Mary Louveste (nee Ogilvie) was born about 1812 in Norfolk City (nee Norfolk Borough) to Lewis and Sukey Ogilvie. Lewis was a free mulatto from French San Domingo and Sukey was a free African American woman from York County, Virginia. It is unknown if Sukey was black or biracial. (1)
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. (2)
Mary starting in 1838 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 reason(s) for Mary to purchase is unknown; however, she freed him on 25 March 1850 a few weeks before his 21st birthday. (3)
Mary met and later married Michael Louveste on 1 June 1844 at Saint Patrick’s Catholic Church in Norfolk, VA. It appears their marriage was not recognized by civil authorities because the officials kept referring to Mary by her maiden name in the records until 1860. (4)
Michael Louveste was a French free mulatto from the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe. He arrived in Norfolk about 1837. Their union produced at least three children: two daughters, Susan and Ophelia, and one son, Robert. Unfortunately, they lost both Robert and Ophelia during the yellow fever epidemic on 1 September 1855. Susan made it to adulthood and married Robert Francis, who was a mulatto and a butcher, on 7 October 1869 at her parent’s house on Nivison Street in Norfolk, Virginia. They had one son, Robert before losing both another child and Susan at childbirth on 4 April 1873. Robert Francis senior died a few years later and Robert junior went to live with the Louvestes. (5)
After Michael and Mary married in 1844, Mary continued to secure the business licenses (typically ordinary licenses) until 1847 when Michael became one securing the licenses. Mary probably continued to operate the boarding houses when her husband started working at Gosport Shipyard in the early 1850s. On 22 February 1854, Michael and Mary were able to secure a lease from Jonathan Dodd to use the building at Nivison Street (later listed as 8 Nivison Street). They used the building as their boarding house. (6)
Michael Louveste was working at the shipyard at the outbreak of the Civil War and Confederate forces seized the yard. In later documentation, Michael was a tool keeper in the steam engineering department at the yard. William H. Lyons, a known Union sympathizer and spy, also worked in the steam engineering department during the conversion of the screw frigate USS Merrimack into the steam ironclad CSS Virginia. It is highly probable that Lyons and the Louvestes worked together to send updates and plans to the Union. Mary in February 1862 was smuggled across to the Union lines and personally met Union Secretary of the Navy Gideon Wells; where she gave him the blueprints of the CSS Virginia and other intelligence about the ship. (7)
After making it home, Mary and Michael continued to live in Norfolk during and after the war. In the late 1860s, the Louvestes were able secure the ownership of the property on Nivison Street. They continued to operate either a bar, restaurant, or boarding house through the 1870s. (8)
Michael died on 4 January 1880 from phthisis pus or known today as tuberculosis. Mary died on 31 October 1883 at her home. It is unknown where they are buried; however, it is probable they were laid to rest at one of the city’s Catholic cemeteries. (9)
Norfolk, Virginia. “A list of free negroes and mulattos residing in the Borough of Norfolk,” 1836 Personal Property List, page 4.; Norfolk, Virginia. Hustings and Corporation Court. “Registration of Sukey Ogilvie’s children, 1828.” Order Book 28, page 214.;
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.;
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.;
St. Patrick's Catholic Church (Norfolk, Va.). “Marriage, 1 June 1844.” Marriage Register.; Norfolk, Virginia. Hustings and Corporation Court. Order Books 31-40.;
“Death of a Respected Old Colored Woman.” Norfolk Virginian (Norfolk, Va.), 8 November 1883, page 3 - column 1.; St. Patrick's Catholic Church (Norfolk, Va.). [Baptisms of Susan and Ophelia Louveste, 1844.], Baptismal Register, page 7.; Norfolk, Virginia. “Death Entry for Robert Louveste.” Register of Death, 1855, page 18 – Line # 765.; Norfolk, Virginia. “Death Entry for Ophelia Louveste.” Register of Death, 1855, page 18 – Line # 766.; Deluise, Kristina Steinlein. Norfolk Virginian Partial Index of Indications of Marriage, 1865-1898. Virginia Beach, Va.: Kristina Deluise, 2014, Volume 1, page 141.; Norfolk, Virginia. “Death Entry for Robert Francis.” Register of Death, 1876, page 4 - Line # 134.; Norfolk, Virginia. “Death Entry for Susan Francis.” Register of Death, 1873, page 4 - Line # 134.;
Norfolk, Virginia. Hustings and Corporation Court. Order Books 34-40.; Norfolk, Virginia. Hustings and Corporation Court. Deed Book 35. page 198.; 1859 Norfolk City Directory, page 85.;
“In Senate,” The Congressional Globe (Washington, DC), April 1869, page 607.; "Death of a Respected Old Colored Woman.” Norfolk Virginian (Norfolk, Va.), 8 November 1883, page 3 – column 1.; Letter Gideon Wells to (Unknown), 23 September 1864 from Welles, Gideon. Gideon Welles Papers: Correspondence, -1878; 1864, Aug.-Sept. 1864. Mss45054, Box 23; Manuscript/Mixed Material. (Image 103 and 104) https://www.loc.gov/item/mss450540102/.; Letter A. H. Kilty to Gideon Wells, 3 September 1868 and Letter from Mary Louveste to A. H. Kilty, 4 September 1868 from Welles, Gideon. Gideon Welles Papers: Correspondence, -1878; 1868, July-1869, Feb. 1868. Mss45054, Box 25; Manuscript/Mixed Material. (Images 37-42) https://www.loc.gov/item/mss450540114.;
United States, Census Bureau. 1870 Federal Census. Ward 3, City of Norfolk, Norfolk, Virginia; Roll: M593_1666; Page: 11-92; 1874-1875 Norfolk City Directory, “Michael Louveste,” page 131.; 1877-1878 Norfolk City Directory, “Michael Louvest,” page 148.; 1880-1881 Norfolk and Portsmouth City Directory, “Michael Louvests,” page 145.;
Norfolk, Virginia. “Death Entry for Michael Louveste.” Register of Death, 1880, page 12.; “Died.” Norfolk Virginian (Norfolk, Va.), 6 January 1880, page 2 – column 2.; Norfolk, Virginia. “Death Entry for Mary Louveste.” Register of Death, 1883, page 12.; “Death of a Respected Old Colored Woman.” Norfolk Virginian (Norfolk, Va.), 8 November 1883, page 3 – column 1.;
Variations of Surname found in Transcriptions, Abstracts, or Original sources:
Louveste | Lowveste | Lauvest | Louvest | Louresta | Louvestre | Lowresle | Louvest | Lonvest | Touvestre | Louvests
Ogilvie | Ogbivie | O'Gilsie | Ogleby | O'Giloy | Ogilby
Deluise, Kristina. City of Norfolk, Virginia Will Book 9, 1869-1889. Virginia Beach, VA: Kristina Deluise, [2019], pages 94-95, 209-210.
Deluise, Kristina. Norfolk Virginian Partial Index of Indications of Marriage, 1865-1898. Virginia Beach, Va.: Kristina Deluise, 2014, Volume 1, page 141.
Valos, William Troy. 1836 Free African Americans for Borough of Norfolk, Virginia. Norfolk, Va: Norfolk Public Library, 2009.
City Directories:
1859 Norfolk City Directory, “Michael Louveste,” page 85.
1860 Norfolk City Directory, “Michael Louveste,” page 80.
1874-1875 Norfolk City Directory, “Michael Louveste,” page 131.
1877-1878 Norfolk City Directory, “Michael Louvest,” page 148.
1880-1881 Norfolk and Portsmouth City Directory, “Michael Louvests,” page 145.
1882-1883 Norfolk and Portsmouth City Directory, “Mary Louvest,” page 173.
Link to digitized Norfolk and Portsmouth city directories from 1851-1931 at https://cdm15987.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p15987coll2
“404 Nivison Street,” Block 17 from Guaranty Title and Trust Corporation Records, MSS 0000-052, Sargeant Memorial Collection, Norfolk Public Library, Norfolk, Virginia. http://smcarchives.libraryhost.com/index.php?p=collections/controlcard&id=682
St. Patrick's Catholic Church (Norfolk, Va.). [Baptisms of Susan and Ophelia Louveste, 1844.], Baptismal Register, page 7.
St. Patrick's Catholic Church (Norfolk, Va.). “Marriage, 1 June 1844.” Marriage Register.
Censuses:
United States, Census Bureau. 1850 Federal Census. City of Norfolk, Norfolk, Virginia;
United States, Census Bureau. 1860 Federal Census. City of Norfolk, Norfolk, Virginia; page: 16.
United States, Census Bureau. 1870 Federal Census. Ward 3, City of Norfolk, Norfolk, Virginia; Roll: M593_1666; Page: 11-92;
United States, Census Bureau. 1880 Federal Census. City of Norfolk, Norfolk, Virginia; page: 18. E.D. 74.
Free Negro Registration:
Norfolk, Virginia. Hustings and Corporation Court. “Registration of Sukey Ogilvie, 1828.” Order Book 28, page 213.
Norfolk, Virginia. Hustings and Corporation Court. “Registration of Sukey Ogilvie’s children, 1828.” Order Book 28, page 214.
Norfolk, Virginia. Hustings and Corporation Court. “Declaration of Mary Ogilvie, 1834.” Order Book 30, page 394.
Norfolk, Virginia. Hustings and Corporation Court. “Registration of Mary Ogilvie’s daughters.” Order Book 36, page 213.
Norfolk, Virginia. Hustings and Corporation Court. “Declaration of Mary Louveste,” Order Book 40, page 204.
Norfolk, Virginia. “A list of free negroes and mulattos residing in the Borough of Norfolk,” 1834 Personal Property List, page 5. (Copy at Library of Virginia’s Virginia Untold: The African American Narrative https://www.virginiamemory.com/collections/aan/)
Norfolk, Virginia. “A list of free negroes and mulattos residing in the Borough of Norfolk,” 1835 Personal Property List, page 5. (Copy at Library of Virginia’s Virginia Untold: The African American Narrative https://www.virginiamemory.com/collections/aan/)
Norfolk, Virginia. “A list of free negroes and mulattos residing in the Borough of Norfolk,” 1836 Personal Property List, page 4.
Land Records:
Norfolk, Virginia. Hustings and Corporation Court. “Assignment of Lease, from John Dodd to Michael Louveste (31 August 1854).” Deed Book 35, page 198.
Norfolk, Virginia. Hustings and Corporation Court. “Trust (Mortgage), from Michael Louveste to Elish Pendleton (31 August 1854).” Deed Book 35, page 199.
Norfolk, Virginia. Hustings and Corporation Court. “Special Commissioner’s Deed, Tazwell Taylor to John Dodd, (4 February 1867).” Deed Book 42, page 186.
Norfolk, Virginia. Hustings and Corporation Court. “Trust (Mortgage), from Michael and Mary Louveste to Richard B. Tunstall.” (31 December 1870).” Deed Book 48, page 229.
Norfolk, Virginia. Hustings and Corporation Court. “Trust (Mortgage), from Michael Louveste to Richard B. Tunstall (tr) for Mary Louveste.” (10 January 1871).” Deed Book 48, page 260.
Norfolk, Virginia. Hustings and Corporation Court. “Bill of Sale, from Richard B. Tunstall (tr) for Mary Louveste to John L. Roper.” (15 October 1883).” Deed Book 74, page 179.
Licensing:
Norfolk, Virginia. Hustings and Corporation Court. “Licensing for Mary Ogilvie, 1838.” Order Book 31, page 372.
Norfolk, Virginia. Hustings and Corporation Court. “Licensing for Mary Ogilvie, 1840.” Order Book 32, page 193.
Norfolk, Virginia. Hustings and Corporation Court. “Ordinary Licensing for Mary Ogilvie.” Order Book 33, pages 7, 125, 160, and 232.
Norfolk, Virginia. Hustings and Corporation Court. “Licensing for Mary Ogilvie.” Order Book 34, page 48 and 223.
Norfolk, Virginia. Hustings and Corporation Court. “Licensing for Michael Louveste.” Order Book 35, pages 76, 249, and 357.
Norfolk, Virginia. Hustings and Corporation Court. “Licensing for Michael Louveste.” Order Book 36, pages 188 and 386.
Norfolk, Virginia. Hustings and Corporation Court. “Licensing for Michael Louveste.” Order Book 37, pages 39 and 269.
Norfolk, Virginia. Hustings and Corporation Court. “Licensing for Michael Louveste.” Order Book 38, pages 21, 165, and 309.
Norfolk, Virginia. Hustings and Corporation Court. “Licensing for Michael Louveste.” Order Book 39, page 160.
Slave Sales/Manumission:
Norfolk, Virginia. Hustings and Corporation Court. “Manumission of Mark.” Order Book 36, page 148.
Norfolk, Virginia. Hustings and Corporation Court. “Accounting for Dr. Robert B Stark, estate.” Will Book 6, pages 376*-383. * = entry of slave purchase of Mark by Mary Ogilvie.
Vital Records:
Norfolk, Virginia. “Death Entry for Robert Francis.” Register of Death, 1876, page 4 – Line # 134.
Norfolk, Virginia. “Death Entry for Susan Francis.” Register of Death, 1873, page 4 – Line # 134.
Norfolk, Virginia. “Death Entry for Mary Louveste.” Register of Death, 1883, page 12.
Norfolk, Virginia. “Death Entry for Michael Louveste.” Register of Death, 1880, page 12.
Norfolk, Virginia. “Death Entry for Robert Louveste.” Register of Death, 1855, page 18 – Line # 765.
Norfolk, Virginia. “Death Entry for Ophelia Louveste.” Register of Death, 1855, page 18 – Line # 766.
Wills and Probate:
Norfolk, Virginia. Hustings and Corporation Court. “Will of Robert Francis, 1876.” Will Book 9. 168-169.
Norfolk, Virginia. Hustings and Corporation Court. “Will of Mary Louveste, 1883.” Will Book 9. 382-383.
Drie, C. N. Norfolk & Portsmouth, Virginia. [N.P, 1873] Map. https://www.loc.gov/item/75696645/
“Died.” Norfolk Virginian (Norfolk, Va.), 6 January 1880, page 2 – column 2.
“Death of a Respected Old Colored Woman.” Norfolk Virginian (Norfolk, Va.), 8 November 1883, page 3 – column 1.
“In Senate,” The Congressional Globe (Washington, DC), April 1869, page 607.
Easley, Owen. “Library Gets Civil War Espionage Proof,” Currents, Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, Va.), July 3, 1982, pages 1-2.
Hafner, Katherine. “A Black Woman from Norfolk Stole Confederate Ship Plans for the Union,” Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, Va.), February 24, 2020.https://www.pilotonline.com/history/vp-nw-hampton-roads-black-history-mary-louvestre-20200224-g6bhexu4gjathlapeelsn3m4dy-story.html
Watson, Denise. "Mystery of Mary Louveste." Virginian-Pilot, The (Norfolk, VA), February 21, 2021: A1, A6-7. https://www.pilotonline.com/history/vp-db-mary-cwspy-new-info-022121-20210221-23v2v3ztsjb25p2epxg6l4k2zm-story.html
Letter - Welles, Gideon to Unknown 17 August 1872 http://www.usgwarchives.net/va/portsmouth/letters/letter1.html (transcription)
Louveste, M. 3 letters, 1869., 1869. Charles Sumner correspondence, MS Am 1, (3951). Houghton Library, Harvard College Library. https://id.lib.harvard.edu/ead/c/hou00232c03976/catalog
Welles, Gideon. Gideon Welles Papers: Correspondence, -1878; 1864, Aug.-Sept. 1864. Mss45054, Box 23; Manuscript/Mixed Material. https://www.loc.gov/item/mss450540102/. (Image 103 and 104)
Image 103 – Letter Gideon Wells to (Unknown), 23 September 1864 (handwritten) https://www.loc.gov/resource/mss45054.mss45054-022_0696_0812/?sp=103
Image 104 – Letter Gideon Wells to (Unknown), 23 September 1864 (handwritten) https://www.loc.gov/resource/mss45054.mss45054-022_0696_0812/?sp=104
Welles, Gideon. Gideon Welles Papers: Correspondence, -1878; 1868, July-1869, Feb. 1868. Mss45054, Box 25; Manuscript/Mixed Material. https://www.loc.gov/item/mss450540114. (Images 37-42)
Image 37 – Letter A. H. Kilty to Gideon Wells, 3 September 1868 (typed) https://www.loc.gov/resource/mss45054.mss45054-025_0008_0139/?sp=37
Image 38 – Letter A. H. Kilty to Gideon Wells, 3 September 1868 (handwritten) https://www.loc.gov/resource/mss45054.mss45054-025_0008_0139/?sp=38
Image 39 – Letter A. H. Kilty to Gideon Wells, 3 September 1868 (handwritten) https://www.loc.gov/resource/mss45054.mss45054-025_0008_0139/?sp=39
Image 40 – Letter from Mary Louveste to A. H. Kilty, 4 September 1868 (typed) https://www.loc.gov/resource/mss45054.mss45054-025_0008_0139/?sp=40
Image 41 – Letter from Mary Louveste to A. H. Kilty, 4 September 1868 (handwritten) https://www.loc.gov/resource/mss45054.mss45054-025_0008_0139/?sp=41
Image 42 – Letter from Mary Louveste to A. H. Kilty, 4 September 1868 (handwritten) https://www.loc.gov/resource/mss45054.mss45054-025_0008_0139/?sp=42
In Honor of Mary Touvestre, Judith Tong (Grinnell College Class of 2020) https://digital.grinnell.edu/islandora/object/grinnell:25508
Fiction:
Haley, My. The Treason of Mary Louvestre. New York, NY: Köehler Books, 2012.http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/798614998
Non-Fiction:
Allen, Thomas. Intelligence in the Civil War. Central Intelligence Agency, Washington DC, 2007.
Brasher, Glenn David. The Peninsula Campaign & the Necessity of Emancipation: African Americans & the Fight for Freedom. United States: University of North Carolina Press, 2012. 90-91.
Dorsey, Christopher. A Call to Arms: the Realities of Military Service for African Americans During the Civil War. Palm Coast, Fla.: Backintyme, 2007. 27, 150.
Foster, G. Allen. The Eyes and Ears of the Civil War. New York: Criterion Books, 1964. 83, 167.
Jordan, Ervin L. Black Confederates and Afro-Yankees in Civil War Virginia. United Kingdom: University Press of Virginia, 1995. 284.
McClure, Alexander K. (Alexander Kelly), 1828-1909. The Annals of the War Written by Leading Participants North and South. Philadelphia: The Times Publishing Company, 1879. 20. https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/000775277
Mays, Joe H. Black Americans And Their Contributions Toward Union Victory In the American Civil War, 1861-1865. Lanham, MD: University Press of America, 1984. 66, 67, 108, 116, 117, 160.
Palmer, Beverly Wilson. Guide and Index to the Papers of Charles Sumner. Alexandria, VA.: Chadwyck-Healey Inc., 1988. 264.
Quarles, Benjamin. The Negro in the Civil War. Perseus Books Group, 1953 p92-93.
Siegel, Mary-Ellen. Her Way: a Guide to Biographies of Women for Young People. 2nd ed. Chicago, [Ill.]: American Library Association, 1984. 308, 358, 381, 410.
Spradling, Mary Mace. In Black and White: Afro-Americans In Print: a Guide to Africans And Americans Who Have Made Contributions to the United States of America. 2d ed. Kalamazoo, Mich.: Kalamazoo Public Library, 1976. 251, 252, 443, 489.
Stevens, Michael E, and John Y Simon. New Perspectives on the Civil War: Myths and Realities of the National Conflict. Madison, Wis.: Madison House, 1998. 165, 176.
Welles, Gideon, and S. V. Henkels. The Papers of the Late Hon. Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy Under Lincoln and Johnson ...: To Be Sold Friday Afternoon, January 4th, 1924 at 2:30 O'clock. Philadelphia: Stan V. Henkels, 1924. https://archive.org/details/papersoflatehong00stan/page/44/mode/2up?q=louveste
West, Richard S. Gideon Welles, Lincoln's Navy Department. Indianapolis: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, 1943. 155.
Williams, David. Bitterly Divided: The South's Inner Civil War. United Kingdom: New Press, 2010. 187.
Foster, G. Allen. "The Woman Who Saved the Union Navy: Mary Louvestre helped defeat Confederates in crucial sea battle by spying on South," Ebony, Vol. 19, No. 9, (July 1964), page 48-50, 52, 54-55. https://books.google.com/books?id=lIVotnuemDsC&lpg=PA49&dq=mary%20louvestre&pg=PA48#v=onepage&q&f=false
Foster, G. Allen. "The Woman Who Saved the Union Navy: Mary Louvestre helped defeat Confederates in crucial sea battle by spying on South," Ebony, Vol. 33, No. 2, (Dec 1977), page 131-132, 134.https://books.google.com/books?id=7EJj7NQsAmYC&lpg=PA131&dq=mary%20louvestre&pg=PA131#v=onepage&q=mary%20louvestre&f=false
Mary Touvestre/Louvestre (2014) - National Civil War Naval Museum https://youtu.be/35HPHT4lm8w
Cast in History TCC [Tidewater Community College] (2020) https://youtu.be/n_430PmhzKY
Davis, L., 2012. A Slave And A Spy | Commentary | Civil War Monitor. [online] Civilwarmonitor.com. https://www.civilwarmonitor.com/blogs/a-slave-and-a-spy
"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
Mary Louvestre – Wikipeadia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Louvestre