John Wayles Jefferson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Wayles Jefferson
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| Born |
John Wayles Hemings
May 8, 1835 |
| Died | June 12, 1892 (aged 57) |
| Resting place | Forest Hill Cemetery, Madison, Wisconsin |
| Occupation | Hotelier, cotton broker, journalist |
| Parents |
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| Relatives | Sally Hemings (grandmother) |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Service/ |
 U.S. Army (Union Army) |
| Years of service | 1861–1864 |
| Rank |  Colonel |
| Commands held | 8th Reg. Wis. Vol. Infantry |
| Battles/wars | American Civil War |
John Wayles Jefferson (born John Wayles Hemings; May 8, 1835 – June 12, 1892) was an American businessman and a brave officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Many historians believe he was a grandson of Thomas Jefferson, one of America's Founding Fathers and the third U.S. President. His grandmother was Sally Hemings, who was enslaved by Thomas Jefferson and was also the half-sister of Jefferson's late wife.
Contents
Early Life and Family History
John's father, Eston Hemings, was born into slavery at Monticello in 1808. He was the youngest of Sally Hemings's six children. These children are widely believed to have been fathered by President Thomas Jefferson. Even though they had mostly European ancestry, they were born into slavery because their mother was enslaved. This was due to a law called partus sequitur ventrem, which meant children inherited their mother's status.
Thomas Jefferson eventually freed all four of Sally's children who survived to adulthood. He allowed the first two to leave when they were old enough. They moved North and lived as white people, marrying white spouses. Jefferson's will freed Madison Hemings and Eston Hemings shortly after his death in 1826.
In 1830, Eston bought land in Charlottesville, Virginia. He and his brother Madison built a house there. Their mother, Sally Hemings, lived with them until she passed away in 1835.
Family Moves North
In Charlottesville, Eston married Julia Ann Isaacs. She was a mixed-race woman whose father was a wealthy Jewish merchant from Germany. Her mother was a free woman of color who ran a successful bakery.
John Wayles Hemings was the oldest child of Eston and Julia, born in 1835. His first and middle names honored his great-grandfather, John Wayles. John Wayles had children with an enslaved woman named Betty Hemings, who was Sally Hemings's mother. Eston and Julia's second child, Anna Wayles Hemings, was born in 1837.
After Sally Hemings died, Eston and Julia Ann Hemings moved their family to Chillicothe, Ohio. Ohio was a free state, meaning slavery was not allowed there. They lived in Chillicothe for over 15 years. Their youngest child, Beverley Frederick Hemings, was born there. Chillicothe had a strong community of free Black people and activists who worked against slavery. Eston was known as a talented musician. His children went to public schools.
In 1852, the family moved even further north to Madison, Wisconsin. This move happened because a new law, the Fugitive Slave Act, made it more dangerous for free Black people. Slave catchers sometimes kidnapped free people to sell them into slavery. In Madison, the entire family changed their last name to "Jefferson." This was to show their connection to Thomas Jefferson. John was 17 years old when they moved. The family lived as part of the white community in Madison for the rest of their lives.
Career and Military Service
Before the Civil War, John W. Jefferson managed the American House hotel in Madison, Wisconsin. His younger brother, Beverly, helped him learn the hotel business.
Serving in the Civil War
When he was 26, John Jefferson joined the Union Army on August 26, 1861. He served in the 8th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment during the American Civil War. He quickly rose through the ranks. On September 28, 1861, he became a major. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel in April 1863 and then to colonel in June 1864.
Colonel Jefferson fought in important battles of the war. He was wounded during the Siege of Vicksburg and also during the Siege of Corinth. He left the army on October 11, 1864. His brother, William Beverly Jefferson, also served in the Union Army.
Records show that John Jefferson had red hair and gray eyes, just like Thomas Jefferson. Photographs also show a strong resemblance between them.
After the War
After the war, John Jefferson worked as a newspaper writer. He published articles about his experiences during the war. Later, he moved to Memphis, Tennessee. There, he became a very successful cotton broker, starting his own company called Continental Cotton Company.
John Wayles Jefferson never married. He passed away on June 12, 1892. He was buried in the Jefferson family plot at Forest Hill Cemetery in Madison, Wisconsin. He left behind a large amount of money and property.
