Researchers Trace 1st Living Descendants of 1829 White House Builder Calvert Ambush
Updated
Updated · abcnews.com · Jul 4
Researchers Trace 1st Living Descendants of 1829 White House Builder Calvert Ambush
2 articles · Updated · abcnews.com · Jul 4
Summary
Ashley Swain and Jackie Smith Sullivan were identified as the first confirmed living descendants of Calvert Ambush, an enslaved laborer who helped build the White House’s North Portico in 1829.
A two-year search by American Ancestors’ 10 Million Names project and ABC News linked Ambush to the family through payroll records, deeds, church documents and other records scattered across several states.
A 197-year-old federal payroll document viewed at the National Archives listed Ambush among enslaved workers whose labor on the White House was paid to their enslavers, not to them.
Records also show Ambush was freed in 1833 after his uncle John Freeman took out a $620 loan, then married in 1834 and had three children—creating the line researchers traced to the present.
The finding adds a documented family link to the more than 200 enslaved laborers known to have helped build the White House and Capitol between 1792 and 1829.
From a 19th-century payroll to a modern family, how was this incredible 200-year-old genealogical puzzle finally solved?
How will this genealogical breakthrough help uncover the stories of millions more who were enslaved and built America?
Historic Discovery: 10 Million Names Project Links Living Americans to Enslaved White House Builder Ahead of Nation’s 250th Anniversary
Overview
The 10 Million Names Project, launched by American Ancestors and its partners, aims to reconnect the family stories of 44 million living descendants to the 10 million enslaved people in U.S. history. Guided by experts like Dr. Kendra Field and Lindsay Fulton, the project tackles the immense challenge of tracing lineages despite scattered and incomplete records. Their recent breakthrough—identifying living descendants of Calvert Ambush, an enslaved builder of the White House—highlights the project's success in restoring erased family histories. This work not only honors the foundational contributions of enslaved individuals but also brings personal stories to light, enriching America's understanding of its past.