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Witness for the Prosecution: Madison Hemings
Greg Jakes
[1] Sure, Thomas Jefferson may have had an affair with his slave Sally Hemings, but where's the proof? Unceremoniously, perhaps the most influential piece of evidence is published in Ohio's Pike County Republican, a relatively obscure newspaper, on March 13, 1873. In that issue, newspaper journalist S.F. Wetmore dramatically uncovers the controversy with his interview with local resident Madison Hemings. Madison proclaims that he is the son of Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings. This proclamation isn't a false or exaggerated statement headlined in a newspaper just to generate a buzz for attention either. Madison's memoir, as reported in the paper, contains concrete facts about his family's ancestry. It shows that he knew about his origins. He reports that his grandmother, Elizabeth Hemings, had children with an Englishman named John Wales. Madison goes on to say that Jefferson was a visitor to John Wales' "great house" and that during his visit an intimacy arose between Jefferson and Wales' daughter Martha and they soon married. After John Wales passed away, Elizabeth and her children -- including Sally Hemings -- were given to John's daughter and subsequently came under the ownership of Jefferson. Years later, well after the death of Martha, Jefferson, then minister to France, summoned his daughter Maria to live with him in Paris. The young Sally, just ripening into womanhood, accompanied Maria in the long trek across the Atlantic.
[2] It's in France that the Jefferson-Hemings controversy begins. Remarkably, Madison asserts that Sally became Jefferson's "concubine" there. Not only did their romance begin there in France, but Sally was "enceinte" by him, meaning she became pregnant. Unfortunately, that child did not live past infancy back in Virginia, but four others--Beverly, Harriet, Madison, and Eston--did. These four children were conceived in America, but Madison mentions an intriguing fact before revealing that: Sally was free in France. She was adjusting well to the French language and way of life. So, how did Jefferson convince her to come back to America, where she would once again be a slave, essentially a piece of property? Madison says that Jefferson makes a pact with Sally. He promises to free all her children when they reach the age of twenty-one. Surprisingly, that agreement persuades her to leave France and come back to the fledgling United States after her eighteen-month stay in Europe. The decision seems to have been the right one for her children, though, as Madison then describes the successful lives of his siblings, most living comfortably in environments in which people didn't even know they are the offspring of a slave woman and a former President. Madison's testimony that this is the story told by his mother is the pivotal piece of evidence for those who believe that Jefferson and Sally had a thirty-eight-year-long relationship.
[3] According to Madison, the lives of him and his siblings at Monticello were rather easy compared to the normal slave's life. He and his siblings were allowed to "stay about the ‘great house'" and only had to do "such light work as going on errands." His sister Harriet had the opportunity to learn how to sew and weave. Madison even says that they "were free from the dread of having to be slaves all our lives long, and were measurably happy." Along with Jefferson's pact to free them at the age of twenty-one, he also permitted them to stay with their mother, who also only worked light tasks around the house. This all casts Jefferson in a virtuous light. He clearly cares about his children, even if they're illegitimate, especially since he's singling them out for easier work and eventual emancipation. However, this is not entirely the case. Madison is quick to point out that Jefferson, although "uniformly kind to all about him," did not show affection towards his slave children. And as they grew older, Jefferson only cared to show love towards his white grandchildren, of which he had fourteen, but not to any of his descendants born from Sally. Surprisingly, however, Madison doesn't state this with a negative tone. Actually, Madison portrays Jefferson rather well. There seems to be no slant in his descriptions and no sense of desire for revenge. Even when Madison admits that he was not taught to read or write--which was illegal for slaves in Virginia--he explains that he induced the white kids to teach him, and has no regret about it.
[4] Embedded in Madison's positive tone are the insightful snippets of Jefferson's personal life that are scattered throughout the memoir. Madison admits that he only knew of his father's personal life while living with him and only found out about his public accomplishments, such as his presidency, later in life when he read about them in books. Appropriately, his descriptions match the expected characteristics of a founding father. He was "the quietest of men," "hardly ever known to get angry," and "very undemonstrative." He was a hard worker, always reading and writing correspondence, and had a "smooth and even" temperament. Overall, Madison gives a description that satisfies how the public feels about the man who wrote their Declaration of Independence. He even touches on his father's affinity towards the mechanical practices, noting that in his later years he worked alongside the carpenters and blacksmiths. A visit to Monticello today, where many of his gadgets and inventions still exist, confirms those qualities of Jefferson to be genuine. Everything in the article rings true.
[5] Of course, since the facts work out so well, one could argue that the editor added his own twists to the story to make it seem more legitimate. Other evidence in the memoir refutes this, however, and reinforces the position that these are indeed Madison's words. The number of short recollections Madison brings up pertaining to his family is fascinating. They give the whole article an authentic, nostalgic feel. For example, he relates the story of why he was named "Madison" at birth. He recollects that James Madison's wife was present at his birth and offered his mother a fine present for the privilege of naming him. Subsequently, his first name became "Madison," and, unfortunately, as was all too common with slaves, Sally never received a gift. Another memory was that of his grandmother Elizabeth on her death bed. He faintly recalls eating a piece of bread and asking her if she would have some. His grandmother replied, "Granny don't want bread anymore." She passed away shortly afterward. Family memories such as these reinforce the authenticity of his memoir. It doesn't appear to be faked in any way.
[6] Thus, Madison Hemings's autobiographical account, published in a rural newspaper and not well known for many years, remains one of the most important documents pertaining to the Jefferson-Hemings controversy. It plainly describes the results of their relationship from a firsthand account, for, in a sense, Sally "speaks" through Madison. Once this article began getting more mainstream attention, there was barely any doubt left that Thomas Jefferson did have an affair with Sally Hemings. Madison Hemings opened the situation up to the world, and, amazingly, over a hundred years later, people are still discussing it.
