Died 18 March 1836 | ||
Mary Simpson (c.1752-1758, Virginia – March 18, 1836, New York, New York) was a woman who touted herself as a former slave of George Washington. She was credited with originating the tradition of celebrating Washington's birthday in New York City.
Biography
Simpson worked as a laundress, and later ran a bakeshop in New York's financial district. She would celebrate Washington's birthday by opening the doors of her shop to local businessmen and merchants, serving cakes and whisky punch. She is credited with the creation of "Washington's Cake," a traditional ginger cake that is said to have been part of her annual open house celebrations. Her story was often retold throughout the 19th century.
Simpson claimed to have been enslaved by George Washington. The 1786 Mount Vernon Slave Census does not list anyone named "Mary," and the only "Mary" listed in the 1799 Mount Vernon Slave Census was an 11-year-old girl. She claimed to have worked in Washington's presidential household in New York City (1789-1790), but she is not one of the seven slaves who have been documented there. She claimed that President Washington freed her during his tenure in New York City, although there is no record of this.
She is known to have been a friend of Sojourner Truth, and has been described as a "doer of the Word," performing acts of charity among her fellow New Yorkers. Mary attended St. George's Episcopal Church and befriended Reverend James Milnor.
She died on March 18, 1836. Her obituary in the Commercial Advertiser listed her name as "Mary Washington." New York City public records listed her as "Mary Simpson."