The following article first appeared in the Pike County Republican, an Ohio
newspaper, March 13, 1873.
The author, Madison Hemings, claimed to be
the son of President Thomas Jefferson and his slave, Sally Hemings.
For more than a century, his claims were
ignored.
(I have changed paragraphing in places in the interest of readability.)
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| The author of this blog poses at Monticello, on the way to bicycling across the United States. |
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I never knew of
but one white man who bore the name of Hemings; he was an Englishman and my
great grandfather. He was captain of an English trading vessel which sailed
between England and Williamsburg, Va., then quite a port.
My [great] grandmother
was a fullblooded African, and possibly a native of that country. She was the
property of John Wales, a Welchman. Capt. Hemings happened to be in the port of
Williamsburg at the time my grandmother was born, and acknowledging her
fatherhood he tried to purchase her of Mr. Wales, who would not part with the
child, though he was offered an extraordinarily large price for her. She was
named Elizabeth Hemings.[1]
Being thwarted
in the purchase, and determining to own his flesh and blood he resolved to take
the child by force or stealth, but the knowledge of his intention coming to
John Wales’ ears, through leaky fellow servants of the mother, she and the
child were taken into the “great house” under their master’s immediate care. I
have been informed that it was not the extra value of that child over other
slave children that induced Mr. Wales to refuse to sell it, for slave masters
then, as in later days, had no compunctions of conscience [no moral objections]
which restrained them from parting mother and child of however tender age, but
he was restrained by the fact that just about that time amalgamation [race
mixing; combination of races] began, and the child was so great a curiosity
that its owner desired to raise it himself that he might see its outcome. Capt.
Hemings soon afterwards sailed from Williamsburg, never to return. Such is the
story that comes down to me.
Elizabeth
Hemings grew to womanhood in the family of John Wales, whose wife dying she
(Elizabeth) was taken by the widower Wales as his concubine, by, whom she had
six children—three sons and three daughters, viz: Robert, James, Peter, Critty,
Sally and Thena. These children went by the name of Hemings.[2]
Williamsburg was
the capital of Virginia, and of course it was an aristocratic place, where the “bloods”
[bluebloods] of the Colony and the new State most did congregate. Thomas
Jefferson, the author of the Declaration of Independence, was educated at
William and Mary College, which had its seat at Williamsburg. He afterwards
studied law with Geo. Wythe, and practiced law at the bar of the general court
of the Colony. He was afterwards elected a member of the provincial legislature
from Albemarle county. Thos. Jefferson was a visitor at the “great house” of
John Wales, who had children about his own age. He formed the acquaintance of
his daughter Martha (I believe that was her name, though I am not positively
sure,) and intimacy sprang up between them which ripened into love, and they
were married. They afterwards went to live at his country seat Monticello, and
in course of time had born to them a daughter whom they named Martha.
About the time
she was born my mother, the second daughter of John Wales and Elizabeth Hemings
was born. On the death of John Wales, my grandmother, his concubine, and her
children by him fell to Martha, Thomas Jefferson’s wife, and consequently
became the property of Thomas Jefferson, who in the course of time became
famous, and was appointed minister to France during our revolutionary troubles,
or soon after independence was gained.
About the time
of the appointment and before he was ready to leave the country his wife died,
and as soon after her interment as he could attend to and arrange his domestic
affairs in accordance with the changed circumstances of his family in
consequence of this misfortune (I think not more than three weeks thereafter)
he left for France, taking his eldest daughter with him. He had sons born to
him, but they died in early infancy, so he then had but two children—Martha and
Maria. The latter was left home, but afterwards was ordered to follow him to
France. She was three years or so younger than Martha. My mother accompanied
her as a body servant. When Mr. Jefferson went to France Martha was a young
woman grown, my mother was about her age and Maria was just budding into
womanhood. Their stay (my mother’s and Maria’s) was about eighteen months. But
during that time my mother became Mr. Jefferson’s concubine, and when he was
called back home she was enciente [pregnant] by him.
He desired to
bring my mother back to Virginia with him but she demurred. She was just
beginning to understand the French language well, and in France she was free,
while if she returned to Virginia she would be re-enslaved. So she refused to
return with him. To induce her to do so he promised her extraordinary
privileges, and made a solemn pledge that her children should be freed at the
age of twenty-one years. In consequence of his promise, on which she implicitly
relied, she returned with him to Virginia. Soon after their arrival, she gave
birth to a child, of whom Thomas Jefferson was the father. It lived but a short
time. She gave birth to four others, and Jefferson was the father of all of
them. Their names were Beverly, Harriet, Madison (myself), and Eston—three sons
and one daughter. We all became free agreeably to the treaty entered into by
our parents before we were born. We all married and have raised families.[3]
Beverly left
Monticello and went to Washington as a white man. He married a white woman in
Maryland, and their only child, a daughter, was not known by the white folks to
have any colored blood coursing in her veins. Beverly's wife’s family were
people in good circumstances.[4]
Harriet married
a white man in good standing in Washington City, whose name I could give, but
will not, for prudential reasons. She raised a family of children, and so far
as I know they were never suspected of being tainted with African blood in the
community where she lived or lives. I have not heard from her for ten years,
and do not know whether she is dead or alive. She thought it to her interest,
on going to Washington, to assume the role of a white woman, and by her dress
and conduct as such I am not aware that her identity as Harriet Hemings of
Monticello has ever been discovered.
Eston married a
colored woman in Virginia, and moved from there to Ohio, and lived in
Chillicothe several years. In the fall of 1852 he removed to Wisconsin, where
he died a year or two afterwards. He left three children.
As to myself, I
was named Madison by the wife of James Madison, who was afterwards President of
the United States. Mrs. Madison happened to be at Monticello at the time of my
birth, and begged the privilege of naming me, promising my mother a fine
present for the honor. She consented, and Mrs. Madison dubbed me by the name I
now acknowledge, but like many promises of white folks to the slaves she never
gave my mother anything. I was born at my father's seat of Monticello, in
Albemarle county, Va., near Charlottesville, on the 18th day of January, 1805.
My very earliest recollections are of my grandmother Elizabeth Hemings. That
was when I was about three years old. She was sick and upon her death bed. I
was eating a piece of bread and asked if she would have some. She replied: “No,
granny don’t want bread any more.” She shortly afterwards breathed her last. I
have only a faint recollection of her.
Of my father,
Thomas Jefferson, I knew more of his domestic than his public life during his
life time. It is only since his death that I have learned much of the latter,
except that he was considered as a foremost man in the land, and held many
important trusts, including that of President. I learned to read by inducing
the white children to teach me the letters and something more; what else I know
of books I have picked up here and there till now I can read and write. I was
almost 21 1/2 years of age when my father died on the 4th of July, 1826.[5]
About his own
home he was the quietest of men. He was hardly ever known to get angry, though
sometimes he was irritated when matters went wrong, but even then he hardly
ever allowed himself to be made unhappy any great length of time. Unlike
Washington he had but little taste or care for agricultural pursuits. He left
matters pertaining to his plantations mostly with his stewards and overseers.
He always had mechanics at work for him, such as carpenters, blacksmiths,
shoemakers, coopers, &c. It was his mechanics he seemed mostly to direct,
and in their operations he took great interest. Almost every day of his later
years he might have been seen among them. He occupied much of the time in his
office engaged in correspondence and reading and writing.
His general
temperament was smooth and even; he was very undemonstrative. He was uniformly
kind to all about him. He was not in the habit of showing partiality or
fatherly affection to us children. We were the only children of his by a slave
woman. He was affectionate toward his white grandchildren, of whom he had fourteen,
twelve of whom lived to manhood and womanhood. His daughter Martha married
Thomas Mann Randolph by whom she had thirteen children. Two died in infancy.
The names of the living were Ann, Thomas Jefferson, Ellen, Cornelia, Virginia,
Mary, James, Benj. Franklin, Lewis Madison, Septemia and Geo. Wythe. Thos.
Jefferson Randolph was Chairman of the Democratic National Convention in
Baltimore last spring which nominated Horace Greeley for the Presidency, and
Geo. Wythe Randolph was Jeff. Davis’ first Secretary of War [during the
American Civil War] in the late “unpleasantness.”
Maria married
John Epps, and raised one son—Francis.
My father
generally enjoyed excellent health. I never knew him to have but one spell of
sickness, and that was caused by a visit to the Warm Springs in 1818. Till
within three weeks of his death he was hale and hearty, and at the age of 83
years walked erect and with a stately tread. I am now 68, and I well remember
that he was a much smarter man physically, even at that age, than I am.
When I was
fourteen years old I was put to the carpenter trade under the charge of John
Hemings, the youngest son of my grandmother. His father’s name was Nelson, who
was an Englishman. She had seven children by white men and seven by colored men—fourteen
in all.
My brothers,
sister Harriet and myself, were used alike. They were put to some mechanical
trade at the age of fourteen. Till then we were permitted to stay about the “great
house,” and required to do such light work as going on errands. Harriet learned
to spin and to weave in a little factory on the home plantation. We were free
from the dread of having to be slaves all our lives long, and were measurably
happy. We were always permitted to be with our mother, who was well used. It
was her duty, all her life which I can remember, up to the time of father’s
death, to take care of his chamber and wardrobe, look after us children and do
such light work as sewing, and Provision was made in the will of our father
that we should be free when we arrived at the age of 21 years.
We had all
passed that period when he died but Eston, and he was given the remainder of
his time shortly after. He and I rented a house and took mother to live with
us, till her death, which event occurred in 1835.
In 1831 I
married Mary McCoy. Her grandmother was a slave, and lived with her master,
Stephen Hughes, near Charlottesville, as his wife. She was manumitted [set free
legally] by him, which made their children free born. Mary McCoy’s mother was
his daughter. I was about 23 and she 23 years of age when we married. We lived
and labored together in Virginia till 1836, when we voluntarily left and came
to Ohio. We settled in Pebble township, Pike County. We lived there four or
five years and during my stay in the county I worked at my trade on and off for
about four years. Joseph Sewell was my first employer. I built for him what is
now known as Bizzleport No. 2 in Waverly. I afterwards worked for George Wolf
Senior. and I did the carpenter work for the brick building now owned by John
J. Kellison in which the Pike County Republican is printed. I worked for and
with Micajah Hinson. I found him to be a very clever man. I also reconstructed
the building on the corner of Market and Water Streets from a store to a hotel
for the late Judge Jacob Row. [6]
When we came
from Virginia we brought one daughter (Sarah) with us, leaving the dust of a
son in the soil near Monticello. We have born to us in this State nine
children. Two are dead. The names of the living, besides Sarah, are Harriet,
Mary Ann, Catharine, Jane, William Beverly, James Madison, Ellen Wales. Thomas
Eston died in the Andersonville prison pen, and Julia died at home. William,
James and Ellen are unmarried and live at home in Huntington township, Ross
County. All the others are married and raising families.[7]
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| A slave owner could afford fancy silverware (Picture taken at Andrew Jackson's home; the Hermitage). |
[1] In the
original article, Madison Hemings says his grandmother was a fullblooded
African in one sentence; he clearly means here, his “great-grandmother.” His
actual grandmother was half white.
[2] This would
mean Sally Hemings was three-fourths white. As late as 1983 the State of
Louisiana listed anyone with one-sixteenth African-American blood as “colored,”
the old term for “black” or African-American.
Susie Guillory
Philips, a white woman in her own view (fifteen-sixteenths white) sued the state to force a change.
[3] Madison
and his siblings would then be one-eighth black.
[4] With so
many laws aimed at limiting the rights of African-Americans, it was not
uncommon for mixed-race individuals to “pass” as white. Those of darker complexion
might claim to be Italian or Native-American. Beverly’s children would be
one-sixteenth African American.
[5] In his
will, Jefferson set Sally Hemings’ children free; no other slaves were freed
when he died. By comparison, George Washington made it clear in his will that
his 123 slaves would be freed upon the death of his wife,
Martha, which occurred in 1802. Slaves owned by his wife were not freed and
were passed down to her grandchildren.
[6] Like
most “free states,” Ohio limited the rights of free blacks. The Ohio
Constitution denied blacks the vote. They could not
serve on juries or testify against whites. They could not join the militia. Originally,
Ohio provided no schools for African American children and they were not
allowed to attend white schools. A free black had to show documents proving he
or she was free before settling in the state. In 1807, lawmakers added a requirement that a free black person find
two whites willing to “guarantee a surety of five hundred dollars for the
African Americans’ good behavior.”
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