James Oldham to Thomas Jefferson, 23 July 1805
From James Oldham
Richmond July 23rd. 05.
Dear Sir—
I am Sorry to inform you James Hemings has not Acted agreeable to his promis. On Saterday morning Last he ast me to let him go as far as his Unkel Roberts and he would. return in fifteen-minits, in the corse of one Hour afterwards as he had not retur,d I Stepd over to Robert Hemings and found he had not bin to Se him. have not hearn any worde of him more than on Sunday Morning he past thro the Lox in a boat. And I think it very Probabel he has gon on to Linch-burge or bent creek: his being So much affected at the thots of being plaisd in confinment and expesing so grait a desir to return volentaryly Home was the onley inducement to me to befriend him, I surmise but Little good will ever become of him.
On Wensday the 17th. inst. I Sent up a 11 dores by Jonson Row. 4 double dores Nos. 18. 19. 20 &. 25 7 other Do. Nos. 21. 22. 23. 24. 26. 27. &. 32. all of which are Numberd on the upper edges of Top rails, have 6 Others finishd which will Send of by the first convayance.
Adue & may Heaven bless You Your Obt. Humble Sevt.
Jams. Oldham
RC (MHi); at foot of text: “Thomas Jefferson Esqr.”; endorsed by TJ as received 25 July and so recorded in SJL.
After receiving Oldham’s information that James Hemings had again chosen to run away, TJ did not pursue the matter any further and let him live as a free man. It is possible that Hemings remained in the vicinity of Monticello, as an 1815 record in TJ’s financial memoranda includes a payment of two dollars to “James Hem.” for finding a missing eyepiece to one of TJ’s scientific instruments (Annette Gordon-Reed, The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family [New York, 2008], 581-3; , 2:1315).