington's 65th birthday, Hercules escaped from Mount Vernon and reached New York City, where he lived free under the name "Hercules Posey." Posey remained legally a fugitive slave until January 1, 1801, when he was manumitted under the terms of Washington's will. Because Posey's late wife Alice had been a "Dower" slave, owned by the estate of Martha Washington's first husband, their three children also had "dower" status and were not freed. Posey died in New York City in 1812 and was buried in the Second African Burying Ground.
Hercules was probably born around 1748, and was acquired by Washington as collateral for an unpaid loan made to Hercules's original owner, Washington's neighbor John Posey. Hercules first appears on tax records for Mount Vernon in 1771.
Hercules chose Alice, one of Martha Washington's "dower" slaves, as his wife, and they had three children: Richmond (born 1777), Eve (born 1782), and Delia (born 1785). He, Alice, and the three children were listed in the February 1786 Mount Vernon Slave Census, which records him as one of two cooks in the Mansion House. Alice died in 1787.
Following Alice's death, he may have had another daughter. The sole source for this daughter is Louis Philippe's diary (see below). Louis Philippe's secretary estimated the girl's age as six, but she may have been Hercules's daughter Eve, who was listed in the June 1799 Mount Vernon Slave Census as "a dwarf."
Hercules was one of eight enslaved Africans brought to Philadelphia in 1790 by Washington to work in the presidential household. The others were Hercules's son Richmond (then 13 years old), Oney Judge, Moll, Austin, Christopher Sheels, Giles, and Paris. Following the December 20, 1794 death of Austin in Maryland while on a solo trip back to Mount Vernon, Washington brought "Postillion" Joe (Richardson) to Philadelphia.
In the memoirs of Martha Washington's grandson, G.W.P. Custis, Hercules was recalled as "a celebrated artiste ... as highly accomplished a proficient in the culinary art as could be found in the United States." The cook was given the privilege of selling the extra food from the Philadelphia kitchen which, by Custis's estimate, earned him nearly $200 a year, the annual salary of a hired cook. According to Custis, Hercules was a dapper dresser and was given freedom to walk about in the city.
Washington allowed Hercules's son Richmond to work alongside his father in the Philadelphia kitchen for about a year, before returning him to Virginia. In November 1796, Richmond was implicated in a theft of money at Mount Vernon. Washington had suspicions that the father and son were planning a joint escape.