Shenandoah Valley, Virginia (abt. 1812- October 31, 1883) ~ 71 yrs

Mary Touvestre/ Louveste, born enslaved in Norfolk City, Virginia, about 1812. She purchased her freedom with money earned from her seamstress business. In February 1862, Mary delivered the plans for the CSS Virginia to Union Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles. She gave him the blueprints of the CSS Virginia. She also provided other intelligence about the ship. This ship was being built to destroy the Union Navy. She risked her life to make the treacherous 190-mile journey to Washington. Mary managed to pass the ship plans thanks to the Underground Railroad. She delivered them to Union lines near Fredericksburg. The Union used her crucial information. They leveraged it to build their own ironclad ship, the USS Monitor. This helped protect the Union from the Confederate Navy at sea.