Edy

Edy was a woman enslaved at Sherwood Forest. Julia Gardiner Tyler referred to her daughter, also named Julia, and Edy in a letter from 1859: “One of the dresses was seized upon directly by Julia for Mammy Edy - of course. The other I shall give Nancy in the spring as best suited to her.” [1] The diminutive and maternal “Mammy” reflects the social order within the Tyler household. White enslavers used phrases like “Aunt” or “Mammy” to refuse older Black women the respect that an honorific such as “Mrs.” would convey. [2] The person named Edy mentioned in Julia’s 1859 letter could be the same Edy recorded in Judge John Tyler’s 1813 Inventory. She is listed with her child. [3]

[1] Julia Gardiner to Juliana Gardiner, 8 Dec. 1859, Tyler Family Papers, Group A. Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, College of William & Mary.

[2] Elliott, Stuart. “Uncle Ben, Board Chairman,” The New York Times, 30 Mar. 2007, https://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/30/business/media/30adco.html.

[3] Inventory of Judge John Tyler, Charles City County Will Book 2 (1808-1824), Library of Virginia, pp. 260-262.