Existing comment:
Sally Hemings's Children
In the Hemings family, the story of descent from Jefferson has been passed from generation to generation. Because of their mixed-race heritage, Hemings descendants have had to deal constantly with the issues of ambiguous racial identity.
All four of Sally Hemings's known surviving children became free. Beverly Hemings (born 1798) and her sister Harriet (born 1801) were allowed to leave Monticello in 1822 and passed into white society. Their descendants have not been located.
Younger brothers Madison (1805-77) and Eston Hemings (1808-56) remained at Monticello until Jefferson's death; both were freed in his will. Both married free women of color and moved west. Madison Hemings remained in the black community, while his brother Eston chose to cross the color line and live as white. |