Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings had at least six documented children together, four of whom survived to adulthood. Their children were Beverly Hemings, Harriet Hemings, Madison Hemings, Eston Hemings, and two children who died young. Hemings was an enslaved woman at Jefferson’s Monticello plantation in Virginia, and their family history remains central to understanding the third U.S. president’s relationship with slavery. Historical records, descendant testimony, and genetic research have strengthened the conclusion that Jefferson fathered her children.
How Many Children Did They Have?
Sally Hemings gave birth to six children documented in Jefferson’s plantation records between 1795 and 1808.
Their names were Harriet, Beverly, an unnamed daughter, Harriet, Madison, and Eston.
Two died during early childhood, while four reached adulthood.
The surviving children were eventually permitted to leave enslavement or were formally freed under provisions of Jefferson’s will.
Their experiences differed considerably, particularly in how they navigated racial identity and legal restrictions after leaving Monticello.
Although historians have discussed the possibility of additional children, six births are documented in the surviving records.
Beverly Hemings
Beverly Hemings was born in 1798 and was Sally Hemings’s oldest surviving son.
He grew up at Monticello, where he learned practical skills and worked within the plantation community.
In 1822, Beverly left Monticello with Jefferson’s tacit permission.
He was not pursued as a fugitive, allowing him to establish a life outside slavery.
Historical accounts indicate that Beverly moved to Washington, D.C., married a white woman, and lived publicly as a white man.
His later life is less thoroughly documented than those of his younger brothers.
Beverly’s departure was significant because Jefferson did not formally emancipate him through a legal document.
Harriet Hemings
Harriet Hemings was born in 1801 and was the only daughter of Sally Hemings known to have survived into adulthood.
She shared her name with an older sister who had died in childhood.
Harriet grew up enslaved at Monticello and worked in domestic service.
In 1822, she left the plantation with Jefferson’s knowledge.
Jefferson arranged financial assistance for her departure, allowing her to travel to Washington, D.C.
Like Beverly, Harriet reportedly entered white society and established a family.
Her later whereabouts became difficult to trace because she no longer publicly identified herself as part of the enslaved Hemings family.
Madison Hemings
Madison Hemings was born on January 19, 1805, and died in 1877.
He became one of the most important historical witnesses to his family’s experiences.
Jefferson’s 1826 will provided for Madison’s freedom when he reached the required age.
After leaving Monticello, Madison established a life in Ohio and remained part of the free Black community.
In 1873, he gave an interview to the Pike County Republican describing his mother’s relationship with Jefferson and his family’s history.
Madison stated that Thomas Jefferson was his father and explained the circumstances surrounding Sally Hemings’s return from France.
His testimony became a crucial source for historians examining the Hemings family.
Eston Hemings
Eston Hemings was born on May 21, 1808, and died in 1856.
He was Sally Hemings’s youngest documented child.
Like Madison, Eston received his freedom through provisions of Jefferson’s will.
After emancipation, he lived in Ohio, where he worked as a musician and supported his family.
He later moved to Wisconsin and adopted the surname Jefferson.
Historical records indicate that Eston and his family subsequently lived as white.
His descendants became particularly important to modern genetic research because their paternal lineage could be examined through Y-chromosome testing.
Children Who Died Young
Two of Sally Hemings’s documented children did not survive to adulthood.
Her first recorded child, Harriet Hemings, was born in 1795 and died in 1797.
Another daughter, whose name was not recorded, was born in 1799 and died during infancy.
Their brief lives are documented through surviving plantation records, but little additional biographical information exists.
The deaths also illustrate the limited historical record available for enslaved children, whose lives were often documented primarily through property inventories and plantation accounts.
The later Harriet Hemings, born in 1801, should not be confused with her older sister of the same name.
Sally Hemings in Paris
Sally Hemings traveled to Paris in 1787 while Jefferson was serving as the American minister to France.
She was still a teenager at the time.
Because slavery was not legally recognized in France in the same manner as in Virginia, her circumstances there differed significantly from those at Monticello.
According to Madison Hemings’s later account, Sally became pregnant by Jefferson while in Paris.
He stated that she initially considered remaining in France rather than returning to enslavement in Virginia.
Madison reported that Jefferson promised freedom for her children when they reached adulthood, helping persuade her to return.
The account is an important historical source, although the details of their private conversations cannot be independently reconstructed.
Life at Monticello
After returning to Virginia in 1789, Sally Hemings remained enslaved at Monticello, Jefferson’s plantation.
She worked primarily in domestic service and occupied a position within the plantation’s enslaved household workforce.
Her children also grew up within the institution of slavery.
Their biological relationship to Jefferson did not automatically provide them with legal freedom.
The circumstances of Jefferson and Hemings’s relationship involved a profound imbalance of power because Jefferson legally enslaved Hemings.
Modern historical discussions therefore examine their relationship within the coercive conditions of slavery rather than treating it as an ordinary romance.
The 1998 DNA Study
A major development occurred in 1998, when researchers published Y-chromosome findings involving descendants of Eston Hemings.
The study identified a genetic connection between Eston’s male-line descendants and the Jefferson paternal family.
The findings supported the historical evidence linking Thomas Jefferson to Sally Hemings’s children.
However, Y-chromosome testing alone could not distinguish Thomas Jefferson from every other male relative sharing the same paternal lineage.
Researchers therefore considered the genetic findings alongside plantation records, family testimony, and Jefferson’s documented movements.
The combined evidence substantially strengthened the historical case for Jefferson’s paternity.
The 2026 DNA Reports
In September 2026, reports described additional DNA research involving hair attributed to Thomas Jefferson and genetic comparisons with Hemings descendants.
The reported findings claimed to provide more direct evidence identifying Jefferson as the father.
However, the precise methodology, authentication of the historical samples, and reported 99.96% certainty require examination of the underlying scientific research before that figure can be treated as independently established.
The distinction matters because the 1998 Y-chromosome study and any newer whole-genome analysis involve different types of genetic evidence.
Regardless of newer claims, the historical consensus was already strongly supported by documentary records and earlier genetic research.
Historical Evidence
Monticello’s historical research has identified several important pieces of evidence concerning Jefferson and Hemings.
Jefferson was present at Monticello during the likely conception periods of Sally Hemings’s documented children.
Madison Hemings’s 1873 testimony also described Jefferson as his father.
Additional accounts from the Monticello community contributed to the historical record.
The Thomas Jefferson Foundation concludes that Jefferson fathered Sally Hemings’s six documented children.
This conclusion reflects the combined weight of historical documentation, oral testimony, and genetic findings.
Freedom After Jefferson’s Death
Thomas Jefferson died on July 4, 1826.
By that time, Beverly and Harriet had already left Monticello.
Madison and Eston received freedom through provisions in Jefferson’s will.
These arrangements were unusual because Jefferson did not generally emancipate the people he enslaved.
Sally Hemings herself was not formally freed through Jefferson’s will.
Instead, she was permitted to live outside enslavement under an informal arrangement following his death.
She spent her remaining years in Charlottesville, Virginia, and died in 1835.
Family Legacy
The descendants of Sally Hemings and Thomas Jefferson followed different paths after emancipation.
Some remained within Black communities, while others lived publicly as white Americans.
Their experiences reflected the racial restrictions and social pressures of nineteenth-century America.
Over generations, family histories were preserved through oral accounts, documents, and genealogical research.
The Hemings family’s story has also influenced how historians interpret Jefferson’s life and legacy.
Jefferson’s authorship of the Declaration of Independence stands in stark contrast to his ownership of enslaved people, including Sally Hemings and their children.
Final Answer
Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings had six documented children, four of whom survived to adulthood: Beverly, Harriet, Madison, and Eston Hemings.
Their two other children, Harriet, born in 1795, and an unnamed daughter born in 1799, died young.
The surviving children eventually gained freedom through Jefferson’s informal permission or his will.
Historical records, Madison Hemings’s testimony, and genetic research support the conclusion that Jefferson was their father.
Their family history remains essential to understanding slavery, racial identity, freedom, and the contradictions within early American history.
