|
Martha Dandridge was born on June 2, 1731<ref>{{cite web|title=Martha Washington - Early Life: Birth and Family of Origin|url=http://marthawashington.us/exhibits/show/martha-washington--a-life/early-life/birth-and-family-of-origin|publisher=MarthaWashington.US([[Center for History and New Media]]/[[The Mount Vernon Ladies' Association]])|accessdate=June 2, 2012}}</ref> on her parents' plantation [[Chestnut Grove (plantation)|Chestnut Grove]] in the British colony, [[Province of Virginia]]. She was the oldest daughter of [[John Dandridge]] (1700–1756), a Virginia planter and English immigrant, and [[Frances Jones (colonist)|Frances Jones]] (1710–1785) of English and Welsh descent.<ref>[http://www.firstladies.org/biographies/firstladies.aspx?biography=1 First Lady Biography: Martha Washington]</ref> Martha had three brothers and four sisters: John (1733–1749), William (1734–1776), Bartholomew (1737–1785), Anna Marie "Fanny" Dandridge Bassett (1739–1777), Frances (1744–1757), Elizabeth Dandridge Aylet Henley (1749–1800), and Mary Dandridge (1756–1763).
|
|
cite web|title=Martha Washington - Early Life: Birth and Family of Origin|url=http://marthawashington.us/exhibits/show/martha-washington--a-life/early-life/birth-and-.US([[Center for History and New Media]]/[[The Mount Vernon Ladies' Association]])|accessdate=June 2, 2012}}</ref> on her parents' plantation [[Chestnut Grove (plantation)|Chestnut Grove]] in the British colony, [[Province of Virginia]]. She was the oldest daughter of [[John Dandridge]] (1700–1756), a Virginia planter and English immigrant, and [[Frances Jones (colonist)|Frances Jones]] (1710–1785) of English and Welsh descent.<ref>[http://www.firstladies.org/biographies/firstladies.aspx?biography=1 First Lady Biography: Martha Washington]</ref> Martha had three brothers and four sisters: John (1733–1749), William (1734–1776), Bartholomew (1737–1785), Anna Marie "Fanny" Dandridge Bassett (1739–1777), Frances (1744–1757), Elizabeth Dandridge Aylet Henley (1749–1800), and Mary Dandridge (1756–1763). |
|
[[File:Martha Custis Washington as a young woman.jpg|thumb|left|Martha Washington as a young woman]]She may have had an illegitimate half-sister, Ann Dandridge Costin (years of birth and death unknown), who was born into slavery; Ms. Costin's enslaved mother was African and [[Cherokee people|Cherokee]] and her father was believed to be John Dandridge.<ref name=Bryan/> Mr. Dandridge may also have fathered an out-of-wedlock half-brother of Ms. Costin's named Ralph Dandridge (years of birth and death unknown), who was probably white.<ref name=Bryan>Bryan, Helen. ''Martha Washington, First Lady of Liberty''. Wiley, 2002. ISBN 978-0-471-15892-9. Pages [http://books.google.com/books?id=aM9jR3aJZKUC&pg=PA26 26]–[http://books.google.com/books?id=aM9jR3aJZKUC&pg=PA27 27]. Retrieved from [[Google Books]] on February 27, 2010.</ref> |
|
[[File:Martha Custis Washington as a young woman.jpg|thumb|left|Martha Washington as a young woman]]She may have had an illegitimate half-sister, Ann Dandridge Costin (years of birth and death unknown), who was born into slavery; Ms. Costin's enslaved mother was African and [[Cherokee people|Cherokee]] and her father was believed to be John Dandridge.<ref name=Bryan/> Mr. Dandridge may also have fathered an out-of-wedlock half-brother of Ms. Costin's named Ralph Dandridge (years of birth and death unknown), who was probably white.<ref name=Bryan>Bryan, Helen. ''Martha Washington, First Lady of Liberty''. Wiley, 2002. ISBN 978-0-471-15892-9. Pages [http://books.google.com/books?id=aM9jR3aJZKUC&pg=PA26 26]–[http://books.google.com/books?id=aM9jR3aJZKUC&pg=PA27 27]. Retrieved from [[Google Books]] on February 27, 2010.</ref> |