Fanny Johnston

Fanny Johnston likely worked in the house as an enslaved domestic servant. While we do not know much about her life, Julia recorded a detailed description of her last moments before she died in 1851. Julia mentions two other enslaved women in the following letter: Fanny Hall (referred to as Fanny in this letter) and Nancy.

“…Fanny Johnson has departed this life, taken I hope from all further trouble and suffering. She died at length a victim of dropsy which attacked her whole frame altho’ she has had to be constantly waited upon and attended to all winter she has retained her strength to go around either in her room or downstairs and we had to restrain her appetite - an hour before her death she walked across the room and on going back to bed said to Fanny ‘I will take my pipe by and by when you can come up again and now take all the pillows from under my head and let me lie down, and cover me up for I feel rather cold.’ She never spoke again, and when Fanny came directly to tell me that Fanny J. must either be a great deal better or worse from her request to be laid low at the head I immediately said - run back and call Nancy (who had taken Fanny's place) to raise her head whether she wishes it or not or else she will I fear suffocate. Fanny went back and found Nancy had endeavored to raise her again but she prevented her by shaking her head and pressing it back. Fanny however fulfilled my directions and as she raised her she expired. Every attention had been paid her and everything has been done for her in sickness and health that could be done otherwise - she would have died years ago - her infirmities have been so various and so great...” [1]

[1] Julia Gardiner Tyler to Juliana Gardiner, 2 Jul. 1851, Tyler Family Papers, Group A. Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, College of William & Mary, copy.