The-Nailery-and-the-Nailboys

SoulsinMyFamily.org

Thomas Jefferson called running away "delinquency". In 1820 he wrote to a family member:

" I have considerable debts of my own, which the fall of produce, likely to be permanent, forbids me to count on paying from annual crops. I had therefore proposed to begin to prepare for these cases by selling some lands; having scruples, about selling negroes but for delinquency, or on their own request." (1)

When slaves ran away at Monticello, a young male was usually involved. Most of these young boys worked at the nailery on Mulberry Row. It was hot and tiring physical work. In summer when the work day was longer, it could be a ten hour work day.

Slave children at Monticello were put to work at age ten. Until that age, they did chores and helped to care for the even younger children. Their mothers worked long days in the fields or as house servants. Mr. Jefferson had a system to direct how the children would work:

"Labourers build the Negro houses near together that the fewer nurses may serve & that the children may be more easily attended to...

children till 10, years old to serve as nurses.

from 10. to 16. the boys make nails, the girls spin.

 At 16. go into the ground or learn trades." (2)

As the memorandum states, at age ten, the boys and girls were expected to do a days' labor. Boys were put to work making nails. Girls were spinning wool into yarn, which helped produced cloth needed to clothe the slave community.

Starting the Nail Factory

In 1795 Mr. Jefferson wrote about the new nail factory and its production:

"A nailery which I have established with my own negro boys now provides completely for the maintenance of my family, as we make from 8. to 10,000 nails a day & it is on the increase..." (3)

He used the nail factory to test the work ability of young slave boys, ages ten to sixteen. The heat and smoke of the fires made for tiring and dirty working conditions. There was also pressure on the boys to reach their goals and waste little of the expensive nail rod. It was hard work and the boys were issued extra food rations. In his memoir, Isaac Jefferson, a nail maker in his youth, described the treatment of the nail boys:

"Mr. Jefferson...Gave the boys in the nail factory a pound of meat a week, a dozen herrings, a quart of molasses, and peck of meal. Give them that wukked the best a suit of red or blue; encouraged them mightily. Isaac calls him a mighty good master." (4)

Why would a suit of red or blue be a good reward for hard work?

What work qualities was Mr. Jefferson looking for in the nail boys?

Why would a young single male be more likely to run away?

Did they run because of the hard work?

Nailboys were Often Runaways

Over the years there were only a few runaway slaves at Monticello, but of the slaves who did run away, most worked in the nailery.

Sometimes Mr. Jefferson would send someone in pursuit. At other times he preferred to let real troublemakers run away. This meant the loss of the slave and his labor, but prevented more problems within the slave community.

In a few cases, when a slave ran away more than one time, or was too violent with other slaves or even an overseer, he chose to sell them away from the plantation. This was an extreme punishment since they would be separated from their home and family.

These short stories are about some of the slave boys who ran away from Monticello. They were all young and at some time were trained as nail makers. But they all ran away for different reasons, and each has a different story.

To learn about these boys, click on the names above.

Sources

(1) Thomas Jefferson to John Eppes, June 30, 1820,Founders Online.

(2) Farm Book, page 77, MHi.

(3) Thomas Jefferson to James Lyle, July 10,1795, Founders Online.

(4) Jefferson at Monticello: Recollections of a Monticello Slave, Bear, dictated to Charles Campbell by Isaac, page 23.