Before She Was a Subject of National Intrigue
The youngest of 6 siblings, and 25 years younger than her half-sister Martha, Hemings and her siblings grew up at Monticello. Trained and put to work as servants, the children were “spared” as they held positions which were considered better than the conditions of others, such as the labourers in the fields.
During her youth she was quite the plain Jane, but years later, it was her destiny to become a figure who was scrutinised, eventually becoming a household name. She would be described as the former President’s “mistress” however she was not even that; she was his property. Her story is not one of glamour and pomp; rather it is the life of a slave whose wellbeing was betwixt with that of her owner.
An Enigmatic Figure
Among the 600 slaves is a key figure in the Jefferson mystery. Enter Sally Hemings. For the most part, she remains a puzzling figure, however historians cannot discount her involvement in Jefferson’s life.
Naturally, her story piqued the interest of historians, and has continued to do so for over a century. Almost 200 years after her death, the discovery made brought some new insights into who she was and the events which took place during her time at Monticello estate.
Who Was Sally Hemings?
Born in 1773 to a planter and slave trader named John Wayles, who was also the father of Martha Jefferson, Sally was the half-sister of Thomas Jefferson’s wife. As a child, Sally, her siblings and mother came into Martha’s possession as part of her inheritance from her father. An enslaved woman of mixed race, she held an important place in Jefferson’s life. Owned by Jefferson, the historical consensus is that Hemings was the mother of his children. Due to legalities, the children she bore were considered slaves.
The historical question of whether Jefferson did father Hemings’ children is the subject of what is known as the Jefferson-Hemings controversy. Much investigation, and historic analysis of DNA found a match between the Jefferson men and a descendant of Hemings’ youngest son, Eston. It has since been alleged that Jefferson was the father of all five of her children. We’re scratching our heads; which version of events is true?
A Trail of Clues
Hemings unfortunately did not know much life outside of being a slave; she was kept until Jefferson’s death in 1826. Whilst she lived her final years freely, the details of her time at Monticello are largely unknown. However, the keen eyes and scouring of documentation by scholars and historians unveiled a series of clues which has thus led to a better understanding of Hemings’ importance and historical significance.
At this stage, we’re wondering what it was about Hemings that caught Jefferson’s eye; was it her lovely face, her physique, her pleasant character? One of the only existing documents which describes her appearance, which was written by the blacksmith Isaac Granger Jefferson gives us partial clues. According to his memoirs, Hemings was “mighty near white…very handsome, long straight hair down her back.” Whilst it seems apparent as to why Hemings took Jefferson’s fancy from this description, there are a few crucial elements still missing in the Hemings-Jefferson puzzle.
Painting a Picture
Being a slave, it was highly inappropriate for portraits to be taken, however historians have constructed an image of her based on the descriptions documented. According to Jefferson’s grandson, Thomas Jefferson Randolph, she was “light coloured and decidedly good looking.” As far as her role in the plantation, historians have noted her duties included working as a seamstress as well as a chambermaid.
Perhaps surprisingly, the diligent and meticulous Jefferson, whilst keeping detailed ledgers of finances and births in his records of Monticello, left not a shred of documentation on Hemings. Whilst her face would be forever etched into Jefferson’s memory, and may show in the faces of her children, it will forever be a mystery as to what Sally actually looked like.