Frederick Douglass's family tree: the father he was never told.

Frederick Douglass was born on 14 February 1818 in Cordova, Maryland, the son of Harriet Bailey, and died on 20 February 1895 in Washington, District of Columbia, at 77. He married Anna Murray and Helen Mary Pitts. 5 children are in the tree. The FamilySearch Family Tree has him as Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey Douglass.

Five generations, as the FamilySearch Family Tree has them: 15 of the 30 places filled. Each name opens that person's page on FamilySearch.

Three generations, as the FamilySearch Family Tree has them: 3 of the 6 places filled. Each name opens that person's page on FamilySearch.

Frederick Douglass's family, year by year.

1818Cordova, MarylandOn 14 February 1818, Frederick Douglass is born to Harriet Bailey.
1825Easton, MarylandHis mother, Harriet Bailey, dies.
1839New Bedford, MassachusettsOn 24 June 1839, his daughter Rosetta Anne Douglass is born.
1840New Bedford, MassachusettsOn 9 October 1840, his son Lewis Henry Douglass is born.
1842New Bedford, MassachusettsOn 3 March 1842, his son Frederick Douglass is born.
1844Lynn, MassachusettsOn 21 October 1844, his son Charles Remond Douglass is born.
1849New York, United StatesOn 22 March 1849, his daughter Anna "Annie" Douglass is born.
1860New York, United StatesOn 13 March 1860, his daughter Anna "Annie" Douglass dies at 10.
1865His first grandchild, Annie Rosina Sprague, is born.
1878His brother Perry Bailey dies.
1881Baltimore, MarylandOn 4 December 1881, his sister Eliza Bailey dies. He is 63.
1882Washington, District of ColumbiaOn 4 August 1882, his first wife, Anna Murray, dies at 69.
1892Washington, District of ColumbiaOn 26 July 1892, his son Frederick Douglass dies at 50.
1895Washington, District of ColumbiaOn 20 February 1895, Frederick Douglass dies at 77.

His children.

Rosetta Anne Douglass (1839–1906), died at 67
Lewis Henry Douglass (1840–1908), died at 67
Frederick Douglass (1842–1892), died at 50
Charles Remond Douglass (1844–1920), died at 76
Anna "Annie" Douglass (1849–1860), died at 10

His descendants.

Below his children, the FamilySearch Family Tree holds 19 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren and 3 2nd great-grandchildren who have died. Anyone who may still be living is left out. The most recent death among his descendants in the tree is his 2nd great-grandson Lloyd Albert Weaver, on 19 December 2021, at 80.

Rosetta Anne Douglass, his daughter: Annie Rosina Sprague (1865–1893), Harriet Bailey Sprague (1866–1940), Alice Louisa Sprague (1869–1875), Fredericka Douglass Sprague (1872–1943), Herbert Douglass Sprague (1874–1943), Estelle Irene Sprague (1876–1927), Rosabelle Murray Sprague (1877–1960)
Frederick Douglass Jr, his son: Frederick Aaron Douglass (1871–1886), Lewis Henry Douglass (1874–1875), Maude Ardelle Douglas (1877), Charles Paul Douglass (1879–1895), A daughter (1883–?), Robert Small Douglass (1886–1910)
Charles Remond Douglass, his son: Charles Frederick Douglas (1867–1887), Robert Douglass (1869–?), Joseph Henry Douglass (1869–1935), Julia "Ada" Douglass (1872–?), Mary Douglass (1873–?), Haley George Douglas (1881–1954)
Herbert Douglass Sprague, his grandson: Arthur L Sprague (1903–?), Gertrude Sprague (1906–?), Herbert Bruce Sprague (1908–1976), Frederick D Sprague (1911–?), Dorothy R Sprague (1913–?)
Estelle Irene Sprague, his granddaughter: Anne Susan Weaver (1898–1992), Rudolph Leroy Weaver (1900–1967), Joseph Mansefield Weaver (1902–?), Lolita Jewette Weaver (1904–1973), Sarah Rosetta Weaver (1906–1969), David Douglass Weaver (1908–1979), Earnest Weaver (1910–?), William Lloyd Weaver (1910–?), Att. Frederick Sprague Weaver (1912–1982)
Rosabelle Murray Sprague, his granddaughter: Thomas Perry Jones (1911–1931)
Robert Small Douglass, his grandson: Freida Molyneaux Douglass (1906–?), Ruth Douglass (1907–?)
Joseph Henry Douglass, his grandson: Blanche Elizabeth Douglass (1907–1917), Dr. Frederick Douglass III (1913–1942)
Lolita Jewette Weaver, his great-granddaughter: Mary Estelle Atkinson (1927–2001)
David Douglass Weaver, his great-grandson: Pamela J Weaver (1947–2010)
Att. Frederick Sprague Weaver, his great-grandson: Lloyd Albert Weaver (1941–2021)

Where the lines came from.

Up his mother's line: Harriet Bailey, his mother, born 1792 in Talbot, Maryland; Isaac Queen Bailey, his grandfather, born 1769 in Trappe, Maryland; Benjamin Bailey, his great-grandfather, born 1740 in Pasquotank, North Carolina; Benjamin Bailey, his 2nd great-grandfather, born 1720 in Pasquotank Co, North Carolina; Bailey, his 3rd great-grandfather.

The family as the FamilySearch Family Tree holds it: 142 people, 70 of them his ancestors.

What history says.

"My father was a white man. He was admitted to be such by all I ever heard speak of my parentage. The opinion was also whispered that my master was my father; but of the correctness of this opinion, I know nothing; the means of knowing was withheld from me." The FamilySearch Family Tree names Aaron Anthony, the man who enslaved him, as his father.Frederick Douglass, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, 1845, chapter 1

Gaps in the record.

The FamilySearch Family Tree is built by the people who use it, and Frederick Douglass's has places nobody has filled yet. Eight generations back, 51 of the 254 places are filled. If you know who they were, add them on FamilySearch, with a source, and the next person to look will find them.

Both parents of Mary Bailey (born 1722, Pasquotank Co, North Carolina)
Both parents of Basil Queen (born 1725, North Carolina, British Colonial America)

Your family has stories like this.

Frederick Douglass's family is famous, but every family has a year like these, waiting in the dates. Sign in with a free FamilySearch account, and Ancestral Fire will find your family in the FamilySearch Family Tree and show it to you like this.

Connect your tree