Description Oney ‟Ona” Judge was the daughter of an enslaved seamstress and an indentured English tailor. A lady᾽s maid to Martha Washington, the wife of George Washington. She was one of 80 slaves Martha inherited after her husband Daniel Parke Custis died. These slaves were known as ‟dower” slaves and could not be sold as they were part of the Custis family inheritance. Fearful that she was going to be given as a wedding gift to Martha᾽s granddaughter and never have a chance for freedom, Oney Judge escaped while living in Philadelphia with the Washington᾽s. Her escape was coordinated by free black friends who arranged for her to travel to Portsmouth, NH, where she married and had 3 children. This Oney Judge mug is part of our African-American series profiling individuals who led notable lives. The biographical History Mugs were created to teach and inspire individuals to learn about our diverse and interesting history. The biographies were researched and written by history enthusiast, Robert Compton. He colorized most of the historic photos and images used on the mugs, which were originally black and white or sepia tone. The images and biographies are imprinted on mugs at his studio in rural Vermont. Mugs are food and microwave safe. To preserve photographic quality we recommend hand washing. Mugs are usually shipped within 3-5 days.
