The name “Tryon Palace” calls to mind Governor William Tryon, but the last colonial governor of North Carolina, Josiah Martin, lived there the longest. Josiah and Elizabeth Martin lived here with their children from 1771-1775.
The Martins relied on free and enslaved servants to run their home, prepare food, maintain buildings, and complete countless other tasks while staying as invisible as possible. The number of servants is unknown, but we know six servants were hired in England, at least four were slaves sent from the Caribbean, some were from North Carolina, and others may have been brought from Africa. Some had specialized jobs and others performed general labor.
The butler and housekeeper, paid employees who supervised all other servants, worked in the Governor’s Palace. James and Ann Biggleston held these important roles for a time. Another high-ranking servant was Tool, the enslaved cook. We do not know whether Tool was a man or a woman, but Tool directed the Kitchen Office and had the luxury of a private bedchamber there.
Kitchen Office staff included laundry maids and a spit boy who tended fires and assisted with food preparation. The lowest-ranking servant, among the youngest, was the scullery maid. Her duties included cleaning dishes and collecting garbage.
When Martin became governor, his father sent him enslaved people to work at the Governor’s Palace, including Tool, Kate, and Prima. Prima worked inside the Palace as a house maid. Kate’s daughter, Bess, was the lady’s maid for the governor’s daughter, Mary. Additionally, the governor had a manservant who helped him dress and attended to his extensive wardrobe.
These are only some of the people who kept the Governor’s Palace complex functioning every day. Martin’s slaves and servants were integral to the success of the governor’s formal, organized household, and it’s impossible to tell the story of Tryon Palace without acknowledging their contribution.
By Amber Satterthwaite, Director of Education, Tryon Palace
Tryon Palace • 529 South Front Street • New Bern, NC 28562 • 252-639-3500 • www.tryonpalace.org