John Hemings
Encyclopedia
John Hemings (1776-1830+) was born into slavery at Thomas Jefferson
's Monticello
as part of the large mixed-race Hemings family. He trained to become a highly skilled carpenter and woodworker, making furniture and doing the fine woodwork of the interiors at Monticello
and Poplar Forest
.
Jefferson's sons by Sally Hemings
: Beverly, Madison
and Eston
, were each apprenticed to John Hemmings at the age of 14 for training as fine carpenters. After decades of service, John Hemmings was freed in 1826 by Jefferson's will, together with two older Hemings' males who had long served Jefferson, and the much younger Madison and Eston.
and Joseph Neilson, an Irish
workman at Monticello. Of three-quarters European ancestry, he was the eleventh of Betty's children, and half-brother to her six children by her late master John Wayles
, as well as to the oldest four by another father.
Hemmings started his working life as an "out-carpenter." He chopped trees, hewed logs, built fences and barns, and helped to build the log slave dwellings on Mulberry Row at the plantation. This relatively unskilled work was just the beginning of his artisan career.
He was made principal assistant to James Dinsmore, the Irish joiner responsible for most of the fine woodwork of Monticello
. Hemmings also crafted much of the interior woodwork of Jefferson's house at Poplar Forest
in Bedford County
, Virginia
. He made all the wooden parts of a large landau carriage Jefferson designed in 1814. He became far more than a carpenter; he was a highly skilled joiner and cabinetmaker.
As the master craftsman of the Monticello Joinery, he trained other young slaves, such as the sons of Thomas Jefferson by his concubine, Sally Hemings. At the age of 14, Beverly, Madison and Eston each became apprentices to Hemmings and learned to be highly skilled carpenters.
John Hemmings was a great favorite with Jefferson's grandchildren, who told of his making toys and furniture for them. After decades in slavery, Hemmings was one of five slaves, all males of the extended Hemings family, whom Jefferson freed in his will. In 1826, he was given his tools from the joinery, as well as the work of his two apprentice assistants, his nephews Madison
and Eston Hemings
, until they came of age and were freed. Already 21, Madison was freed immediately. Eston was "given his time" and freed before he reached age 21.
Hemmings continued to live and work for wages at Monticello after Jefferson's death in 1826, until about 1831. Martha Randolph and other descendants lived there for some time.
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
's Monticello
Monticello
Monticello is a National Historic Landmark just outside Charlottesville, Virginia, United States. It was the estate of Thomas Jefferson, the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence, third President of the United States, and founder of the University of Virginia; it is...
as part of the large mixed-race Hemings family. He trained to become a highly skilled carpenter and woodworker, making furniture and doing the fine woodwork of the interiors at Monticello
Monticello
Monticello is a National Historic Landmark just outside Charlottesville, Virginia, United States. It was the estate of Thomas Jefferson, the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence, third President of the United States, and founder of the University of Virginia; it is...
and Poplar Forest
Poplar Forest
Poplar Forest was Thomas Jefferson's plantation and plantation house in what is now Forest, Virginia, near Lynchburg. He designed it and treated it as a private retreat, working on it from 1806 until his death 20 years later. "It is the most valuable of my possessions," Jefferson once wrote a...
.
Jefferson's sons by Sally Hemings
Sally Hemings
Sarah "Sally" Hemings was a mixed-race slave owned by President Thomas Jefferson through inheritance from his wife. She was the half-sister of Jefferson's wife, Martha Wayles Skelton Jefferson by their father John Wayles...
: Beverly, Madison
Madison Hemings
Madison Hemings, born James Madison Hemings , was born into slavery as the son of the mixed-race slave Sally Hemings; he was freed after the death of his master Thomas Jefferson. Based on historical evidence, most historians believe that Jefferson, United States president, was his father...
and Eston
Eston Hemings
Eston Hemings Jefferson was born a slave at Monticello, the youngest son of Sally Hemings, a mixed-race slave. Most historians believe that his father was Thomas Jefferson, the United States president. Evidence from a 1998 DNA test showed that Eston's descendants matched those of the male...
, were each apprenticed to John Hemmings at the age of 14 for training as fine carpenters. After decades of service, John Hemmings was freed in 1826 by Jefferson's will, together with two older Hemings' males who had long served Jefferson, and the much younger Madison and Eston.
Early life and education
John was born into slavery as the son of the mixed-race slave Betty HemingsBetty Hemings
Elizabeth "Betty" Hemings was an American enslaved woman of mixed race, who in 1761 became the concubine of the planter John Wayles of Virginia. He had become a widower for the third time. He had six children with her over a 12-year period...
and Joseph Neilson, an Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
workman at Monticello. Of three-quarters European ancestry, he was the eleventh of Betty's children, and half-brother to her six children by her late master John Wayles
John Wayles
John Wayles was a planter, slave trader and lawyer in the Virginia Colony. He is historically best known as the father-in-law of Thomas Jefferson, third President of the United States....
, as well as to the oldest four by another father.
Hemmings started his working life as an "out-carpenter." He chopped trees, hewed logs, built fences and barns, and helped to build the log slave dwellings on Mulberry Row at the plantation. This relatively unskilled work was just the beginning of his artisan career.
Marriage and family
Although slave marriages were not recognized by Virginia law, John married Priscilla, another slave at Monticello, and had a lifelong partnership with her. They reared a family. She served as nurse to Jefferson's grandchildren when they were living there.Career
John Hemmings must have demonstrated his woodworking ability early, because at the age of seventeen, he was put to work and trained with a succession of skilled woodworkers hired by Jefferson to enlarge the main house. Hemmings learned to make wheels, to use an elaborate set of planes to create decorative interior moldings, and finally to make fine furniture.He was made principal assistant to James Dinsmore, the Irish joiner responsible for most of the fine woodwork of Monticello
Monticello
Monticello is a National Historic Landmark just outside Charlottesville, Virginia, United States. It was the estate of Thomas Jefferson, the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence, third President of the United States, and founder of the University of Virginia; it is...
. Hemmings also crafted much of the interior woodwork of Jefferson's house at Poplar Forest
Poplar Forest
Poplar Forest was Thomas Jefferson's plantation and plantation house in what is now Forest, Virginia, near Lynchburg. He designed it and treated it as a private retreat, working on it from 1806 until his death 20 years later. "It is the most valuable of my possessions," Jefferson once wrote a...
in Bedford County
Bedford County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 60,371 people, 23,838 households, and 18,164 families residing in the county. The population density was 80 people per square mile . There were 26,841 housing units at an average density of 36 per square mile...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. He made all the wooden parts of a large landau carriage Jefferson designed in 1814. He became far more than a carpenter; he was a highly skilled joiner and cabinetmaker.
As the master craftsman of the Monticello Joinery, he trained other young slaves, such as the sons of Thomas Jefferson by his concubine, Sally Hemings. At the age of 14, Beverly, Madison and Eston each became apprentices to Hemmings and learned to be highly skilled carpenters.
John Hemmings was a great favorite with Jefferson's grandchildren, who told of his making toys and furniture for them. After decades in slavery, Hemmings was one of five slaves, all males of the extended Hemings family, whom Jefferson freed in his will. In 1826, he was given his tools from the joinery, as well as the work of his two apprentice assistants, his nephews Madison
Madison Hemings
Madison Hemings, born James Madison Hemings , was born into slavery as the son of the mixed-race slave Sally Hemings; he was freed after the death of his master Thomas Jefferson. Based on historical evidence, most historians believe that Jefferson, United States president, was his father...
and Eston Hemings
Eston Hemings
Eston Hemings Jefferson was born a slave at Monticello, the youngest son of Sally Hemings, a mixed-race slave. Most historians believe that his father was Thomas Jefferson, the United States president. Evidence from a 1998 DNA test showed that Eston's descendants matched those of the male...
, until they came of age and were freed. Already 21, Madison was freed immediately. Eston was "given his time" and freed before he reached age 21.
Hemmings continued to live and work for wages at Monticello after Jefferson's death in 1826, until about 1831. Martha Randolph and other descendants lived there for some time.
Further reading
- Gordon-Reed, Annette. The Hemingses of Monticello: an American Family, New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2008
- Stanton, Lucia. Free Some Day: The African-American Families of Monticello, Charlottesville: Thomas Jefferson Foundation, 2000