"I am an invisible man. No, I am not a spook like those who haunted Edgar Allan Poe; nor am I one of your Hollywood-movie ectoplasms. I am a man of substance, of flesh and bone, fiber and liquids--and I might even be said to possess a mind. I am invisible, understand, simply because people refuse to see me."

 - Ralph Ellison's "Invisible Man"

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Annie Arnold Smith

This is the gravestone of Annie Arnold Smith, first black school teacher in Gum Springs.  She was the wife of Dandridge Smith, grandson of West Ford. Her gravestone is located next to...

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James Irvine Ford Headstone

Headstone of James Irvine Ford, son of Major George Ford and Harriet.  

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Cousins Visit

Cousins, Dr. Judith Saunders Burton, Linda Allen Hollis, and Ruby Saunders visiting the slave cemetery at Mount Vernon 1998. 

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George Ford Tomb Guard
Black and white photograph of George Ford, son of John Ford, on May 20, 1931, working as tomb guard at George Washington's final resting place. (Photo Credit MVLA).
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Major George Ford, Superintendent of Camp Butler

Major George W. Ford was the superintendant of Camp Butler National Cemetery for 25 years.  During his lifetime, he would be superintendent of five national cemeteries. The collage shows...

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 50th wedding anniversary

Photo of 50th Wedding Aniversary of Elise and James Allen.  Front left to right standing: Carol, Linda, Joy, Janet, Barbara, Timothy, Angela, Gregory and James Jr.

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Present Day Mount Vernon Plantation

The Mansion house is approximately 3500 square feet with 21 ones.  West Ford was instrumental in telling the MVLA when they bought the property about the original room decor (I Cannot Tell...

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Dr. Ford's Track Bio from High School

A  description of Dr. Cecil Bruce Ford  when he was on his high school track and field team. 

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Gathering

Photo of a gathering with Dr. Burton.

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George Washington

George Washington (from private collection LABH).

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Slave Cemetery at Mount Vernon

Article on the dedication of the slave cemetery at the Mount Vernon Plantation.

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Bruce Jr. and Dolores Ford

Couple outside their of their residence in Galesburg, Illinois. 

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Siblings of Harrison Ford

Siblings of Harrison Ford - left to right: Terry Ford Dobson, Karen Ford-Paialli, Wayne Ford and Allison Ford.

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Linda and Emerson Mark Hollis

Linda and her husband, Emerson Mark Hollis. Linda has 3 sons; Julian Wells, Ian Bryant and Russell Bryant (stepson). Her husband Mark has two daugthers, Stacey Hollis and Anaise Rodgers....

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Jane Ford

Jane Ford Smith was the daughter of West Ford and Priscella Bell. She was born abt. 1816.  Her husband, Porter Smith, worked at the Mount Vernon Estate and as the local blacksmith. The...

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William Ford's Acres

Land and Tax Record of William Ford's acres given to him by his father, West Ford. This land is now known as Gum Springs in Virginia.

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 Mount Vernon Slave Cemetery View

This is the entryway to the slave cemetery and the monument for the enslaved at Mount Vernon. (Credit Gum Springs Museum, Ron Chase Curator).

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With Reverance

Some of the audience members at the Slave Commemoration at the Mount Vernon Slave Cemetery October 2021.

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Descendants Visit Museum

Ford Descendants visit the Museum at Mount Vernon, 2022. From left to right - Mark and Linda Allen Hollis, Allison Wickens (Vice President of Education at Mount Vernon), Joy Allen Stone,...

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Sea of Tombstones

Photo of Camp Butler and the tombstones honoring the dead soldiers' final resting places.

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