Over the course of Thomas Jefferson's ownership of Monticello, more than 100 free workmen were employed on the plantation. We know little about the lives of many of these workers, who contributed to the Monticello economy at various times and in varying capacities. The following list of names indicates the types of jobs and the duration of employment for most of these employees. Follow the links to learn more about those individuals who left a substantial trail in the documentary record. Known residents of Monticello are marked "R".
Overseers employed at Monticello
Selected Free Workmen employed at Monticello
- Anthony Giannini
- Bartholomew Kindred
- David Watson
- Hugh Chisholm
- James Dinsmore
- John Neilson
- Martin Wanscher
- Richard Sorrels
- Robert Bailey
- Stephen Willis
- William Orr
- William Stewart
- Youen Carden
Current Complete List
Richard Adams, Brickmaker or Bricklayer, 1796
Joseph Anderson, Stonemason, 1775
Joseph Antrim, Plasterer, 1817, 1819
Robert Bailey (d. 1804), Gardener, 1794-1797 R
Abraham Balyal, Work Unknown, 1770
Ban, Hired Slave?, Work Unknown, 1799
David Barnet, Sawyer, 1795-1796
Richard Barry, Painter and Glazier, 1805-1808
Will Beck, Limeburner/blower, General Labor, 1769-1801 R?
John Beckley, Sawyer, 1776-1777
John G. Belt, Millwright, 1808-1810
Francis Bishop, Blacksmith, 1774-1776 R
William Bishop, Brickmaker, 1770-1772
William Bowen, Mason?, 1778
George Bradby (d. 1778), Free Black, General Labor?, 1774-1778 R?
John Brewer, Brickmaker, 1777-1778 R?
Ase H. Brooks, Roofer, 1821
John Brown, Millwright, 1813
Buck, Hired Slave, Shoemaker, 1810
John Buck, Millwright, 1796-1799 R
Samuel Campbell, Stonemason, 1821
Youen Carden, Miller, 1808-1824 R
Steward Carroll, General Labor, 1767
Hugh Chisholm, Mason/Brickmaker, Plasterer, 1796-1797, 1801-1814 R
John Chisholm, Mason/Brickmaker, 1808-1909
Benjamin Colvard (Calvert), Jr., Carpenter, 1778-1779
Lewis Crutchfield, Work Unknown, 1777
William Davenport, Carpenter, 1797-1798 R
Andrew Defoe, Limeblower, 1771-1774
Micajah Defoe, Work Unknown, 1770-1771
James Dinsmore, Joiner, 1798-1809 R
George Dudley, Brickmaker, 1769-1774
Henry Duke, Brickmason, 1797-1799
William Duncan, Plasterer's Assistant, 1804
Richard Durrett, Carpenter, 1813 R
Gideon Fitz (Fitch), Carpenter, 1802-1803
Bartlett Ford, General Labor, 1769-1772
William Fossett, Carpenter, 1775-1779 R
Francis Gaines, Work Unknown, 1781-1782
Humphrey Gaines, Carpenter, 1774-1778 R
William Gaines, Work Unknown, 1778-1779 R
John Gentry, Miller, 1806
Anthony Giannini, Gardener, 1778-1782 R, 1791, 1802
Joseph Gilmore (Gilmer), Millwright, 1813-1820
Giovannini da Prato, Gardener, 1780-1784
Rolin Goodman, Carpenter, 1813-1817 R
John Gorman, Stonecutter, 1819
Grady, Nailery Manager, 1807
Henry Gray, Work Unknown, 1782 R?
James Hamner, Work Unknown, 1806
John Holmes (d. 1801), Joiner, 1800-1801 R
Michael Hope, Stonemason, 1802-1805
Robert Hope, Stonemason, 1803
H. Hough, Charcoalburner, 1798
John Houseright, Work Unknown, 1770
Isaac Jackson (b. 1742), Bonded Mulatto, Free from 1773, Work Unknown, 1769-1778 R?
Randall Johnson, Brickmason, 1773-1777
John Jordan, Brickmason, 1805
Kendrick, Mason?, 1778
Bartholomew Kindred (d. 1805), Weaver, 1776-1782
Willis Liggin (Ligon), Weaver, 1822
James McGee (McGehee), Carpenter, 1798-1799
William Maclure, Weaver (made textile machinery), 1812-1813 R
William Maddox, Stonemason, 1802, 1806-1808
George Manly (b. 1738), Once Bonded, Work Unknown, 1772-1774
Edmund Meeks, Carpenter, 1819-1823 R
Jacob Miller, Work Unknown, 1770
Joseph Miller (b. 1768), Brewer, 1813
Joseph Moran, Stonemason, 1801-1802
Thomas Morgan, Miller, 1767?-1771
Patrick Morton, Engrafter, 1769-1780
John Neilson (d. 1827), Joiner, 1805-1809 R
Joseph Neilson, Carpenter, Joiner, 1775-1779 R
James Oldham (d. 1843), Joiner, 1801-1804 R, 1805-1897
William Orr, Blacksmith, 1781-1784
John M. Perry, Carpenter, 1800-1811
Reuben Perry, Carpenter, 1799-1803
William B. Phillips, Brickmason, 1823
Joseph Pond, Brickmaker, 1776-1777
William Pond, Brickmaker, 1774
Larkin Powers, Carpenter, 1818 R
Joseph Price, Carpenter, 1783 R
Peter B. Read, Millwright, 1822
William Rice, Indentured Servant?, Stonecutter, 1775-1780 R
Richard Richardson, Brickmason, 1796-1801 R
Robinson, Sawyer, 1795
James Sammons, Stonemason, 1809-1813
Julius Shard, Brickmason, General Labor, 1771-1773
John Shell, Brickmason?, 1796
Jacob Silknitter, Charcoalburner, 1795-1797
Richard Sorrels (d. 1773), General Labor, 1769-1773
William Sorrels, Work Unknown, 1772-1773
James Stark, Carpenter, 1810-1812 R
John Steele, Stonemason, 1796
William Stewart, Blacksmith, 1801-1807 R
Richard Taylor, Work Unknown, 1771
Ternan, Limeblower, 1803
John Thomas, Work Unknown, 1822
Richard Thomas, Work Unknown, 1822
James Walker, Millwright, 1805-1807
Thomas Walker, Convict Servant, Cabinetmaker, 1773-1778 R
Peggy Wanlace, Weaver?, 1777
Martin Wanscher, Plasterer, 1801-1804 R
Wash, Plasterer, 1800
Elisha Watkins, Carpenter, 1809 R
David Watson, Joiner, 1781-1784, 1792, 1793-1797 R
Julius Webb, Work Unknown, 1768-1769
Stephen Willis, Brickmason, 1770-1778, 1796 R