Visitors at Mount Vernon saw many faces there, but only a few were white faces, the rest were those of black slaves.  On each farm stood a village of wooden huts, where turbaned mammies crooned and piccaninnies gamboled in the sunshine.  The cooks, the house servants, the coachmen, the stable boys, almost all the manual workers were slaves.  Even the Mansion House grounds, if the master was away, were apt to be overrun with black children, for though only the progeny of a few house servants were supposed to enter the precincts, the others often disregarded the prohibition, to the destruction of the Farmer’s flowers and rare shrubs.

From his father Washington inherited ten or a dozen slaves and, as occasion required or opportunity offered, he added to the number.  By 1760 he paid taxes on forty-nine slaves, in 1770 on eighty-seven and in 1774 on one hundred thirty-five.  Presently he found himself overstocked and in 1778 expressed a wish to barter for land some “Negroes, of whom I every day long more to get clear of[7].”  Still later he declared that he had more negroes than could be employed to advantage on his estate, but was principled against selling any, while hiring them out was almost as bad.  “What then is to be done?  Something or I shall be ruined.”

[7] In 1754 he bought a “fellow” for L40.5, another named Jack for L52.5 and a woman called Clio for L50.  Two years later he acquired two negro men and a woman for L86, and from Governor Dinwiddie a woman and child for L60.  In 1758 he got Gregory for L60.9.  Mount Vernon brought him eighteen more.  Mrs. Washington was the owner of a great many slaves, which he called the “dower Negroes,” and with part of the money she brought him he acquired yet others.  The year of his marriage he bought Will for L50, another fellow for L60, Hannah and child for L80 and nine others for L406.  In 1762 he acquired two of Fielding Lewis for L115, seven of Lee Massey for L300, also one-handed Charles for L30.  Two years later he bought two men and a woman of the estate of Francis Hobbs for L128.10, the woman being evidently of inferior quality, for she cost only L20.  Another slave purchased that year from Sarah Alexander was more valuable, costing L76.  Judy and child, obtained of Garvin Corbin, cost L63.  Two mulattoes, Will and Frank, bought of Mary Lee in 1768, cost L61.15 and L50, and Will became famous as a body servant; Adam and Frank, bought of the same owner, cost L38.  He bought five more slaves in 1772.  Some writers say that this was his last purchase, but it is certain that thereafter he at least took a few in payment of debts.