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In his absence, Mr. Jefferson sometimes relied on untrustworthy overseers to supervise his slaves. His worst overseer was probably Gabriel Lilly, who worked at Monticello from 1801 until 1805. Mr. Jefferson was often absent at that time, since it was the first term of his Presidency.
In November 1804 he received a letter of complaint about Mr. Lilly from James Oldham, a hired man working as a house joiner at Monticello Oldham complained of Lilly's drinking and his especially harsh treatment and punishment of the slaves. As an example, Oldham mentioned the whipping of Jamey Hemings, the seventeen year old son of Critta, who worked in the main house.
According to the Farm Book, Jamey was born in 1787, the only known son of Critta Hemings. His father is unknown. Few facts are known about the whipping of Jamey, but Mr. Oldham's letter is very clear in his outrage at Lilly's actions:
"The Barbarity that he maid use of with little Jimmy was the moast cruel. to my noledge Jimmy was sick for thre nights and the moast part of the time I raly thot he would not have Livd, he at this time slepd in the room with me, I informd Lilly the boy was not able to worke and Begd him not to punnish him, but this had no affect he whipd him three times in one day, and the boy was raly not able to raise his hand to his Head?"(1)
Trouble with Mr. Lilly
Mr. Jefferson was already well aware of the violent actions of Mr. Lilly. While absent from Monticello in 1801, he wrote to his son in law:
"I forgot to ask the favor of you to speak to Lilly as to the treatment of the nailers. it would destroy their value in my estimation to degrade them in their own eyes by the whip. this therefore must not be resorted to but in extremities. as they will be again under my government, I would chuse they should retain the stimulus of character." (2)
Jamey Becomes a Runaway
In April, 1804 (before Mr. Oldham told Mr. Jefferson about Mr. Lilly's mistreatment of Jamey) Jamey had already run away from Monticello. Mr. Jefferson noted in the Farm Book:
"Jamy 87. ran away April '04" (3)
Mr. Oldham Finds Jamey in Richmond
By the next year, 1805, James Oldham had seen Jamey in Richmond. He wrote to Mr. Jefferson that Jamey was willing to return to Monticello:
"Mr. John Payton came a cross Jimmy as he was passing roud the Bason. he consulted me wheather it would be best to plaice him in confinement. I considered it would be best not to do it; as he was willing to stay with me until he could heare from you: he is desirous you should now (know) his wish is to serve you provided he is not plaisd under the direction of Lilley as he says the seveare treatment which he experiencd was the onley cause of his going of (off). " (4)
Mr. Jefferson responded, saying he would excuse Jamey for running away and would place him under the supervision of John Hemings in the joinery and not under Mr. Lilly:
"Dear Sir
I am informed that James Hemings my servant has put himself under your superintendance until he can hear from me on the subject of his return. I can readily excuse the follies of a boy and therefore his return shall ensure him an entire pardon. during my absence hereafter I should place him with Johnny Hemings and Lewis at house-joiners work. if you will get him a passage in the Richmond stage I will get mr. Higgenbotham to pay his fare on his arrival at Milton. accept my best wishes
TH Jefferson (5)
Jamey Agrees to Come Home
Mr. Oldham attempted to do as instructed but Jamey never showed up to catch the stage as he had promised. Mr. Oldham was forced to write again to Mr. Jefferson:
"Dear Sir
I am sorry to inform you James Hemings has not acted agreeable to his promis on Saterday morning Last he ast me to let him go as far as his Unkel Roberts and he would return in fifteen minites, in the corse of one Hour afterwards as he had not return'd I Stopd over to Robert Hemings and found he had not bin to se him have not hearn any worde of him more than on Sunday Morning he past thro the Lox in a boat. and I think it very Probabel he has gon on to Linch-burge or bent creek; his being so much affected at the thots of being plaisd in confinment and exposing so grait a desir to return voluntaryly Home was the onley inducement to me to befriend him, I surmise but Little good will ever become of him." (6)
What Happened to Jamey Hemings?
Perhaps Jamey Hemings did return to Monticello. In 1815, Mr. Jefferson noted in his Memorandum Book:
"Gave James Hem. finding eyeglass of Borda 2.D." (7)
Mr. Jefferson seems to have rewarded Jamey for finding the eyepiece of a telescope he used in his astronomy observations.
Queries
Is it possible Jamey did return to Monticello?
What might have happened when he returned?
Sources
(1) James Oldham to Thomas Jefferson, November 26, 1804,Founders Online.
(2) Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Mann Randolph, January 23, 1801, Founders Online.
(3) Farm Book, page 60.
(4) James Oldham to Thomas Jefferson, July 16, 1805,Founders Online.
(5) Thomas Jefferson to James Oldham, July 20, 1805,Founders Online.
(6) James Oldham to Thomas Jefferson, July 23, 1805, Founders Online.
(7) Memorandum Book, October 13, 1815, page 1315.
(8) James Oldham to Thomas Jefferson, November 26,1804, Founders Online.
(9) Thomas Jefferson to James Oldham, November 30, 1804, Founders Online.
Was James Oldham an Unbiased Source?
When Mr. Oldham wrote to Mr. Jefferson regarding the mistreatment of Jamey, he also complained about other actions taken by Lilly. According to Oldham, Lilly and other workmen were stealing wine from the cellar and getting drunk. He also claimed that Lilly and James Perry had treated him "savagely" and had objected because Oldham refused to help him punish a slave named Luis:
"...the moast savage treatment which I receiv'd from Gabriel Lilley and John Perry a few days before I left Albermarl and for no caws whatever ...Lilley says he acted from an athority given to him by your Honourable self...to inform me that it was your wish that I should not put my feet on Monticello or eaven on your Land and swore that he would blow me thro if I atempted to pass..."
"...can it be possable, Sir, that you have never hurn [heard] of Lilly's going into the cellar and getting drunk and to be oblig'd to be carried home. it is a well nown fact that Lilly fell out with me within six weeks after I first went to monticello, becaus I would not assist him to punnish Luis, nor have any thing to do with him...I much question if mr Lilley ever acquainted you how much flower and poark he fornishd his friends with the first year..." (8)
Mr. Jefferson's Reply
After receiving Oldham's complaints, Mr. Jefferson responded just a few days later:
"With respect to the late conduct of mr Lilly & Perry towards you as stated in your letter, I trust you know my line of conduct better than to suppose it could flow from any orders of mine. in fact I neither left nor have since given any instruction to mr Lilly which had any respect to you...it is my rule never to take a side or any part in the quarrels of others...I regret that which has happened in the present case. I shall always be ready to render you any service I can..." (9)
Jamey Hemings and Mr. Lilly
"...the follies of a boy..."
