Edy was mentioned in the February 1786 list of the enslaved community at Mount Vernon, compiled by George Washington. On that list, Edy is noted as being thirteen years of age and denoted as being one of the "labouring women." Edy married to Davy, an enslaved carpenter who worked at the Mansion House Farm, and was most likely the daughter of Flora.
The historical record provides a few clues as to Edy's mother's identity. Since Edy was fairly young when the 1786 list was compiled, she would most likely have worked and lived on the farm where her mother lived. In addition, since Edy was owned directly by George Washington, her mother also had to have been as well (rather than being owned by the estate of Martha Washington's first husband, Daniel Parke Custis). Lastly, Flora was the only enslaved woman at Union/Ferry Farm in 1786 owned by Washington.1
While enslaved at Mount Vernon, Edy had two children, Sarah (b. 1793) and Nancy (b. 1798). After Edy and her children were freed in 1801 by Washington's will, she gave birth to several other children, including David Jones (b. 1804), Joseph Jones (b. 1805), Margaret Jones (b. 1808), and Levi Jones (b. between 1810 and 1813, in Arlington, Virginia).2
Notes: 1. "[Diary entry: 18 February 1786]," Founders Online, National Archives.
2. "19 November 1834," Fairfax County Register of Free Blacks, Book II, #267.
