Fanny Hall

Fanny Hall appeared in Tyler letters for more than 20 years. She is one of three enslaved people mentioned in John Tyler’s will: “I desire also that my wife will take good care of my faithful servants William Short and Fanny Hall so that their old age may be rendered comfortable…” Although Tyler requested that Fanny be cared for, he never freed her nor any of the people he enslaved. [1]

Fanny Hall was Julia Gardiner Tyler’s maidservant, and she first appeared in Tyler Family letters in 1844 while Julia was living at the White House. Julia sometimes referred to her as “Aunt Fanny.” [2] Fanny Hall was married to Tony Hall, who died from cancer in 1845. [3]

In one letter, John Tyler describes Fanny as “[Julia’s] right hand in all that relates to her chamber.” [4] Fanny Hall accompanied Julia on her travels around Virginia and possibly to New York, although it was a free state by that time. [5]

In 1845, Fanny accompanied Julia and John to Old Point Comfort, Virginia during a storm. Julia wrote, “The first thing I did as I ran from the room was to seize the cage and place it in the hands of Fanny with the strict injunction she must save the bird’s life with hers if possible.” [6]

The following excerpt from a letter from Julia to her mother in 1859 is likely about Fanny Hall: 

“Aunt Fanny says I must send her thanks and her love to Master David, and to you. She tells me to say she did not think he thought so much of her but now she is convinced he does, or he wouldn't have troubled himself to send her Tobacco. She is very well and often comes into the house to inquire when I have heard from you all. All the darkies, however, never fail to make particular inquiries when they see me. They are a strange set are they not? generally kind and happy and don't want to have anything to do with “poor white people”... [7]

Darlene Black Giles, a Black family descendant, comments on Julia’s letter: “The harsh reality of perpetual want had to cause great bitterness, which [enslaved people] had to suppress in order to survive. And yet, Julia Tyler is clueless enough to describe them as ‘generally kind and happy.’  Black people are excellent actors when they need to be.” [8] Julia’s interpretation of the enslaved people around her was skewed by her racism and her practice of paternalism, which infantilized and dehumanized Black people. 

Fanny accompanied John and Julia Tyler to Washington, D.C. in February 1861 for the failed Peace Conference that occurred just before the start of the Civil War. As emancipation neared, the Tylers kept Fanny and over 40 other Black people in bondage.[9]

Fanny was present at John Tyler’s death. Julia recollected, “…none of the family could dissuade me from going direct to Richmond; and so, with old nurse, Fanny, and the baby, I arrived at the Exchange Hotel...” Julia also says that she “bathed [John Tyler’s] head and chest with spirits, while the nurse hushed the little one [Pearl].” [10]

Fanny was a notable figure among formerly enslaved people at Sherwood during the Civil War. A white neighbor and enslaver, William H. Clopton, reported, “Old Fanny was the leader in tearing down the curtains and gathering things up generally…” [11] Her participation and leadership in the ransacking of the main house demonstrates her independence from the Tylers and her ability to carefully mask her resistance in the presence of her enslavers prior to emancipation.

A Black woman named Fanny Hall appears on the 1880 census for Princess Anne County on the same page as Victoria Short Brown, who may be the same Victoria Short enslaved at Sherwood Forest. Read more about Victoria Short here. [12]

[1] Transcript of the last will and testament of John Tyler, 10 Oct. 1859, Transcripts of Tyler Family Papers, Sherwood Forest Plantation Foundation, Charles City County, Virginia.

[2] Margaret Gardiner to Julia Gardiner Tyler, 31 Oct. 1844, Transcripts of Tyler Family Papers, Sherwood Forest Plantation Foundation, Charles City County, Virginia.

[3] Julia Gardiner Tyler to Juliana Gardiner, 1845, 15 Jul. 1845, Tyler Family Papers, Group A. Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, College of William & Mary.

[4] John Tyler to Elizabeth Tyler Waller, 18 Oct. 1845, Library of Congress.

[5] Leahy, Christopher. President without a Party, LSU Press, 2020, p. 354. Margaret Gardiner to Alexander Gardiner, no date, Transcripts of Tyler Family Papers, Sherwood Forest Plantation Foundation, Charles City, Virginia.

[6] Julia Gardiner Tyler to Margaret Gardiner, 29 Jun. 1845, Tyler Family Papers, Group A. Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, College of William & Mary.

[7] Julia Gardiner Tyler to Juliana Gardiner, Dec. 1, 1859, Transcripts of Tyler Family Papers, Sherwood Forest Plantation Foundation, Charles City County, Virginia.

[8] Darlene Black Giles to Frances Tyler, email message, 11 Sep. 2020.

[9] Seager, Robert. And Tyler Too, McGraw-Hill, 1963, p. 453. 1860 U.S. Census, Slave Schedules, Charles City County, retrieved from FamilySearch.org, https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:WKY9-5SMM.

[10] Julia Gardiner Tyler, in The Letters and Times of the Tylers, vol. 2, edited by Lyon G. Tyler, Whittet & Shepperson, 1884-96, pp. 671-672.

[11] William H. Clopton to Julia Gardiner Tyler, 2 Aug. 1864, Transcripts of Tyler Family Papers, Sherwood Forest Plantation Foundation, Charles City County, Virginia.

[12] 1880 U.S. Census, Princess Anne County, Virginia, retrieved from FamilySearch.org, https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MCR9-7X7.