Christopher Sheels

Christopher Sheels^[1] (born c. 1774,^[2] Mount Vernon, Virginia – year and place of death unknown), was a slave and house servant at George Washington's plantation, Mount Vernon, in Virginia, United States.

As a teenager, he worked as Washington's "body servant" in the presidential households in New York City, 1789–90, and Philadelphia, 1790–91. In September 1799, Washington foiled an escape attempt by Sheels from Mount Vernon. Three months later he was present at the former president's deathbed.

Dower slaves

Sheels was the property of the estate of Daniel Parke Custis (1711–1757), Martha Washington's first husband. As widow, she was granted the lifetime use of one-third of the Custis Estate slaves, hence the term "dower" slaves. At the time of her January 1759 marriage to George Washington, the dower slaves numbered at least 85 persons.^[3]

Under Virginia law, the legal status of a slave was traced through the woman, so all the children of an enslaved mother were also born slaves, no matter who the father was. Multiple generations of dower slaves were born at Mount Vernon. The July 1799 Mount Vernon Slave Census lists 153 dower slaves.^[4]

While George Washington freed his 123 slaves through his 1799 will, the dower slaves remained the property of the Custis estate. Following Martha Washington's 1802 death, the Custis estate was settled, and the dower slaves were inherited by the four Custis grandchildren.

Background

Sheels was the son of Alyce (also spelled Alce), an enslaved spinner at the Mansion. His father may have been Christopher Sheldes, a white wagon driver, who worked at Mount Vernon until December 1773, and he is listed as "11 yrs. old" in the February 1786 Mount Vernon Slave Census.^[5] His grandmother, "Old Doll," was a cook at the Mansion, and had been among the original dower slaves who were brought to Mount Vernon in 1759.

Will Lee had been Washington's "body servant" through the Revolutionary War, the 1787 Constitutional Convention, and at Mount Vernon. In April 1789, when Washington set out for New York City to be inaugurated as the first President of the United States, Lee was too ill to make the trip. The fourteen-year-old went in Lee's place, although Lee joined Sheels in the presidential household several weeks later.^[6] The two were related: Lee's brother was married to Sheels' aunt.

Presidential households

Following ratification of the U.S. Constitution, New York City served as the national capital from December 1788 to December 1790. Washington was inaugurated on April 30, 1789. The first presidential household consisted of about twenty servants, including seven slaves from Mount Vernon — Ona Judge, Austin, Giles, Paris, Moll, Christopher Sheels, and William Lee.

Under the July 1790 Residence Act, Congress moved the national capital to Philadelphia for a ten-year period, while the permanent national capital was under construction in the District of Columbia. The Philadelphia President's House had a larger household, about twenty-four servants initially, including eight slaves from Mount Vernon — Ona Judge, Austin, Giles, Paris, Moll, Hercules, Richmond, and Christopher Sheels.

Will Lee was never part of the Philadelphia presidential household. He was permanently returned to Mount Vernon, where he became the plantation's shoemaker. Following Austin's 1794 death, "Postilion Joe" (Richardson) joined the Philadelphia presidential household.^[7]

Gradual Abolition Act

With the 1780 Act for the Gradual Abolition of Slavery, Pennsylvania's government was the first to begin an abolition of slavery. But the state law was very gradual, and highly-respectful of the property rights of slaveholders. It freed only the future children of enslaved mothers. Every person enslaved in Pennsylvania before the law went into effect remained enslaved-for-life. Non-resident slaveholders could keep their slaves for six months while in the state. But, if those slaves were held in Pennsylvania longer than six months, the state law empowered them to legally free themselves.^[8]^[9]

Philadelphia had functioned as the national capital during the Revolutionary War. When the Gradual Abolition Act was drafted, the federal government had a single branch – Congress – which met in the city. Pennsylvania specifically exempted Congressmen and their personal slaves from the 1780 state law. Ten years later, when the national capital returned to Philadelphia, the U.S. Constitution had been ratified and the federal government had three branches. Members of Congress remained exempt from Pennsylvania's Gradual Abolition Act, however, the law's effects on slaveholding officers of the Judicial and Executive branches remained unclear.

Washington argued, privately, that his presence in Pennsylvania was solely a consequence of Philadelphia's being the temporary seat of the federal government, that he remained a citizen of Virginia, and Pennsylvania law should not apply to him. On the advice of his attorney general, Edmund Randolph, he systematically rotated the President's House slaves in and out of the state to prevent their establishing a six-month continuous residency.^[10] This rotation was arguably a violation of a 1788 amendment to the Pennsylvania law, but Washington remained unchallenged through his residency in Philadelphia.

As the first six-month deadline approached in May 1791, Martha Washington took Sheels and Ona Judge on a two-day trip to Trenton, New Jersey,^[11] thus voiding their Pennsylvania residencies.^[12]

Mount Vernon

Sheels was permanently returned to Mount Vernon by January 1792, where he worked as a waiter, serving the family meals.^[13] Washington completed his second term as President in March 1797, and returned to Virginia.

In September 1799, Washington discovered a note outlining an escape plan from Mount Vernon for Sheels and his fiancee. (The note proves that Sheels could read.) Washington foiled the escape.^[14] Three months later, Sheels was at his bedside when Washington died on December 14, 1799.

As a dower slave, Sheels was not among the 123 slaves freed by George Washington under the terms of his 1799 will. Following Martha Washington's 1802 death, Sheels became one of the 153 dower slaves inherited by the four Custis grandchildren. There is no documentation of where he lived the rest of his life or when he died.

References

^ Washington, George. "From George Washington to Roger West, 17 September 1799". Archived from the original on November 7, 2017. Retrieved November 5, 2017. Sometime ago the Servant who waits upon me, named Christopher (calling himself Christopher Sheels)
^ Washington, George. "Staff Notes (From George Washington to Roger West, 17 September 1799)". Archived from the original on November 7, 2017. Retrieved November 5, 2017. Christopher, or Christopher Sheels as he was sometimes called, was a young dower slave about twenty-four years old at this time.
^ ""Slavery By the Numbers"". Archived from the original on February 19, 2009. Retrieved February 28, 2009.
^ 1799 Mount Vernon Slave Census Archived January 6, 2014, at the Wayback Machine from George Washington's Mount Vernon.^{[dead link‍]}
^ Lee, Jean Butenhoff (2006). Experiencing Mount Vernon. University of Virginia Press. ISBN 9780813925158. Archived from the original on November 9, 2023. Retrieved November 5, 2020.
^ "The President's House in Philadelphia". Archived from the original on July 9, 2009. Retrieved February 7, 2009.
^ Joe's wife Sarah took the surname Richardson after she was freed by Washington's Will. Joe was a "dower" slave and was not freed.
^ Pennsylvania's Gradual Abolition Act (1780) Archived December 22, 2015, at the Wayback Machine
^ In Pennsylvania, enslaved minor children were required to work as indentured servants until age 28, when they would be free.
^ By strict legal interpretation, a slave's residency could be terminated by spending one day outside the state. Slaveholders had exploited this loophole until Pennsylvania eliminated it through a 1788 amendment to the Gradual Abolition Act. See President Washington's dilemma.
^ Gen. Philemon Dickinson House
^ Tobias Lear to George Washington, May 15, 1791: "On tuesday Mrs Washington proposes going over to Jersey for a few days—she makes her visit to Mrs Dickinson. Mrs Washington takes the children with her & Christopher & Ona."
^ "Christopher Sheels" Archived May 17, 2008, at the Wayback Machine, President's House website, US History.org
^ "Slaves at the President's House" Archived January 7, 2014, at the Wayback Machine, Obit magazine

[Sheels-1] Washington, George. "From George Washington to Roger West, 17 September 1799". Archived from the original on November 7, 2017. Retrieved November 5, 2017. Sometime ago the Servant who waits upon me, named Christopher (calling himself Christopher Sheels)

[2] Washington, George. "Staff Notes (From George Washington to Roger West, 17 September 1799)". Archived from the original on November 7, 2017. Retrieved November 5, 2017. Christopher, or Christopher Sheels as he was sometimes called, was a young dower slave about twenty-four years old at this time.

[Slavery-3] ""Slavery By the Numbers"". Archived from the original on February 19, 2009. Retrieved February 28, 2009.

[4] 1799 Mount Vernon Slave Census Archived January 6, 2014, at the Wayback Machine from George Washington's Mount Vernon.^{[dead link‍]}

[5] Lee, Jean Butenhoff (2006). Experiencing Mount Vernon. University of Virginia Press. ISBN 9780813925158. Archived from the original on November 9, 2023. Retrieved November 5, 2020.

[6] "The President's House in Philadelphia". Archived from the original on July 9, 2009. Retrieved February 7, 2009.

[7] Joe's wife Sarah took the surname Richardson after she was freed by Washington's Will. Joe was a "dower" slave and was not freed.

[8] Pennsylvania's Gradual Abolition Act (1780) Archived December 22, 2015, at the Wayback Machine

[9] In Pennsylvania, enslaved minor children were required to work as indentured servants until age 28, when they would be free.

[10] By strict legal interpretation, a slave's residency could be terminated by spending one day outside the state. Slaveholders had exploited this loophole until Pennsylvania eliminated it through a 1788 amendment to the Gradual Abolition Act. See President Washington's dilemma.

[11] Gen. Philemon Dickinson House

[12] Tobias Lear to George Washington, May 15, 1791: "On tuesday Mrs Washington proposes going over to Jersey for a few days—she makes her visit to Mrs Dickinson. Mrs Washington takes the children with her & Christopher & Ona."

[13] "Christopher Sheels" Archived May 17, 2008, at the Wayback Machine, President's House website, US History.org

[14] "Slaves at the President's House" Archived January 7, 2014, at the Wayback Machine, Obit magazine

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

v t e George Washington
1st President of the United States (1789–1797) Senior Officer of the Army (1798–1799) Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army (1775–1783) Delegate to the Second Continental Congress (1775) Delegate to the First Continental Congress (1774)
Military career Revolutionary War	Military career French and Indian War Jumonville Glen Battle of Fort Necessity Battle of the Monongahela Forbes Expedition Washington in the American Revolution Commander-in-chief, Continental Army Aides-de-camp Washington's headquarters office and sleeping tent Boston campaign Siege of Boston New York and New Jersey campaign Delaware River crossing Battle of Trenton Battle of the Assunpink Creek Battle of Princeton Philadelphia campaign Battle of Brandywine Battle of Germantown Battle of White Marsh Valley Forge Battle of Monmouth Battles of Saratoga Sullivan Expedition Yorktown campaign Siege of Yorktown Culper Spy Ring Newburgh Conspiracy Newburgh letter Asgill Affair Evacuation Day Resignation as commander-in-chief Badge of Military Merit Purple Heart Washington Before Boston Medal Horses Nelson Blueskin
Other U.S. founding events	Initiated, co-wrote, 1769 Virginia Association Initiated, 1774 Fairfax Resolves Continental Association Court of Appeals in Cases of Capture 1785 Mount Vernon Conference Chairman, 1787 Constitutional Convention George Washington's political evolution
Presidency (timeline)	1788–89 United States presidential election First inauguration inaugural bible 1792 presidential election Second inauguration Reception at Trenton Title of "Mr. President" Cabinet of the United States Secretary of State Attorney General Secretary of the Treasury Secretary of War Judiciary Act of 1789 Oath Administration Act Nonintercourse Act Whiskey Rebellion Militia Acts of 1792 Coinage Act of 1792 United States Mint Presidential Succession Act of 1792 United States Capitol cornerstone laying Proclamation of Neutrality Neutrality Act of 1794 Jay Treaty Pinckney's Treaty Slave Trade Act of 1794 Residence Act Thanksgiving Proclamation Farewell Address State of the Union Address 1790 1791 1792 1793 1796 Cabinet Federal judicial appointments John Rutledge Supreme Court nominations
Views and public image	Presidential library The Washington Papers Religious views Washington and slavery Town Destroyer Legacy
Life and homes	Early life Birthplace Ferry Farm boyhood home Mount Vernon Fishery Gristmill Whiskey distillery Woodlawn Plantation Longfellow House–Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site Ford Mansion, Washington's headquarters Hasbrouck House First Presidential Mansion Second Presidential Mansion President's House, Philadelphia Germantown White House Custis estate Washington's relations with the Iroquois Confederacy Potomac Company James River and Kanawha Canal Mountain Road Lottery Congressional Gold Medal Thanks of Congress President General of the Society of the Cincinnati Washington College Washington and Lee University Electoral history of George Washington Post-presidency of George Washington
Memorials and depictions	Washington, D.C. Washington state Washington Monument Mount Rushmore Washington's Birthday Purple Heart The Apotheosis of Washington Washington Monument (Boonsboro, Maryland) Washington Monument (Baltimore) George Washington (Houdon) plaster copy George Washington (Ceracchi) George Washington (Canova) George Washington (Greenough) George Washington (Trumbull) George Washington and the Revolutionary War Door Revolutionary War Door Washington Crossing the Delaware The Passage of the Delaware General George Washington at Trenton Washington at Verplanck's Point General George Washington Resigning His Commission Surrender of Lord Cornwallis Unfinished portrait Lansdowne portrait The Washington Family portrait Washington at Princeton paintings George Washington Taking the Salute at Trenton Reception at Trenton painting Statues Trenton Battle Monument Princeton Battle Monument Point of View sculpture George Washington on Horseback Austin statue Baltimore statue Boston statue Mexico City statue Morristown statue Newark statue New York City statue Wall Street statue Paris statue Perth Amboy statue Philadelphia statue Portland statue Washington, D.C. statue West Point monument George Washington University Washington University in St. Louis Washington Masonic National Memorial George Washington Memorial Parkway George Washington Bridge Washington and Jefferson National Forests Washington Square Park Arch U.S. Postage stamps Washington–Franklin Issues 1932 bicentennial Currency Washington quarter 50 State Quarters D.C. and territories quarters America the Beautiful quarters American Women quarters History Instructing Youth dollar Washington dollar Lafayette dollar Silver bullion coins Washington nickel Washington half eagle 250th Anniversary half dollar Mount Rushmore Anniversary coins Mount Washington Cultural depictions George Washington (1984 miniseries 1986 sequel) A More Perfect Union (1989 film) The Crossing (2000 film) We Fight to Be Free (2006 film) Turn: Washington's Spies (2014–2017 series) The War that Made America (2006 miniseries) Washington (2020 miniseries) Hamilton (film)
Related	Bibliography List of articles Founders Online Founding Fathers of the United States Republicanism Federalist Party Federalist Era Virginia dynasty Coat of arms Cherry-tree anecdote River Farm Washington's Crossing Washington–Rochambeau Revolutionary Route 1751 Barbados trip Category Syng inkstand General of the Armies Conway Cabal American Foxhound American Philosophical Society American Revolution patriots Betsy Ross flag Mount Vernon Ladies' Association Mount Vernon replicas George Washington Memorial Building Attempted theft of Washington's skull
Family	Martha Washington (wife) John Parke Custis (stepson) George Washington Parke Custis (step-grandson, adopted son) Eleanor Parke Custis (step-granddaughter, adopted daughter) Augustine Washington (father) Mary Ball Washington (mother) Lawrence Washington (half-brother) Augustine Washington Jr. (half-brother) Elizabeth Washington Lewis (sister) Samuel Washington (brother) John A. Washington (brother) Charles Washington (brother) Lawrence Washington (grandfather) Mildred Gale (grandmother) John Washington (great-grandfather) George Reade (2nd great-grandfather) Bushrod Washington (nephew)
Slaves	List Betty Caroline Branham William Costin Sarah Johnson Oney Judge William Lee Hercules Posey Christopher Sheels Deborah Squash Harry Washington
John Adams → Category