Overseer's Quarters

Each of George Washington’s five farms had its own overseer, who supervised livestock and crops and submitted weekly reports. Overseers also managed enslaved and free laborers. Besides his typical duties, Mansion House Farm overseer Roger Farrell agreed in 1799 to supervise the annual harvest of fish; keep Washington supplied with mutton, lamb, veal, and firewood; and repair fences around the estate, among other tasks. That year, Farrell earned an annual wage of $133.33, plus “board, bed lodging, and washing."