Historians In Awe Over Discovery At Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello Property

Sally and Jefferson

As an infant, Sally came to Monticello as part of Martha’s inheritance of her father’s slave holdings. In 1787, Hemings, who was 14-years-old at the time, accompanied Jefferson’s youngest daughter Mary to Paris. There, Jefferson was serving as the United States minister to France for two years.

It is believed that it was either in France or soon after that Jefferson initiated sexual relations with her. Hemings, still a slave, also began having children not long after. In total, she would give birth to a total of six children.

They couldn’t such a relationship for long…