Mary Louvestre

[[Mary Grew|Mary grew]] up in Norfolk Borough and was most likely raised in the Catholic faith. On 24 September 1834, Mary went before Norfolk City’s Hustings and Corporation Court to register as a free mulatto adult for the first time. Her mother, Sukey, first registered Mary with the City on 29 October 1828 as a free mulatto and claimed her as her daughter.Norfolk, Virginia.  Hustings and Corporation Court.  “Declaration of Mary Ogilvie, 1834.” ''Order Book 30'', page 394.; Norfolk, Virginia.  Hustings and Corporation Court.  “Registration of Sukey Ogilvie’s children, 1828.” ''Order Book 28'', page 214.;

[[Mary Grew|Mary grew]] up in Norfolk Borough and was most likely raised in the Catholic faith. On 24 September 1834, Mary went before Norfolk City’s Hustings and Corporation Court to register as a free mulatto adult for the first time. Her mother, Sukey, first registered Mary with the City on 29 October 1828 as a free mulatto and claimed her as her daughter.Norfolk, Virginia.  Hustings and Corporation Court.  “Declaration of Mary Ogilvie, 1834.” ''Order Book 30'', page 394.; Norfolk, Virginia.  Hustings and Corporation Court.  “Registration of Sukey Ogilvie’s children, 1828.” ''Order Book 28'', page 214.;

In 1838, Mary started securing an annual business license with the City to either run a private entertainment establishment (like a restaurant or bar) or a boarding house. In April 1839, she purchased a 10-year-old enslaved mulatto boy, Mark Rene DeMortie (De Mortie), from the estate of Dr. Robert B. Stark. Mark has roots in San Domingo like Mary and is a member of the DeMortier family who settled in Norfolk from San Domingo. The reasons for Mary's purchase are unknown; however, she freed him on 25 March 1850, a few weeks before his 21st birthday.Norfolk, Virginia.  Hustings and Corporation Court.  ''Order Books 31-34.''; Norfolk, Virginia.  Hustings and Corporation Court.  “Accounting for Dr. Robert B Stark, estate.” ''Will Book 6'', page 376.; Mark Renie (or Rene) De Mortie, ''Dictionary of Virginia Biography'', Library of Virginia, https://www.lva.virginia.gov/public/dvb/bio.php?b=DeMortie_Mark_R ; Norfolk, Virginia.  Hustings and Corporation Court.  “Manumission of Mark.” ''Order Book 36,'' page 148.;

In 1838, Mary started securing an annual business license with the City to either run a private entertainment establishment (like a restaurant or bar) or a boarding house. In April 1839, she purchased a 10-year-old enslaved mulatto boy, Mark Rene DeMortie (De Mortie), from the estate of Dr. Robert B. Stark. Mark has roots in San Domingo like Mary and is a member of the DeMortier family who settled in Norfolk from San Domingo. The reasons for Mary's purchase are unknown; however, she freed him on 25 March 1850, a few weeks before his 21st birthday.Norfolk, Virginia.  Hustings and Corporation Court.  ''Order Books 31-34.''; Norfolk, Virginia.  Hustings and Corporation Court.  “Accounting for Dr. Robert B Stark, estate.” ''Will Book 6'', page 376.; [https://www.lva.virginia.gov/public/dvb/bio.php?b=DeMortie_Mark_R Mark Renie (or Rene) De Mortie], ''Dictionary of Virginia Biography'', Library of Virginia; Norfolk, Virginia.  Hustings and Corporation Court.  “Manumission of Mark.” ''Order Book 36,'' page 148.;

Mary met and later married Michael Louveste on 1 June 1844 at Saint Patrick’s Catholic Church in Norfolk, VA. It appears that the marriage was not recognized by civil authorities, because Mary was referred to by her maiden name in the records until 1860.St. Patrick's Catholic Church (Norfolk, Va.) [now St Mary's Catholic Church]. “Marriage, 1 June 1844.” ''Marriage Register''.; Norfolk, Virginia.  Hustings and Corporation Court.  ''Order Books 31-40.'';

Mary met and later married Michael Louveste on 1 June 1844 at Saint Patrick’s Catholic Church in Norfolk, VA. It appears that the marriage was not recognized by civil authorities, because Mary was referred to by her maiden name in the records until 1860.St. Patrick's Catholic Church (Norfolk, Va.) [now St Mary's Catholic Church]. “Marriage, 1 June 1844.” ''Marriage Register''.; Norfolk, Virginia.  Hustings and Corporation Court.  ''Order Books 31-40.'';

==Legends==

==Legends==

[[File:MERRIMAC in dry dock, being converted into the iron Battery VIRGINIA LCCN2004671787.jpg|thumb|USS ''Merrimack'' in dry dock, being converted into the CSS ''Virginia'']]

[[File:MERRIMAC in dry dock, being converted into the iron Battery VIRGINIA LCCN2004671787.jpg|thumb|USS ''Merrimack'' in dry dock, being converted into the CSS ''Virginia'']]

There are multiple accounts of her story. The earliest and most reliable initial account comes from documentation by then [[Secretary of the Navy]], Gideon Welles. This account states that Louveste worked with several Black and white Unionists, including [https://sites.google.com/view/shrvawiki/home/encyclopedia-of-south-hampton-roads/people-biographies/lyons-william-h-c-1830-1911 William H. Lyons], who was one of the few workers at Norfolk's Gosport Shipyard who did not flee when Norfolk was captured by the Confederate Army early in the war, but who was still providing information about the Confederacy through contacts at [[Fort Monroe#American Civil War|Fort Monroe]]. Welles states that Louveste came to him in great secrecy in February 1862 with documents about the [[CSS Virginia|CSS ''Virginia'']] from Lyons.McClure, Alexander K. The Annals of the war written by leading participants north and south. 1879, Philadelphia : The Times Publishing Co, page 20A letter by Welles outlining this is reproduced and discussed in Woman Slave's Deeds as Union Spy Long Overdue for Recognition. The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA) (Sun, 24 Mar 2002). Biographical details about Louveste's early life in eastern Virginia, which can be found in primary documents created before the Civil War, align with Welles's account.

There are multiple accounts of her story. The earliest and most reliable initial account comes from documentation by then [[Secretary of the Navy]], Gideon Welles. This account states that Louveste worked with several Black and white Unionists, including [https://sites.google.com/view/shrvawiki/home/encyclopedia-of-south-hampton-roads/people-biographies/lyons-william-h-c-1830-1911 William H. Lyons], who was one of the few workers at Norfolk's Gosport Shipyard who did not flee when Norfolk was captured by the Confederate Army early in the war, but who was still providing information about the Confederacy through contacts at [[Fort Monroe#American Civil War|Fort Monroe]]. Welles states that Louveste came to him in great secrecy in February 1862 with documents about the [[CSS Virginia|CSS ''Virginia'']] from Lyons.McClure, Alexander K. The Annals of the war written by leading participants north and south. 1879, Philadelphia : The Times Publishing Co, page 20A letter by Welles outlining this is reproduced and discussed in Woman Slave's Deeds as Union Spy Long Overdue for Recognition. The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA) (Sun, 24 Mar 2002) Biographical details about Louveste's early life in eastern Virginia, which can be found in primary documents created before the Civil War, align with Welles's account.

Another account, likely fictionalized and less reliable, exists based on the work by novelist G. Allen Foster published in ''[[Ebony (magazine)|Ebony]]'' magazine in 1964Foster, G. Allen, Mary Louvestre helped defeat Rebels in crucial sea battle by spying on South. Ebony, July 1964, aspects of which have been repeated in many other sources, including a 1998 publication by the [[US Army Corps of Engineers]].Smith, Steven D., and James A. Zeidler. A Historic Context for the African American Military Experience. No. CERL-TR-CRRC-98/87. CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING RESEARCH LAB (ARMY) CHAMPAIGN IL, 1998. This account contains unsubstantiated biographical details and spells her surname as "Louvestre." In this fictionalized account, Mary Louvestre was born in the [[Shenandoah Valley]] and was bought in her early teens by a small farmer. At the time of the Civil War, she may have been between 55 and 70 years old. She had a talent for drafting, and to capitalize on her skills was taught to sew and trained as a seamstress. When the farm faced two tough years in a row, they were forced to sell Mary, who was bought by her owner's cousin, Simeon or John Louvestre, in Norfolk.

Another account, likely fictionalized and less reliable, exists based on the work by novelist G. Allen Foster published in ''[[Ebony (magazine)|Ebony]]'' magazine in 1964,Foster, G. Allen, Mary Louvestre helped defeat Rebels in crucial sea battle by spying on South. Ebony, July 1964 aspects of which have been repeated in many other sources, including a 1998 publication by the [[US Army Corps of Engineers]].Smith, Steven D., and James A. Zeidler. A Historic Context for the African American Military Experience. No. CERL-TR-CRRC-98/87. CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING RESEARCH LAB (ARMY) CHAMPAIGN IL, 1998. This account contains unsubstantiated biographical details and spells her surname as "Louvestre." In this fictionalized account, Mary Louvestre was born in the [[Shenandoah Valley]] and was bought in her early teens by a small farmer. At the time of the Civil War, she may have been between 55 and 70 years old. She had a talent for drafting, and to capitalize on her skills was taught to sew and trained as a seamstress. When the farm faced two tough years in a row, they were forced to sell Mary, who was bought by her owner's cousin, Simeon or John Louvestre, in Norfolk.

According to the fictionalized account, in July 1861, she overheard her employer (she bought her freedom with her money from seamstress skills), who worked as engineer or [[ship-chandler]] in Norfolk's Gosport Shipyard bragging about the ironclad [[USS Merrimack (1855)|''Merrimack'']] (later renamed the CSS ''Virginia'') they were building which would dominate the Union Navy. Early in the mornings for the next week, Mary snuck into the engineers’ office and used her seamstress skills to trace the drawings of the ironclad.

According to the fictionalized account, in July 1861, she overheard her employer (she bought her freedom with her money from seamstress skills), who worked as engineer or [[ship-chandler]] in Norfolk's Gosport Shipyard bragging about the ironclad [[USS Merrimack (1855)|''Merrimack'']] (later renamed the CSS ''Virginia'') they were building which would dominate the Union Navy. Early in the mornings for the next week, Mary snuck into the engineers’ office and used her seamstress skills to trace the drawings of the ironclad.

== External links==

== External links==

[https://sites.google.com/view/shrvawiki/home/encyclopedia-of-south-hampton-roads/people-biographies/louveste-mary-abt-1812-1883 Louveste, Mary (Abt. 1812-1883)] at Sargeant Memorial Collection, Norfolk Public Library's Historical Wiki for South Hampton Roads, Virginia

* [https://sites.google.com/view/shrvawiki/home/encyclopedia-of-south-hampton-roads/people-biographies/louveste-mary-abt-1812-1883 Louveste, Mary (Abt. 1812-1883)] at Sargeant Memorial Collection, Norfolk Public Library's Historical Wiki for South Hampton Roads, Virginia

== References ==

== References ==