In 1789, as Washington ascends to the presidency, the 16-year-old Ona-now in the personal employ of Martha Washington as a seamstress and handmaiden, charged with outfitting the first lady in finery each day-accompanies the Washingtons northward to New York, the nation’s temporary capital. The daughter of Betty, one of Martha Washington’s “dower slaves,” or human “property” from her first marriage, and a white indentured servant from England named Andrew Judge, Ona was raised primarily by her mother after her father departed alone once his tenure of servitude at Mount Vernon expired. Ona was born in 1773, just days after the death of Martha Washington’s daughter Patsy.
Ona escaped to freedom in 1796, absconding from Philadelphia to New Hampshire. When Ona was told that she was going to be given as a wedding gift to Martha Washington’s granddaughter, she made the bold and brave decision to flee to the north, where she would be a fugitive.įrom her childhood, to her time with the Washington’s and living in the slave quarters, to her escape to New Hampshire, Erica Armstrong Dunbar (along with Kathleen Van Cleve), shares an intimate glimpse into the life of a little-known but powerful figure in history, and her brave journey.In Never Caught, historian Erica Armstrong Dunbar tells the story of Ona Maria Judge Staines, who was born into slavery at George and Martha Washington’s Mount Vernon plantation. In this incredible narrative, Erica Armstrong Dunbar reveals a fascinating and heartbreaking behind-the-scenes look at the Washingtons when they were the First Family-and an in-depth look at their slave, Ona Judge, who dared to escape from one of the nation’s Founding Fathers.īorn into a life of slavery, Ona Judge eventually grew up to be Martha Washington’s “favored” dower slave. Copyright 2019.Ī National Book Award Finalist for Nonfiction, Never Caught is the eye-opening narrative of Ona Judge, George and Martha Washington’s runaway slave, who risked everything for a better life-now available as a young reader’s edition! George and Martha Washington’s Courageous Slave Who Dared to Run Away. By Erica Armstrong Dunbar & Kathleen Van Cleve.
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