James Madison Hemmings (1805 - 1877)

Born 18 Jan 1805 in Monticello Plantation, Albermarle, Virginia, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Mary Hughes (McCoy) Hemmings — married 21 Nov 1831 in Albemarle, Virginia, United States

Descendants

Died 28 Nov 1877 at age 72 in Ross, Ohio, United States

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Biography

Madison Hemmings is a part of US Black heritage.

James Madison Hemings "Madison" was born 19 January 1805.^[1] He was the son of Thomas Jefferson and Sarah "Sally" Hemings. He was given his freedom in Jefferson's Will. He was named by the wife of James Madison who was at Monticello at the time of his birth. He married Mary Hughes (McCoy) Hemmings (abt.1809-1876) a free woman of colour/mixed race, and after his mother's death, they settled in southern Ohio abt 1836. He was a carpenter and joiner by trade and he had a small farm of 66 acres in Ross County where he and Mary raised their children.

Marriage License: Madison Hemmings and Mary Hughes, 21 Nov 1831 Albemarle, Virginia.^[2]

Residences:

1850 Pebble, Pike County, Ohio, Mulatto, age 44, Farmer.^[3]

1860 Huntington Township, Ross County, Ohio, Mulatto, age 54, Farmer^[4]

1870 Huntington, Ross County, Ohio, Mulatto, age 65, Farmer, $1500 Real Estate, $300 Personal Property, notation: "This man is the son of Thos Jefferson."^[5]

1873 Post Office address: Pee Pee, Pike County, Ohio.^[1]

The Memoirs of Madison Hemings:^[1]

Madison Hemings, born 19 January 1805, was the son of Sally Hemings and Thomas Jefferson. He was freed by Thomas Jefferson's Will in 1826 (although he'd actually been freed upon "arriving at the age of 21 years"). After Thomas Jefferson's death, Madison and his brother Eston rented a house and his mother, Sally Hemings, lived with them until she passed in 1835.

In 1834, Madison married Mary McCoy, granddaughter of a slave and concubine to master Stephen Hughes of Charlottesville area. Mary's grandmother was manumitted by Stephen Hughes making both Mary and her mother free woman.

Madison's family lived in Virginia until 1836 when they voluntarily moved to Pebble Township, Pike County, Ohio where he worked as a carpenter and joiner, and was a farmer. His first employer was Joseph Sewell for whom he built "Rizzleport No. 2 in Waverly. He subsequently worked for George Wolf Senior as carpenter building the brick building subsequently owned by John J Kellison in which the Pike County Republican was printed.

When they moved to Virginia they had one daughter, Sarah, and a son who was buried at Monticello. An additional nine children were born in Ohio - Harriet, Mary Ann, Catharine, Jane, William Beverly, James Madison, and Ellen Wales (all living as of March 1873). Thomas Eston died in the Andersonville prison pen, and Julia died at home.

Madison Hemings died of consumption on 28 November 1877, age 72 years.^[6] His death notice in the Probate Court records of Ross County, Ohio, II, 15, lists him as "colored male," born in Virginia, widowed, occupation of farmer. His personal goods sold at public auction for $221.59, real estate was sold for $685, and debts were $963.93. Property records of Chillicothe, Ohio, show seven transactions involving Madison and two involving Eston Hemings. Madison bought 25 acres for $150 on 25 July 1856 and sold them for $250 on 30 December 1859. He bought 66 acres for $660 on 25 September 1865 and these were sold after his death for $682.^[7]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Brodie, F. M. K. (1974) "Thomas Jefferson an intimate history", Norton: Appendix I, Part 1, Reminiscences of Madison Heming, (pp.471-476); citing "Life Among the Lowly, No. 1," Pike County (Ohio) Republican, March 13, 1873.
2. ↑ "Virginia, County Marriage Records, 1771-1989," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:68PX-FBWW : 16 October 2021), Miss Mary Hughes in entry for Madison Hemmings, 21 Nov 1831; citing Marriage, Albemarle, Virginia, United States, Circuit court clerk offices, Virginia.
3. ↑ "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MXQB-V1Q : 21 December 2020), Madison Hernmine, Bethel, Pike, Ohio, United States; citing family , NARA microfilm publication (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
4. ↑ "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MCLQ-NKL : 18 February 2021), Madison Hemings, 1860.
5. ↑ "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M6VY-1DL : 28 May 2021), Madison Hemings, 1870.
6. ↑ "Ohio, County Death Records, 1840-2001," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVNS-6ML4 : 1 March 2021), Madison Hemmings, 28 Nov 1877; citing Death, Huntington Township, Ross, Ohio, United States, source ID p 15, County courthouses, Ohio; FHL microfilm 281,659.
7. ↑ Brodie, F. M. K. (1974) "Thomas Jefferson an intimate history", Norton: Appendix I, Part 1 (p.476).

• His memoir, as told to S.F. Wetmore, was originally published in Ohio's Pike County Repubican in 1873 at PBS (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/jefferson/cron/1873march.html) Also here: https://www.monticello.org/slavery/slave-memoirs-oral-histories/recollections-of-madison-hemings/
• Find a Grave, memorial page for James Madison Hemings (18 Jan 1805–28 Nov 1877), Find A Grave: Memorial #21450621, ; Maintained by Laurie (contributor 2811407) Body lost or destroyed.

Acknowledgements

Originally entered by Leslie Ridley-388 26 Mar 2014