Eliza Eichelberger Ridgely

Eliza Eichelberger Ridgely (1803-1867) is one of the most recognizable of the Ridgely women, largely as the result of her portrait commissioned by her father and painted by Thomas Sully, “Lady with a Harp,” which is now in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Eliza was a well educated and accomplished woman who was also a renowned horticulturist and talented musician. Among her contributions to Hampton were the redesign expansion of the formal gardens, building of greenhouses and other garden structures, introduction of numerous exotic tree species, and installation of the marble urns around the mansion and grounds. According to family lore, Eliza planted Hampton’s giant Cedar of Lebanon in the 1830s after bringing it back from Europe as a seedling in a shoebox.

In addition to management of the gardens and grounds, she also played an active role in running the domestic aspects of the estate, including the semi-annual provision of clothing to enslaved individuals and families. In partnership with her husband, John, they decided to rebuild the agricultural plantation system and purchased 61 enslaved people. Throughout her life, many people wrote of her beauty, elegance, and sense of fashion, including the Marquis de Lafayette, whom she met and captivated during his 1824-25 American tour and with whom she remained in contact for the rest of his life.

Individuals

Hampton's best known enslaved person
Nancy Davis

The story of Hampton's most documented enslaved person.
John Carnan Ridgely

Third owner of the Hampton Estate.
Charles Carnan Ridgely

Second owner of the Hampton mansion and at one time the governor of Maryland.
Charles Ridgely

Charles Ridgely was the fourth owner of the Hampton Estate.
Eliza Ridgely White Buckler

Known as "Didy," Eliza was an influential force in Hampton's history.

Learn More

The Ridgely Family

The Ridgely Family owned and managed the Hampton Estate for almost 200 years. Explore their impact on history!
The Ridgelys of Hampton

Learn about the history of the Ridgely family at Hampton.
Slavery at Hampton

From the colonial period through 1864, the Ridgelys enslaved over 500 people. Enslaved persons, from young children to the elderly
Indentured Servants at Hampton

Indentured servants were not willing laborers and the working conditions at Northampton Furnace was grueling.
Gruesome
Working Conditions

Accounts of the working conditions of the forced labor iron works.
Forms of Control

From physical to mental abuse for the youngest ages to the oldest. Learn about the harsh truths and forms of control.
Ridgelys as Entertainers

Learn about the Ridgelys events and how in order to maintain such a lavish social lifestyle, a large labor force made up mostly of enslaved.
Horse Racing and the Ridgelys

Learn about the importance of horses and racing for the Ridgelys.
Travels of the Ridgelys

The wealth of the Ridgely family allowed for many extensive world travels.
Hampton During the Civil War

The Ridgely's passed their lives without worry until it became apparent that a civil war was about to impact their lives.
Revealing the Lives of the Enslaved

A recent Ethnographic Study uncovered major information on the lives of those enslaved at Hampton and their descendants. Read about it here.
History & Culture
History & Culture

Hampton National Historic Site today preserves the core of what was once a vast commercial, industrial, and agricultural plantation.