Joice Heth

By Crusader1307

Much has been written about the ''Legend'' which arose out of the personage of American Joice Heth. Former Slave – She was also said to be the original ''Wet Nurse'' to none other than George Washington – future American Colonial General and later first President of The United States. This and the fact that when most 19th Century Americans ''met'' Joice, she was purported to be 161 years old. Joice Heth first came into Public view in 1835 when she was ''exhibited'' by local Businessman John Bowling in Lexington, Kentucky. He was touted as being ''Washington's Wet Nurse'' and the oldest American alive then. Most disclaimed Bowling, who could not produce ''adequate proof'' if Joice's birth and life prior to 1835. Not making the funds He thought He would, Bowling ''sold'' Heth to none other than PT Barnum.

Barnum launched a massive publicity campaign on Heth. Producing several still surviving Washington Family Members (who by now were quite aged themselves) – ''thought'' that Heth ''may have been'' young George's Nurse. No conclusive proof was ever given – although Barnum did ''claim'' to have a ''Sale Contract'' from 1676 (when Joice was only 2). Joice 'was allowed to tell Her short tale about a young Washington (even including The ''Cherry Tree'' Incident). However, many felt this was a ''practiced and rehearsed'' part of Her ''Act''. The ''story'' went on for many months after Barnum's purchase until Joice died in 1836. Barnum stated that He would allow for a ''Public Autopsy'' to establish proof for once and for all. In true Barnum fashion, He charged admission to The Event. However, Medical Doctors would find something that Barnum was not expecting. While Joice was indeed advanced in age, She was only in her 80s. Barnum claimed that Heth's body was ''replaced with a fake'' to further ''attack Her claim''. Regardless, Joice Heath was buried in The State of New York.