Last updated: February 2, 2022
Person
The Dover Family
Quick Facts
Place of Birth:
Washington, DC
George Dover
Inscribed in the pages of the Peirce Family bible, in what is assumed to be Isaac Peirce’s handwriting, are two names and dates of birth: George Dover March 12, 1812 and James Dover November 13, 1814.It is incredibly hard to find information on either of these individuals prior to the 1862 Emancipation records filed by Pierce Shoemaker, Isaac Peirce’s grandson.Census data between 1820 and 1840 did not require details be recorded for anyone other than the head of household. All other members of the house (free and enslaved) were grouped by age.In 1850, a new record was added to the Census—a Slave Schedule was kept. This listed out more information for each enslaved person, such as age, gender and whether they were classified as “Black” or “Mulatto”. It did not, however, record names.
Emancipation
George’s date of birth is recorded as being March 12, 1812. On the 1862 Emancipation document, he should be listed as a 49 or 50 year old man. Instead, he is listed as being 45. Pierce Shoemaker filled out the columns required of him on the emancipation records providing information about any particular descriptions of the enslaved persons he listed on the petition. George is described as being Mulatto.Freedman’s Bank Records
George registered with the U.S. Freedman’s Bank on January 26, 1867. Interestingly, George lists Isaac Pierce as his master and “Betty” as his mistress. Isaac died in 1841 and Elizabeth died before that. It is interesting that two descendants of Isaac enslaved George Dover but it is Isaac’s name on the bank record.
He is described as being 5’7” inches tall and of a yellow complexion.
The bank record also indicates that George is a father in 1867. He lists his children as Lucy, Sally, Frank, Ida, William, Laura, Nathaniel, Albert, Thomas, Henry and George. His wife is Ariana Dover.
Ariana (or Ary as she is listed on many records) was not enslaved by Peirce Shoemaker. Her name, and those of several of her children, appear on the 1862 Slave Emancipation Records filed by Lewis Kengla.Ary is described as being a 35-year-old female measuring 5’4” and Black. Her daughter Ida is 4’10” tall and mulatto. A. Ignatius was 8 ½ years old, 3’ 3” tall, Black. Clayton Dover is 4, 2’5” and black. The youngest child listed Henry, is 13 months old. A Lucinda Dover is also listed but she is recorded as being 30 years old.
Residency in Tenallytown, DC
The Dovers settled in Tenallytown, DC. In 1870, the entire family appears on the U.S. Census.
- George Dover 65 Male Black Laborer
- Ariana Dover 48 Female Black Keeping House
- Lucy Dover 27 Female Black Housework
- Ida Dover 21 Female Black Housework
- William 20 Male Black Farmhand
- Laura 17 Female Black
- Nathaniel 15 Male Black
- Alfred 14 Male Black
- Thomas C. 11 Male Black
- Harry 8 Male Black
- George 7 Male Black
- Walter 5 Male Black
- Mary M. born May 1870 Black
Living next door is a Frank Dover (aged 35) married to a Catherine and living with Catherine Hawkins, Franks mother-in-law. Frank is believed to be the son of Ary and George Dover, listed on his Freedman’s bank record.City directories begin listing Ary as George’s widow in 1889. It is assumed he died in 1888 or 1889.
Ariana Dover
Ariana continued to live in Tenallytown (sometimes referred to as Reno City) after George’s death. Several of her children also live in Reno City. Her will, dated June 6, 1898 begins to paint a picture of Ary and George’s life after enslavement.Ary leaves her youngest daughter, Mary M. (who has married)
“the West sixteen (16) feet eight (8) inches front, by the full depth there of, of lot numbered four (4), in Block Lettered “B,” in Onion and Butts’ subdivision of the estate of Giles Dyer, deceased, known as Reno in the County of Washington, District of Columbia….”
Thomas C. and Henry W. (or Harry) “share and share alike, the east eight (8) feet four (4) inches front by the full depth there of Lot numbered four (4), and the west eight feet four inches (8feet 4 inches) front by the full depth there of of lot numbered five (5) both in Block Lettered “B” in Onion and Butts’ subdivision….”
Her grandson, Walter O. Dover received "the east sixteen feet eight (8) inches front by the full depth there of of lot numbered 5 in the Block Lettered B" in the same subdivision.
Mary inherited the rest of her mother’s estate and was the executrix of her will.
The Dover Children
Information on many of the children listed on George’s Freedman Bank records is impossible to find.Some moved away, like Thomas Dover who moved to Pennsylvania.
George Dover was killed at a Fourth of July picnic in 1886 at the age of 23.
But Laura Dover and her family remained in Washington. Laura married William Brooks. According to the 1880 census she lived next door to her parents and brother in Reno City. At this time the Brooks family consists of two sons (Frank, age 6 and William 2) and two daughters (Rosale 4 and Agnes 1). It appears Laura may have died before her mother and William remarried. Laura’s eldest son, Frank, married in 1895 and had three children by the 1900 census. The family was living on Rock Creek Ford Road in Washington, DC. Their neighbor is Sarah Whitby. Not only was Frank a resident within the bounds of what would become Rock Creek Park, but he lived on land his grandfather may have cultivated and was enslaved upon. The family continued to live near the park until after 1930. Frank died in 1970 in Baltimore.