Slave George
Encyclopedia
George Lewis (b. 1794 - d. 15 December 1811) was an African American
held as a slave; he was murdered in western Kentucky on the night of December 15-16, 1811 by Lilburn and Isham Lewis, grown sons of Dr. Charles Lilburn Lewis
and Lucy Jefferson Lewis, and nephews of Thomas Jefferson
.
Because of the violence of the case and the associated decline of the prominent Lewis family, accounts of it became part of local lore. Soon after being released on bail, Lilburn Lewis committed suicide. Jailed after his brother's death, Isham escaped and disappeared from the local area.
George was a 17-year-old slave held by Lilburne Lewis. Some accounts said that George had recently returned from a two-week "skulking session" (an absence from the farm). Isham had come to Lilburne on an extended visit, and the brothers often used to drink together. That night they had been drinking and argued with George over his accidentally breaking a pitcher that belonged to their mother; angered, they killed him in front of seven other slaves, claiming they were "to set an example for any other uppity slaves."
Still mourning and angry,
The dismemberment of George's decapitated corpse was interrupted by the most powerful U.S. earthquake ever recorded, the Great New Madrid Earthquake
, which struck at 3:15 a.m. Eastern time (2:15 a.m. in the Central Standard Time observed in the western Kentucky
locale of the murder). Lilburne intended to destroy the evidence by having the slaves burn George's dismembered body, but the New Madrid earthquake caused the chimney to collapse around the fire. (They were likely in the kitchen cabin.) In the days afterward, the brothers made other slaves rebuild the chimney and hide the remains within it. Two additional megaquakes jolted the region on January 23, 1812 and February 7, 1812. The second caused a partial collapse of the chimney that had concealed George's remains.
In early March 1812, a neighborhood dog retrieved the young man's skull and deposited it in open view in a roadway. Neighbors saw the skull and began to inquire about it. They determined it was that of slave George, who was missing, and learned that he had been murdered. In slaveholding areas of the United States, the torturous murder
of a slave was illegal.
Lilburne and Isham Lewis were quickly investigated, arrested and charged. After they were released on bail, on April 9, 1812, Lilburne encouraged his brother to carry out a joint suicide pact
with him, but in the event, only Lilburne died. Held on investigation as accessory to the suicide, Isham escaped from jail and disappeared.On Pages xxvi & xxvii of his Preface to the 1987 edition of Jefferson's Nephews, Merrill states that Isham "escaped from jail in Salem, Kentucky and six weeks later enlisted for five years in a U.S. Army Infantry company. The day after Isham enlisted, war was declared against England." and "Isham was one of seven men killed on the American side" at the Battle of New Orleans. Their father Charles was bereft, having lost his son Randolph and wife Lucy within the past two years, and suddenly confronted with caring for Lilburne's orphaned children as well as Randolph's. Letitia returned to her own family after the murder.
Many books and articles since 1812 have examined the case of slave George and Jefferson's nephews. The historian Boynton Merrill, Jr. considered the case as arising out of the power abuses inherent in the institution of slavery, frontier stresses, mounting personal and financial losses in the Lewis family, mental instability of Lilburne, and abuse of alcohol by both brothers. The poet and novelist Robert Penn Warren
explored the scandal in his book-length poem Brother to Dragons, A Tale in Verse and Voices (1953, revised 1979).
The brothers were related to Meriwether Lewis
of Lewis and Clark fame.
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
held as a slave; he was murdered in western Kentucky on the night of December 15-16, 1811 by Lilburn and Isham Lewis, grown sons of Dr. Charles Lilburn Lewis
Charles Lilburn Lewis
Charles Lilburn Lewis , sometimes referred to as Charles Lilburn Lewis of Monteagle, was one of the founders of Milton, Virginia, as well as one of the signers of Albemarle County, Virginia's Declaration of Independence in 1779....
and Lucy Jefferson Lewis, and nephews of Thomas Jefferson
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...
.
Because of the violence of the case and the associated decline of the prominent Lewis family, accounts of it became part of local lore. Soon after being released on bail, Lilburn Lewis committed suicide. Jailed after his brother's death, Isham escaped and disappeared from the local area.
Early life and education
George was born into slavery in 1794 in Virginia and held by the Lewis family. He grew up as a house slave and learned what was needed in the kitchen and other areas. When Randolph and Lilburne decided to move to Kentucky in 1806 with their families, they took their slaves with them, including George.Background
In early 1812, Lilburne and Isham Lewis were still in mourning for their mother and older brother Randolph, who had died the year before. Lilburne had also lost his first wife in 1811. He had remarried a local woman named Letitia. She was pregnant with their first child by early 1812, and Lilburne was struggling during financial reversals to support his first five children.George was a 17-year-old slave held by Lilburne Lewis. Some accounts said that George had recently returned from a two-week "skulking session" (an absence from the farm). Isham had come to Lilburne on an extended visit, and the brothers often used to drink together. That night they had been drinking and argued with George over his accidentally breaking a pitcher that belonged to their mother; angered, they killed him in front of seven other slaves, claiming they were "to set an example for any other uppity slaves."
Still mourning and angry,
- "... Lilburn turned on a seventeen year old slave named George and, with the help of his ne'er do well younger brother Isham, tied him on the floor and attacked him with an ax while his horrified slaves were forced to watch... "
New Madrid earthquake
The 1811-1812 New Madrid earthquakes were an intense intraplate earthquake series beginning with an initial pair of very large earthquakes on December 16, 1811. These earthquakes remain the most powerful earthquakes ever to hit the eastern United States in recorded history...
, which struck at 3:15 a.m. Eastern time (2:15 a.m. in the Central Standard Time observed in the western Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
locale of the murder). Lilburne intended to destroy the evidence by having the slaves burn George's dismembered body, but the New Madrid earthquake caused the chimney to collapse around the fire. (They were likely in the kitchen cabin.) In the days afterward, the brothers made other slaves rebuild the chimney and hide the remains within it. Two additional megaquakes jolted the region on January 23, 1812 and February 7, 1812. The second caused a partial collapse of the chimney that had concealed George's remains.
In early March 1812, a neighborhood dog retrieved the young man's skull and deposited it in open view in a roadway. Neighbors saw the skull and began to inquire about it. They determined it was that of slave George, who was missing, and learned that he had been murdered. In slaveholding areas of the United States, the torturous murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
of a slave was illegal.
Lilburne and Isham Lewis were quickly investigated, arrested and charged. After they were released on bail, on April 9, 1812, Lilburne encouraged his brother to carry out a joint suicide pact
Suicide pact
A suicide pact is an agreed plan between two or more individuals to commit suicide. The plan may be to die together, or separately and closely timed. Suicide pacts are important concepts in the study of suicide, and have occurred throughout history, as well as in fiction.Suicide pacts are generally...
with him, but in the event, only Lilburne died. Held on investigation as accessory to the suicide, Isham escaped from jail and disappeared.On Pages xxvi & xxvii of his Preface to the 1987 edition of Jefferson's Nephews, Merrill states that Isham "escaped from jail in Salem, Kentucky and six weeks later enlisted for five years in a U.S. Army Infantry company. The day after Isham enlisted, war was declared against England." and "Isham was one of seven men killed on the American side" at the Battle of New Orleans. Their father Charles was bereft, having lost his son Randolph and wife Lucy within the past two years, and suddenly confronted with caring for Lilburne's orphaned children as well as Randolph's. Letitia returned to her own family after the murder.
Many books and articles since 1812 have examined the case of slave George and Jefferson's nephews. The historian Boynton Merrill, Jr. considered the case as arising out of the power abuses inherent in the institution of slavery, frontier stresses, mounting personal and financial losses in the Lewis family, mental instability of Lilburne, and abuse of alcohol by both brothers. The poet and novelist Robert Penn Warren
Robert Penn Warren
Robert Penn Warren was an American poet, novelist, and literary critic and was one of the founders of New Criticism. He was also a charter member of the Fellowship of Southern Writers. He founded the influential literary journal The Southern Review with Cleanth Brooks in 1935...
explored the scandal in his book-length poem Brother to Dragons, A Tale in Verse and Voices (1953, revised 1979).
The brothers were related to Meriwether Lewis
Meriwether Lewis
Meriwether Lewis was an American explorer, soldier, and public administrator, best known for his role as the leader of the Lewis and Clark Expedition also known as the Corps of Discovery, with William Clark...
of Lewis and Clark fame.