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Descendants of Viner Venus 

Generation No. 1

1.  VINER2 VENUS  (WASHINGTON'S1 ENSLAVED) was born Bet. 1769 - 1776 in Mansion House Mt Vernon Virginia, and died 1829 in Virginia.

Notes for VINER VENUS:

     Viner is listed on the 1799 inventory as Dower. Descendants of West Ford sources place his mother as Venus. It is possible that Viner and Venus are the same person.

There is no indication in 1799 that West is found in the inventory as Dower or GW. He first appears on 1840 census.

     It is also possible that Viner is a separate individual. Because there is such a STRONG Oral tradition West Ford is placed as son of Viner. Both the name Viner and West repeat in later generations.

This is a departure from the accepted tradition of Venus a slave owned by John Augustine Washington.       

Child of VINER VENUS is:

2.                i.       WEST3 FORD, b. 1785, Fairfax Cty Virginia; d. 20 Jul 1863, Mt Vernon Fairfax County VA. 

Generation No. 2 

2.  WEST3 FORD (VINER2 VENUS, WASHINGTON'S1 ENSLAVED)1,2,3 was born 1785 in Fairfax Cty Virginia, and died 20 Jul 1863 in Mt Vernon Fairfax County VA.  He married (1) PEGGY MICHUM.  She was born 1785 in Fairfax County Virginia.  He married (2) PRISCELLA BELL 1812.  She was born 1788 in Virginia, and died 1859 in Gum Springs Virginia. 

Notes for WEST FORD:

Reconstructing from census records:

        West Ford appears in the 1840 census records on the same page as Sambo Anderson and James Carter in Fairfax County Virginia. In 1840 there are 10 children in the household, which leaves 1 female born between 1805 and 1815, 1 female born between 1830 and 1840, and 1 male born between 1830 and 1840 as unknown Ford children.

        West Ford and his son Daniel appear in the 1850 census. His sons William and Daniel appear independently from West, and West appears in Fairfax County with his daughter Jane Smith, next to Charles and John Augustine Washington. The family is classified as mulatto in each case. There is also a white West Ford in South Carolina in the 1850 census he is born about 1775.

        William's family moves back to Mt Vernon by 1860. There are members of West Ford's family located in Mississippi. More work is needed to understand how they are removed to Mississippi. It is most likely connected in some way with Angela Conrad the daughter of Nellie Custis and Lawrence Lewis and granddaughter of Martha. Angela Conrad died in Pass Christian Mississippi. John Augustine Washington's diary says that Angela Conrad and her child were buried near the vault on July 10, 1843.

        In Slave Narratives a Letitia Custis say a Mr. Ford sold her to a Col DeLage in Alabama.

        In the 1810 census there are two white Ford's Charles F Ford (with 1 enslaved) and Edward Ford Jr. (with 3 enslaved) are both found in Fairfax County. Edward Ford is found on the same page with Flora and James Fox both of who were enslaved by Washington. William Foote (also mentioned in Washington Will 1799) is on the same page and he has 40 enslaved and 6 free Negro. Throughout Virginia there are 72 families with the surname ford in 1810.

        In 1810 Bushrod George Washington has 8 free Negro and 71 enslaved. Bushrod is listed twice and with the second enumeration he has 17 enslaved. Edward Washington is the third Washington listed in Fairfax County and he has with him 1 free Negro and 42 enslaved. There are 40 Washington families throughout Virginia.

        In 1820 there are 110 families with the surname Ford in Virginia but only the same two in Fairfax County. In 1820 they are listed as Truro Parrish. Charles has 5 females enslaved 2 under 14, 2 14-26, and 1 over 45. Edward has 4 enslaved, 1 male under 14, 1 male over 45, one female under 14 and 1 female over 45.

        In 1820 Bushrod Washington is listed twice once at Mt Vernon. Dolly Bell (born before 1775) is listed on the same page as a free Negro in the 1820 census, with two males from 14-26, 1 male under 14 herself 45 and above. With Bushrod Washington at Mt Vernon are 8 free Negro and  84 enslaved. At Bushrod's second location there are 15 enslaved. There is also a George F Washington and he has listed with him 17 enslaved. There are 33 Washington families throughout Virginia.

        In 1830 we again have Charles and Edward Ford in Fairfax County. Charles has with him 7 enslaved. Edward is next door to a George Washington. This George Washington has with him 5 free Negro and no slaves. Edward Ford page 230 has 12 enslaved. This George Washington is indexed  by another name but it is clearly George F Washington from the previous census. Bushrod Washington is found with no free Negro and 23 enslaved. There are 37 families with the surname Washington in Virginia in 1830. There are 313 free Negro and over 4,500 enslaved found in Fairfax County listed on the census in 1830.

        In 1840 we see the free Negro who had been listed with the Washington's enumerated independently. In 1840 we find Charles Washington and J A Washington in Fairfax County on the census. Charles Washington is found on the same page with Briney Blackburn and James Carter both are free black families associated with Mt Vernon. West Ford and Sambo Anderson are on this page. Charles Washington has listed with him 7 enslaved. J A Washington has listed with him 33 enslaved.

        Since West Ford is found with his daughter Jane Smith, Smith was also searched for. The Smith's were not found in 1840 Fairfax County.

 

More About WEST FORD:  Census: 24 Oct 1860, Fauquier South West Revenue Virginia; Occupation: 1860, Carpenter; Race: 1850, Mulatto; Residence: 29 Nov 1860, South Orange and Alexandria Railroad, Fairfax, Virginia4,5

 

Notes for PEGGY MICHUM:

The Ford Family lists Priscella Bell as wife of West Ford not Peggy Mitchum. Peggy Mitchum is listed with West Ford in Census in 1860 1 year after the death of Priscella Bell.

More About PEGGY MICHUM:  Race: 1860, Black

 

Notes for PRISCELLA BELL:

    It is possible that Priscilla Bell is a sister of Dolly Dolshy Bell. Dolly is free by 1810 census. Her husband Joe is deceased by 1810.

     There is no Priscilla Bell in the 1799 inventory but Dolshy is dower. Priscilla must be one of the Custis enslaved. This would be one explanation of how the children of West and Pricilla Bell Ford end up in Alexandria VA and Mississippi not Mt Vernon.

More About PRISCELLA BELL:  Census: 1840, Fairfax County Virginia with West Ford as tic mark

       

Children of WEST FORD and PRISCELLA BELL are:

3.                i.       UNKNOWN III4 FORD, b. Bet. 1805 - 1815, Fairfax County Virginia.

4.               ii.       VINA VINER FORD, b. 1812, Fairfax County Virginia; d. Mississippi.

5.              iii.       WILLIAM FORD, b. 1815, Fairfax County Virginia; d. Aft. 1870.

6.              iv.       JANE FORD, b. 1816, Fairfax Cty Virginia.

7.               v.       DANIEL FORD, b. 1818, Fairfax County Virginia.

8.              vi.       JULIA FORD, b. Abt. 1821, Fairfax County Virginia.

9.             vii.       HENRIETTA FORD, b. 1830, Fairfax County Virginia; d. Mississippi.

10.          viii.       CATHERINE FORD, b. 1831, Fairfax County Virginia.

11.             ix.       PETER FORD, b. Jan 1834, Fairfax County Virginia.

 

 

Generation No. 3

 

3.  UNKNOWN III4 FORD (WEST3, VINER2 VENUS, WASHINGTON'S1 ENSLAVED) was born Bet. 1805 - 1815 in Fairfax County Virginia.

 

More About UNKNOWN III FORD:

Census: 1840, Fairfax County Virginia page 174 with West Ford tic mark

       

Child of UNKNOWN III FORD is:

12.              i.       WILLIAM5 FORD, b. 1840, Fairfax County Virginia.

 

 

4.  VINA VINER4 FORD (WEST3, VINER2 VENUS, WASHINGTON'S1 ENSLAVED) was born 1812 in Fairfax County Virginia, and died in Mississippi.  She married SYLIS.  He was born 1811 in Kentucky.

 

Notes for VINA VINER FORD:

There are members of West Ford's family located in Mississippi. More work is needed to understand how they are removed to Mississippi. It is most likely connected in some way with Angela Conrad the daughter of Nellie Custis and Lawrence Lewis and granddaughter of Martha. Angela Conrad died in Pass Christian Mississippi. John Augustine Washington's diary says that Angela Conrad and her child were buried near the vault on July 10, 1843.

 

More About VINA VINER FORD:

Census: 1840, Fairfax County Virginia page 174 with West Ford tic mark

 

More About SYLIS:

Census: 1880, Claiborne Mississippi

       

Children of VINA FORD and SYLIS are:

13.              i.       WEST5 FORD, b. 1829, Mississippi.

14.             ii.       VINA VINER FORD, b. 1830, Mississippi.

                 iii.       WILLIAM FORD, b. 1844, Mississippi.

 

More About WILLIAM FORD:

Census: 1870, Franklin Mississippi

 

15.            iv.       WILSON FORD, b. 1846, Mississippi.

16.             v.       MARY FORD, b. 1847, Mississippi.

                 vi.       MANUEL FORD, b. 1849, Mississippi.

17.           vii.       ELIAS W. FORD, b. 1850, Mississippi.

               viii.       BARBARA H FORD, b. 1853, Mississippi.

 

More About BARBARA H FORD:

Census: 1870, Claiborne Mississippi

 

 

5.  WILLIAM4 FORD (WEST3, VINER2 VENUS, WASHINGTON'S1 ENSLAVED) was born 1815 in Fairfax County Virginia, and died Aft. 1870.  He married HENRIETTA BRUCE BRICE 1834, daughter of JOSEPH BRICE and UNKNOWN.  She was born 1820 in Alexandria Virginia, and died Feb 1870 in Mt Vernon Fairfax County VA.

 

Notes for WILLIAM FORD:

Independent of the dynamics of the Ford Family William's wife is free.

 

Henrietta and the children were all born in Alexandria.

 

In 1789, Alexandria was ceded by Virginia and became District of Columbia. Formally accepted by Congress in 1801, Alexandria remained until reintroduced to Virginia in 1847. In 1852 it became a city.

 

More About WILLIAM FORD:

Census: 09 Oct 1860, South Orange and Alexandria Railroad, Fairfax, Virginia

Occupation: 09 Oct 1860, Mt Vernon Gardner

 

Notes for HENRIETTA BRUCE BRICE:

Henrietta is assumptive as a daughter. Brice could very well be Bruce. And she is the correct age to be a child in this family.

 

More About HENRIETTA BRUCE BRICE:

Cause of Death (Facts Pg): Feb 1870, Cancer

Census: 1820, Fairfax County VA Page 68 with James Brice as tic mark

Census II: 1840, Fairfax County VA Page 174 with West Ford as tic mark

Census III: 24 Jul 1850, Alexandria Virginia

Census IV: 09 Oct 1860, South Orange and Alexandria Railroad, Fairfax, Virginia

Mortality Schedule: Feb 1870, Mt Vernon Fairfax County VA

       

Children of WILLIAM FORD and HENRIETTA BRICE are:

                   i.       DANIEL WILLIAM5 FORD, b. 1842, Alexandria Virginia; m. CELESTE; b. 1843, Virginia.

 

More About DANIEL WILLIAM FORD:

Census: 1850, Alexandria Virginia

Census II: 09 Oct 1860, South Orange and Alexandria Railroad Fairfax Virginia

Census III: 1880, Philadelphia Pennsylvania

Occupation: 1880, Coachman

 

18.             ii.       MAJOR GEORGE WASHINGTON FORD, b. Nov 1848, Alexandria Virginia; d. Illinois.

19.            iii.       HANNAH BRUCE FORD, b. Nov 1850, Alexandria Virginia.

20.            iv.       JOHN B FORD, b. Oct 1853, Alexandria Virginia.

                  v.    M M FORD, b. 1858, Alexandria Virginia.

 

More About M M FORD:

Census: 09 Oct 1860, South Orange and Alexandria Railroad Fairfax Virginia

 

 

6.  JANE4 FORD (WEST3, VINER2 VENUS, WASHINGTON'S1 ENSLAVED) was born 1816 in Fairfax Cty Virginia.  She married PORTER SMITH.  He was born 1814 in Mt Vernon Fairfax County VA, and died in Mt Vernon Fairfax County VA.

 

Notes for JANE FORD:

These children are derived from the census records. The family data on line only list four children. Annie, Priscilla, Dandridge, and Julia A no future generation are listed with the family data. No sources are listed with the family data.

 

The 1840 census could have Jane on it but because of the dates of her children's birth it is likely she is enumerated with her husband on one of the estates with the Custis descendants.

 

More About JANE FORD:

Census: 09 Oct 1860, South Orange and Alexandria Railroad, Fairfax, Virginia

Census II: 25 Aug 1870, Mt Vernon Fairfax County VA

 

More About PORTER SMITH:

Census: 09 Oct 1860, South Orange and Alexandria Railroad, Fairfax, Virginia

       

Children of JANE FORD and PORTER SMITH are:

21.              i.       GEORGE5 SMITH, b. 1830, Mt Vernon Fairfax County VA.

22.             ii.       PRISCILLA SMITH, b. 1837, Mt Vernon Fairfax County VA.

                 iii.       DANDRIDGE SMITH6,7,8,9, b. Aug 1840, Mt Vernon Fairfax County VA; m. ANN M. ARNOLD10; b. May 1854, Fairfax County Virginia.

 

More About DANDRIDGE SMITH:

Census: 09 Oct 1860, South Orange and Alexandria Railroad, Fairfax, Virginia

Census II: 25 Aug 1870, Mt Vernon Fairfax County VA

Residence: 1850, Not Stated, Fairfax, Virginia11

 

                 iv.       WEST SMITH11, b. 1841, Mt Vernon Fairfax County VA.

 

More About WEST SMITH:

Census: 09 Oct 1860, South Orange and Alexandria Railroad, Fairfax, Virginia

Residence: 1850, Not Stated, Fairfax, Virginia11

 

23.             v.       CAROLINE SMITH, b. 1845, Mt Vernon Fairfax County VA.

                 vi.       JOHN PORTER SMITH, b. 1850, Mt Vernon Fairfax County VA.

 

More About JOHN PORTER SMITH:

Census: 09 Oct 1860, South Orange and Alexandria Railroad, Fairfax, Virginia

Census II: 25 Aug 1870, Mt Vernon Fairfax County VA

 

                vii.       ELIZABETH SMITH, b. 1854, Mt Vernon Fairfax County VA.

               viii.       EMILY SMITH, b. 1859, Mt Vernon Fairfax County VA.

 

 

7.  DANIEL4 FORD (WEST3, VINER2 VENUS, WASHINGTON'S1 ENSLAVED) was born 1818 in Fairfax County Virginia.  He married LOUISA DAVIS, daughter of MAHALA DAVIS.  She was born 1821 in Maryland.

 

Notes for DANIEL FORD:

Daniel is enumerated twice in 1870 once at home and once at work in a restaurant owned by John Hancock from Virginia.

 

In 1850 Daniel is in Alexandria, which makes sense. West Ford does not appear independent of the Washington's. It is possible that a child would be with the Custis family in Alexandria.

 

His age in 1850 is 10 years older.

 

Family records on line indicate a wife named Sally. The location of the family is Powhatan Virginia. There is no source.

 

Census records indicate the wife as Louisa Davis daughter of Mahala. These records are from Alexandria.

 

Evidence is needed to add or exclude the second Daniel married to Sally in Powhatan Virginia. It is more likely they may be descendants of the unknown female Ford from 1840 census.

 

More About DANIEL FORD:

Census: 07 Jun 1870, District of Columbia

Occupation: 07 Jun 1870, Works in Restaurant

 

More About LOUISA DAVIS:

Census: 05 Aug 1850, Alexandria Virginia

       

Children of DANIEL FORD and LOUISA DAVIS are:

                   i.       EDMUND5 FORD, b. 1843, Alexandria Virginia.

 

More About EDMUND FORD:

Census: 1850, Alexandria Virginia

 

24.             ii.       WILLIAM FORD, b. Dec 1844, Alexandria Virginia.

                 iii.       JULIA FORD, b. 1848, Alexandria Virginia.

 

More About JULIA FORD:

Census: 1850, Alexandria Virginia

 

25.            iv.       ROBERT FORD, b. 1856, Alexandria Virginia.

                  v.       LULA FORD, b. 1859, Alexandria Virginia.

 

 

8.  JULIA4 FORD (WEST3, VINER2 VENUS, WASHINGTON'S1 ENSLAVED) was born Abt. 1821 in Fairfax County Virginia.  She married CORRILL RODGERS. 

 

Notes for JULIA FORD:

Information from family records on line no source.

 

More About JULIA FORD:

Census: 1840, Fairfax County Virginia page 174 with West Ford tic mark

       

Child of JULIA FORD and CORRILL RODGERS is:

                   i.       CORRILL5 RODGERS, b. Abt. 1845.

 

 

9.  HENRIETTA4 FORD (WEST3, VINER2 VENUS, WASHINGTON'S1 ENSLAVED) was born 1830 in Fairfax County Virginia, and died in Mississippi.

 

Notes for HENRIETTA FORD:

There are members of West Ford's family located in Mississippi. More work is needed to understand how they are removed to Mississippi. It is most likely connected in some way with Angela Conrad the daughter of Nellie Custis and Lawrence Lewis and granddaughter of Martha. Angela Conrad died in Pass Christian Mississippi. John Augustine Washington's diary says that Angela Conrad and her child were buried near the vault on July 10, 1843.

 

More About HENRIETTA FORD:

Census: 1840, Fairfax County Virginia page 174 with West Ford tic mark

       

Children of HENRIETTA FORD are:

                   i.       HELEN5 FORD, b. 1855, Mississippi.

 

More About HELEN FORD:

Census: 1870, Franklin Mississippi

 

                  ii.       JAMES FORD, b. 1860, Mississippi.

 

More About JAMES FORD:

Census: 1870, Franklin Mississippi

 

                 iii.       CHARLOTTE FORD, b. 1865, Mississippi.

 

More About CHARLOTTE FORD:

Census: 1870, Franklin Mississippi

 

                 iv.       WILLIAM FORD, b. 1868, Mississippi.

 

More About WILLIAM FORD:

Census: 1870, Franklin Mississippi

 

 

10.  CATHERINE4 FORD (WEST3, VINER2 VENUS, WASHINGTON'S1 ENSLAVED) was born 1831 in Fairfax County Virginia.

 

Notes for CATHERINE FORD:

Catherine must have remained with Nellie Custis Lewis.

 

More About CATHERINE FORD:

Census: 1840, Fairfax County Virginia page 174 with West Ford tic mark

Census II: 1870, Alexandria Virginia page 38

       

Children of CATHERINE FORD are:

26.              i.       JOHN THOMAS5 FORD, b. Sep 1848, Alexandria Virginia; d. Bef. 1920, District of Columbia.

27.             ii.       LUCINDA LUCY FORD, b. 1854, Alexandria Virginia.

                 iii.       ALBERTA FORD, b. 1860, Alexandria Virginia.

 

More About ALBERTA FORD:

Census: 1870, Alexandria Virginia page 38

 

                 iv.       CAROLINE FORD, b. 1861, Alexandria Virginia.

 

More About CAROLINE FORD:

Census: 1870, Alexandria Virginia page 38

 

                  v.       ANN E FORD, b. 1862, Alexandria Virginia.

 

More About ANN E FORD:

Census: 1870, Alexandria Virginia page 38

 

 

11.  PETER4 FORD (WEST3, VINER2 VENUS, WASHINGTON'S1 ENSLAVED) was born Jan 1834 in Fairfax County Virginia.  He married ELIZA 1856 in Virginia.  She was born 1832 in Virginia.

 

More About PETER FORD:

Census: 1840, Fairfax County Virginia page 174 with West Ford tic mark

 

More About ELIZA:

Census: 1870, Fairfax County Virginia

Census II: 1900, Mt Vernon Fairfax County VA

       

Children of PETER FORD and ELIZA are:

28.              i.       ROBERT5 FORD, b. 1860, Mt Vernon Fairfax County VA.

                  ii.       MAY FORD, b. 1862, Mt Vernon Fairfax County VA.

 

More About MAY FORD:

Census: 1870, Fairfax County Virginia

 

                 iii.       VINA VINEY FORD, b. 1864, Mt Vernon Fairfax County VA.

 

More About VINA VINEY FORD:

Census: 1870, Fairfax County Virginia

 

                 iv.       MARTHA FORD, b. 1867, Mt Vernon Fairfax County VA.

 

More About MARTHA FORD:

Census: 1870, Fairfax County Virginia

 

                  v.       PETER FORD, b. 1868, Mt Vernon Fairfax County Virginia.

 

More About PETER FORD:

Census: 1870, Fairfax County Virginia

 

                 vi.       JOHN FORD, b. 1871, Mt Vernon Fairfax County VA.

 

More About JOHN FORD:

Census: 1880, Mt Vernon Fairfax County VA

 

                vii.       JAMES FORD, b. 1876, Mt Vernon Fairfax County VA.

 

More About JAMES FORD:

Census: 1880, Mt Vernon Fairfax County VA

 

               viii.       ROSA FORD, b. 1879, Mt Vernon Fairfax County VA.

 

More About ROSA FORD:

Census: 1880, Mt Vernon Fairfax County VA

 

 

Generation No. 4

 

12.  WILLIAM5 FORD (UNKNOWN III4, WEST3, VINER2 VENUS, WASHINGTON'S1 ENSLAVED) was born 1840 in Fairfax County Virginia.  He married WILLIE, daughter of KATIE BAZIL.  She was born 1842 in Virginia.

 

Notes for WILLIAM FORD:

William is obviously a grandchild of West Ford