Never Caught: The Washingtons’ Relentless Pursuit of Their Runaway Slave

Dunbar begins the story of Ona Judge’s life before she is born, describing the unusual weather that accompanied Judge’s arrival into the world: snow in June in Virginia. Dunbar highlights other ways in which Judge was unusual for an enslaved woman, including her having a white father and a middle name.

Before delving into Judge’s own life, however, Dunbar paints a picture of life at Mount Vernon, describing the separation of parents and children, the reality (and difficulty) of maintaining relationships, and the vulnerability of enslaved people to sexual and physical violence, unjust punishment, extreme weather, and poor living conditions. The unusual event of snow in June causes Martha Washington’s daughter, Patsy, to fall ill and die shortly after, which causes further uncertainty among the slaves at the estate, as Martha could be unpredictable when upset.

Dunbar juxtaposes Patsy’s death with the birth of Ona Judge to a woman named Betty, who serves as one of Martha’s main house slaves and has a long history with her. As one of Martha’s “favorites,” Betty sees Martha at her lowest points, mourning the deaths of her first husband, Daniel Parke Custis, and various children. Betty is in the unique position of being relied upon in difficult times but never viewed as anything more than property, a crucial distinction that ultimately passes to Judge and informs her decision to escape years later.