Mary Hemings Bell facts for kids

Mary Hemings Bell (born 1753, died after 1834) was born into slavery in Virginia. She was the oldest child of Elizabeth Hemings. After her owner, John Wayles, died, Mary and her family were inherited by Thomas Jefferson. They then moved to his home, Monticello.

Later, Mary Hemings was hired out to Thomas Bell, a rich merchant. She became his partner, and they had two children. In 1792, Bell bought Mary and their children from Jefferson. He then informally freed them. Mary Hemings Bell was the first person from the Hemings family to gain freedom. She and Thomas Bell lived together for the rest of their lives. They could not legally marry because of Virginia's laws at that time.

In 2007, Mary Hemings Bell was honored as a Patriot by the Daughters of the American Revolution. This was because she was taken as a prisoner during the American Revolution. Because of this honor, all her female descendants can now join the Daughters of the American Revolution.

Early Life and Work

Mary was born into slavery as the daughter of Elizabeth "Betty" Hemings. Betty was of mixed race, with an African mother and an English father. Mary was the first of Elizabeth's twelve children. She lived on John Wayles's plantation until 1774. That year, Thomas Jefferson received her as part of Wayles's estate.

Mary was a "valued household servant" and a skilled seamstress. Like her mother and sisters, she worked inside the house. She helped care for Martha Jefferson and her children. She also sewed and cleaned. The overseer did not manage the work of the Hemings women.

Mary Hemings' Family

Mary Hemings had six children. Some of them gained freedom, while others were separated from her when they were sold.

Mary's First Children

Mary first had four children:

• Daniel Farley (1772-1837): Jefferson gave him to his sister.
• Molly Hemings (1777-after 1790): Jefferson gave her to his daughter, Martha Jefferson Randolph, as a wedding gift.
• Joseph Fossett (1780-1858): His father was likely William Fossett, a white craftsman at Monticello. In 1826, Jefferson freed Joseph Fossett in his will. This was because Joseph was a valuable ironworker. After Jefferson's death, many enslaved people were sold to pay debts. Joseph's wife, Edy, and their children were sold. With help from his mother, Mary Bell, and other free family, Joseph bought his wife and most of his children's freedom. The family moved to Ohio, a free state, around 1840.
• Betsy Hemmings (1783-1857): Jefferson gave Betsy Hemmings and 29 other enslaved people as a wedding gift. This gift was for his daughter, Mary Jefferson Eppes, and her new husband, John Wayles Eppes. Betsy lived with the Eppes family for the rest of her life. She was buried next to John Wayles Eppes in his family cemetery.

Children with Thomas Bell

While Jefferson was in France, Mary Hemings and her two younger children were hired out to Thomas Bell. Mary Hemings and Thomas Bell became partners. They had two children together:

• Robert Washington Bell
• Sarah Jefferson Bell: Also known as Sally, she married Jesse Scott in 1802. Jesse Scott was a musician. He also bought Edith Fossett and two of her children in 1827. This helped them live freely with Joseph Fossett.

When Jefferson returned, Mary asked him to sell her and her two younger children to Bell. Jefferson did this in 1792. Bell then informally freed them, recognizing the children as his own. Mary Hemings then took Bell's last name.

Thomas and Mary Bell lived together for the rest of their lives. Thomas Bell became a good friend of Jefferson. Mary Hemings Bell was the first of Betty Hemings's children to gain freedom. When Thomas Bell died in 1800, he left Mary and their children a large amount of property. This included land on Main Street in Charlottesville. He treated them as free in his will. Mary Hemings Bell lived in a house on Main Street. Even though she was free, she stayed in touch with her enslaved family at Monticello. She often gave gifts to her children and others. Her grandson, Peter Fossett, remembered how she gave him a special blue suit, red hat, and shoes when he was a child. Mary Hemings Bell lived out her days in Charlottesville. Her grave site is not known today.

Prisoner of War and Patriot

In 1780, Jefferson became the governor of Virginia. He moved his family and some enslaved servants, including Mary Hemings, to Williamsburg. This was the capital of Virginia at the time. The next year, Jefferson moved his household to Richmond, the new capital. During the American Revolutionary War, Benedict Arnold's forces raided Richmond. They were looking for Jefferson. During this raid, they took Mary Hemings and other enslaved people as prisoners of war. Later that year, George Washington's forces freed them during the siege of Yorktown.

In 2007, Mary Hemings was named a Patriot by the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR). This was because she was a prisoner of war during the Revolutionary War. This honor means that all her female descendants can join the DAR. Mary Hemings was the first enslaved person from Monticello to be honored by the DAR.

Notable Descendants

One of Mary's most famous descendants was William Monroe Trotter. He became a well-known newspaper publisher in Boston. He was also a human rights activist and helped start the Niagara Movement. This group was a step toward forming the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

Trotter graduated with high honors from Harvard University in 1895. In his third year, he was the first man of color to earn a Phi Beta Kappa key there. He earned a master's degree from Harvard in 1896. He had planned to work in international banking. However, racism made it hard for him to find a job in that field, despite his excellent qualifications.