Jasmine Hardy
Archives of Childhood
Biography of Maria Lou Fleet
March 12, 2012
Name: Maria Lou Fleet
Date of Birth: March 1849
Place of Birth: King and Queen County, Virginia
Maria Lou Fleet was born in March of 1849 in King and Queen County, Virginia.1 Maria
was the third of seven children, and the first girl. She was named after her mother, Maria Louisa
Fleet. Her father, Benjamin Fleet was a physician and farmer, known around town as Dr. Fleet.
A rather well-off family, the Fleets owned slaves prior to the Civil War. As Dr. Fleet got his
career up and going he became much wealthier, and the number of slaves that he owned
increased dramatically. In 1850, Fleet owned just five slaves,2 but by 1860 this number had
multiplied to 34.3 Presumably, this dramatic increase in slaves occurred following Dr. Fleet’s
establishing himself professionally in the town. In 1850, Dr. Fleet was a young man, most likely
just beginning his career as a physician. By 1860, Dr. Fleet would have been a well-established
doctor in his area and this would have translated into increased wealth.
Maria was twelve years old when the Civil War began. The war was a constant topic of
conversation in her family, particularly between her two older brothers. Fredrick and Benjamin
had very different perspectives on the war prior to the firing of the first shots. Fredrick, studying
at the University of Virginia at the time,4 was pro-secession, while Benjamin had Unionist
leanings.5 This caused a large amount of tension in their home despite the fact that much of the
1
“1900 United States Federal Census.”
“1850 United States Federal Census – Slave Schedules.”
3
“1860 United States Federal Census – Slave Schedules.”
4
Jabour, Anya. Topsy-Turvy: How the Civil War Turned the World Upside Down For Southern Children. Chicago: Ivan R. Dee
Publisher, 2010 (62). Print.
5
Jabour, Anya. Topsy-Turvy: How the Civil War Turned the World Upside Down For Southern Children. Chicago: Ivan R. Dee
Publisher, 2010 (64). Print.
2
correspondence between the two brothers happened via letter. Maria, as the sibling closest to the
two brothers probably felt this tension most intensely. Though living at home, Benjamin was
desperate to be allowed to join the war effort, but at only 14 years old, he was not old enough to
join. Instead, Ben began training in a military class that was held at his local school.6 It is unclear
whether Maria also attended this school, however given the importance of education to her
family she certainly received an education. In addition to training in a military class, Ben also
joined a local militia company for “home defence” and served as a scout for the district. 7 No
matter her interest in the war, Maria was forced to stay at home and help care for her younger
siblings, David (10 years old), Florence (8), Bessie (6), and James (5).8 Maria and James would
remain particularly close throughout their lives.
As the war began in earnest, and the first shots were fired, Benjamin dropped his
Unionist beliefs and joined Fredrick in his secessionist sentiments.9 Fredrick returned home from
the University of Virginia and joined the Confederate Army. The war became a whole family
affair. Dr. Fleet would make almost daily trips into Richmond, the Confederate capital in order to
get information about the proceedings of the war10 and upon returning, the entire family would
gather around to hear him relay the news or read the daily newspapers aloud.11 Fred would also
6
Jabour, Anya. Topsy-Turvy: How the Civil War Turned the World Upside Down For Southern Children. Chicago: Ivan R. Dee
Publisher, 2010 (78). Print.
7
Jabour, Anya. Topsy-Turvy: How the Civil War Turned the World Upside Down For Southern Children. Chicago: Ivan R. Dee
Publisher, 2010 (78). Print.
8
“1860 United States Federal Census.”
9
Jabour, Anya. Topsy-Turvy: How the Civil War Turned the World Upside Down For Southern Children. Chicago: Ivan R. Dee
Publisher, 2010 (64). Print.
10
Jabour, Anya. Topsy-Turvy: How the Civil War Turned the World Upside Down For Southern Children. Chicago: Ivan R. Dee
Publisher, 2010 (70). Print.
11
Jabour, Anya. Topsy-Turvy: How the Civil War Turned the World Upside Down For Southern Children. Chicago: Ivan R. Dee
Publisher, 2010 (63). Print.
2
send regular correspondence from wherever he was positioned with the army which the family
would await eagerly.12
Maria’s life was changed by the Civil War in many ways. Quite often she and her
siblings could hear the sounds of cannons from their home,13 causing excitement but Maria
always felt as though the war was too close and presented too many dangers to the family she
loved. With Fredrick away fighting and Benjamin desperate to join, it was left to Maria to act as
the eldest sibling and to explain to her younger siblings what was going on around them. Maria
feared particularly for Benjamin, who was doing any and everything he could to join in the
Confederate effort no matter the stories or warnings he heard. Maria became even more nervous
for her older brothers when a family friend of the Fleet’s was killed at the Battle of Antietam14
and then when their 17 year old neighbor, a boy a year younger than Fredrick, was killed when a
bullet when through his arm and into his neck.15
As the war progressed and Ben got older, Maria became ever more anxious about his
joining the war effort. In the end, Maria was right to worry. Her beloved brother Ben joined the
war effort as soon as he turned 17 years old, however his participation was short lived. Two days
after joining, on March 2, 1864, Ben was killed by a group of Yankees who he came across
during a scouting mission.16 Benjamin’s death crushed 14 year old Maria and brought her ever
closer to her younger siblings, a bond that would remain for much of their lives.
12
Jabour, Anya. Topsy-Turvy: How the Civil War Turned the World Upside Down For Southern Children. Chicago: Ivan R. Dee
Publisher, 2010 (70). Print.
13
Jabour, Anya. Topsy-Turvy: How the Civil War Turned the World Upside Down For Southern Children. Chicago: Ivan R. Dee
Publisher, 2010 (70). Print.
14
Jabour, Anya. Topsy-Turvy: How the Civil War Turned the World Upside Down For Southern Children. Chicago: Ivan R. Dee
Publisher, 2010 (71). Print.
15
Jabour, Anya. Topsy-Turvy: How the Civil War Turned the World Upside Down For Southern Children. Chicago: Ivan R. Dee
Publisher, 2010 (79). Print.
16
Jabour, Anya. Topsy-Turvy: How the Civil War Turned the World Upside Down For Southern Children. Chicago: Ivan R. Dee
Publisher, 2010 (79). Print.
3
Fredrick served for the course of the war unharmed and returned to studying at the
University of Virginia.17 However, tragedy would once again strike Maria’s life shortly after the
end of the war, when her father, Dr. Benjamin Fleet, died, leaving her mother as the head of the
household and Maria as the eldest child in the house. In 1870, Maria, her mother, all of her
younger siblings, and several laborers and servants were all still living on the family plantation.18
With the task of raising and educating all of her remaining children, without her husband,
Maria’s mother established a school which she called “Green Mount” and of which she herself
was headmaster. 19
By 1880 Maria, Florence, and Bessie were all teachers at “Green Mount” while baby of
the family, James, had become a lawyer.20 Maria was still single, perhaps deciding instead to
devote her time and energy to her immediate family in which she had always played such an
important role. Her mother was aging and Maria felt that it was her duty to care for her mother
and her siblings, much as she was relied upon to during the war. At this time, perhaps as part of
“Green Mount,” the Fleet family employed many black laborers and servants.21
At some point between 1880 and 1900, Maria’s mother passed away and Maria, Florence,
and James moved from their family plantation in Newtown, to Clarkston, Virginia.22 At this
point Maria was aging, along with her siblings and they brought three young, black, laborers
with them.23 Following the move, James married, but Maria and Florence remained single.24
James and his wife had three girls, whom they named Florence, Bessie, and Mary,25 after
17
“A Biography of Alexander Fredrick Fleet.”
“1870 United States Federal Census.”
19
King and Queen County, Virginia. New York and Washington: 1908 (335).
20
“1880 United States Federal Census.”
21
“1880 United States Federal Census.”
22
“1900 United States Federal Census.”
23
“1900 United States Federal Census.”
24
“1900 United States Federal Census.”
25
“1910 United States Federal Census.”
18
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James’s own sisters whom he was always so close to. Maria lived to see these three children born
but it is unclear whether she lived to see James’s fourth child born, a boy, who he named
James.26 At some point between 1910 and 1920 Maria passed away, having devoted her life to
teaching, educating, and caring for others, particularly her own family to whom she was
extremely devoted and for whom she felt responsible, even as a child.
26
“1920 United States Federal Census.”
5
Sources Cited:
“A Biography of Alexander Fredrick Fleet.” History of King and Queen County Virginia.
http://www.history50states.com/VA-King_and_QueenJabour, Anya. Topsy-Turvy: How the Civil War Turned the World Upside Down For Southern
Children. Chicago: Ivan R. Dee Publisher, 2010. Print.
King and Queen County, Virginia. New York and Washington: 1908.
http://books.google.com/books?id=sNLsEDXw5CEC&pg=PA335&lpg=PA335&dq=ben
jamin+fleet+king+and+queen+virginia+school&source=bl&ots=myBgoygxNk&sig=B88
zwr4BOEWLCVkIL_9QIvkiX1I&hl=en&sa=X&ei=mE1dT6abDaiI0QHPsvHODw&ve
d=0CCsQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=benjamin%20fleet%20king%20and%20queen%20vir
ginia%20school&f=false
“1850 United States Federal Census – Slave Schedules.” Ancestry Library, n.d.
http://search.ancestrylibrary.com/cgibin/sse.dll?rank=1&new=1&MSAV=0&msT=1&gss=angsg&gsfn=benjamin&gsln=fleet&mswpn__ftp=King+and+Queen+County%2c+Virginia%
2c+USA&mswpn=1604&mswpn_PInfo=7%7c0%7c1652393%7c0%7c2%7c3245%7c49%7c0%7c1604%7c0%7c0%7c&msbdy=1
845&uidh=d94&pcat=ROOT_CATEGORY&h=2819476&recoff=24+25&db=1850slave
schedules&indiv=1
“1860 United States Federal Census.” Ancestry Library, n.d.
http://search.ancestrylibrary.com/cgibin/sse.dll?rank=1&new=1&MSAV=0&msT=1&gss=angsg&gsfn=maria+l&gsln=fleet&mswpn__ftp=King+and+Queen+County%2c+Virginia%2c
+USA&mswpn=1604&mswpn_PInfo=7%7c0%7c1652393%7c0%7c2%7c3245%7c49%7c0%7c1604%7c0%7c0%7c&msbdy=1
849&uidh=d94&pcat=ROOT_CATEGORY&h=34040621&db=1860usfedcenancestry&i
ndiv=1
“1860 United States Federal Census – Slave Schedules.” Ancestry Library, n.d.
http://search.ancestrylibrary.com/cgibin/sse.dll?rank=1&new=1&MSAV=0&msT=1&gss=angsg&gsfn=benjamin&gsln=fleet&mswpn__ftp=King+and+Queen+County%2c+Virginia%
2c+USA&mswpn=1604&mswpn_PInfo=7%7c0%7c1652393%7c0%7c2%7c3245%7c49%7c0%7c1604%7c0%7c0%7c&msbdy=1
845&uidh=d94&pcat=ROOT_CATEGORY&h=1155111&recoff=15+16&db=1860slave
schedules&indiv=1
“1870 United States Federal Census.” Ancestry Library, n.d.
http://search.ancestrylibrary.com/cgibin/sse.dll?db=1870usfedcen&indiv=try&h=37055073
“1900 United States Federal Census.” Ancestry Library, n.d.
http://search.ancestrylibrary.com/cgibin/sse.dll?rank=1&new=1&MSAV=0&msT=1&gss=angsg&gsfn=maria+l&gsln=fleet&mswpn__ftp=King+and+Queen+County%2c+Virginia%2c
+USA&mswpn=1604&mswpn_PInfo=7%7c0%7c1652393%7c0%7c2%7c3245%7c49%7c0%7c1604%7c0%7c0%7c&msbdy=1
849&uidh=d94&pcat=ROOT_CATEGORY&h=71821335&db=1900usfedcen&indiv=1
6
“1910 United States Federal Census.” Ancestry Library, n.d.
http://search.ancestrylibrary.com/cgibin/sse.dll?db=1910USCenIndex&indiv=try&h=176173268
“1920 United States Federal Census.” Ancestry Library, n.d.
http://search.ancestrylibrary.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=1920usfedcen&indiv=try&h=23349749
7