The Arlington Historical Society and the Black Heritage Museum of Arlington invite you to the unveiling of “Stumbling Stones.” These bronze markers commemorate the lives of the enslaved people who helped build our county and our country and are placed in the sidewalk at the last known site of their enslavement. Memorializing the Enslaved in Arlington’s research has revealed over 2000 enslaved people and identified 1050 by name.
Please join us for the Dedication Ceremony honoring seven once enslaved individuals:
- Charles Coffee: Born before 1815
- Lucy Sr: Born before 1815
- Susan: Born ca. 1830
- Betsey: Born ca. 1832
- Eliza: Born ca. 1847
- Lucy Jones: Born ca. 1847
- Henson Jones: Born ca. 1859
We will be honoring them at 2:00 p.m., Sunday, November 14, 2026 at the Southeast corner of Columbia Pike & S. Walter Reed Dr. (Pike Park)
Their Story
For two generations, the Coseen family relied on enslaved labor to cultivate their land and maintain their home, building intergenerational wealth and enjoying the comforts that this forced labor provided.
In 1822, John and Ann Coseen purchased 109 acres of land along the south side of what is now Columbia Pike, between Glebe Road and Courthouse Street in Arlington. The Coseens relied on enslaved people to cultivate the land. We know the names of several of these individuals from John’s will: Charles Coffee, Lucy, and Lucy’s young daughters, Susan and Betsey (later known as Elizabeth). John died in 1837, leaving the farm and the people he enslaved to Ann. Upon Ann’s death, the property and enslaved people were to pass to their daughters, Mary Jane and Ann.
Betsey and Susan grew up along the Pike while enslaved by Ann Coseen. In 1854, Mary Jane married William B. Lacy, and the couple took over the farm. Soon afterward, one of the enslaved sisters—although the records do not make clear which one—gave birth to a daughter, Lucy Jones. In 1859, Betsey gave birth to a son, Hanson Jones. Susan, who was then enslaved by Ann Coseen Jr., also had a daughter, Eliza. Susan may have died around this time, as she disappears from the historical record.
The Civil War brought upheaval to Arlington as Union troops occupied the area, seizing crops and destroying property. For safety, Lacy moved his family, Betsey (Elizabeth) and her children, and Eliza to the District of Columbia. In 1862, the District abolished slavery, forcing the Lacy family to emancipate Betsey, Lucy, Hanson, and Eliza.
What became of Elizabeth, Hanson, and Lucy Jones after emancipation is unknown at this point. Eliza remained in Washington, DC working as a servant.
Please join us as we celebrate and honor. Charles Coffee, Lucy Sr, Susan, Eliza, Betsey, Lucy Jones, and Hanson Jones: Brief remarks will be offered.
Memorializing the Enslaved in Arlington seeks to shed light upon these early Americans who contributed so much to the economic, social, and cultural development of our county.
For more information, please contact Jessica Kaplan from the Arlington Historical Society at ahsedlink@gmail.com.
