When I visited George Washington Birthplace, the re-reenactors showed us how the slaves and servants lived. They were skilled craftsmen and made their own soap, were expert at knitting, candle making, cleaning, and cooking from scratch. They also brewed herbal teas which was given for colds and various other ailments. They washed clothes in a heated tub which was in the yard, and cleaned the Masters house from top to bottom every day. 

One of my ancestors was a personal servant to George Washington's niece. By the time she was freed, she was skilled at managing a household. So I have to disagree on the assessment that those who served Jefferson and his ilk, were unclean.

Anita 




-- "Stephan A. Schwartz" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
Jeffrey --

I forgot to add that I would bet you the price of a nice meal in D.C.  
that Sally Hemmings was clean. Whether he slept with her or not may  
be a subject of disagreement with some, but it is hard to imagine a  
man as fastidious as Jefferson (a personal preference noted at the  
time) having any chambermaid attending him whose body odor was rank,  
and whose clothing was dirty.

-- Stephan 

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