Hemings family
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The Hemings family lived in Virginia in the 1700s and 1800s. The family consisted of Elizabeth "Betty" Hemings and her children and other descendants. They were slaves with at least one ancestor who had lived in Africa and been brought over the Atlantic Ocean in the Trans-Atlantic slave trade. Some of them became free later in their lives. For part of their history, they were owned by the Eppes family, to the Wayles family, and to Thomas Jefferson.[1] The Hemingses were the largest family to live at Jefferson's house, Monticello.[2][3][4]
When he was interviewed, Madison Hemings told a historian that his grandmother Elizabeth's mother had been a fully African woman but he did not know whether she was born in Africa. She was owned by the Eppes family. Historians do not know for sure what her name was. Papers with the names of female slaves in the Eppes family list "Dinah," "Judy," "Abbie," "Sarah," "Parthenia," and others. Historian Annette Gordon-Reed said that there were many girls named "Thenia" in the Hemings family, and they might have been named after Parthenia, also spelled Parthena. But she also says that "Sally" is a nickname for "Sarah," and there were many girls named "Sarah" and "Sally" in the Hemings family too.[2]
According to Madison Hemings, Elizabeth Hemings' mother was an African woman and her father was an English sea captain named Hemings. The sea captain tried to buy Elizabeth Hemings from her owner when she was born. Even though he offered the owner a large sum, the owner refused to sell Elizabeth. He said he wanted to see what a half-white, half-African child would look like. Captain Hemings later tried to break into the Eppes' house and take his daughter away "by force or stealth," but someone told the owner about his plan. Captain Hemings left Virginia and disappeared from Hemings family lore.[2][3]
The man with whom Captain Hemings negotiated for his daughter was a male member of the Eppes family, but historians do not know which one because they do not know when Elizabeth Hemings was born. Records kept by Thomas Jefferson indicate a date of "about 1735." It could have been either of two men, depending on which was still living at the time.[3]
Elizabeth Hemings lived at the Eppes family's house, which was called Bermuda Hundred, until 1746. That year, Martha Eppes married John Wayles. Elizabeth and other enslaved people went with Martha to Wayles's house as part of her marriage settlement. Technically, the Eppes family owned Elizabeth Hemings even when she worked for the Wayles.[2]
Elizabeth Hemings lived as a house servant. Historians think that Elizabeth Hemings' job with the Wayles family was to help raise Martha Wayles, who would later marry Thomas Jefferson. After John Wayles' wife died, he made Elizabeth Hemings his concubine, meaning that they had a sexual relationship but he did not marry her or free her or her children.[3]
When Martha Wayles, at the time called Martha Skelton, married Thomas Jefferson, Hemings and many people in her family went with her to Jefferson's house at Monticello. Historians think Elizabeth Hemings took care of Martha Jefferson when she became sick and that she was present at her death.[2][5]