This terrible incident is also the subject of a play by, I believe,
Robert Penn Warren called, " A Brother unto Dragons." A graphic
illustration of the horrors of slavery and of TJ's own observations in
Notes on Virginia.
Jim Hershman
paul finkelman wrote:
>This is all true and well known to historians. See the book "Jefferson's Nephews"
>(Author's name slips my mind); it it truly horrible. I am no fan of Jefferson
>(See my book, Slavery and the Founders: Race and Liberty in the Age of
>Jefferson); but we certainly cannot blame TJ for the sins and misdeeds of his
>relatives.
>
>Karen Sutton wrote:
>
>
>
>>Ladies and Gentlemen,
>>
>>I saw this on Afrigeneas, anyone care to confirm or deny the story's
>>accuracy? Any comments?
>>
>>Karen E. Sutton
>>
>>------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>>-------------------------------------------
>>
>>Date: Thu, 2 Jan 2003 01:20:49 -0600 (CST)
>>From: [log in to unmask]
>>Subject: Jefferson nephew chops a Black man to pieces
>>
>>FYI ... this comes from another ListServ. Interesting but not
>>surprising to
>>me! Sources follow the story.
>>
>>Please read this shocking account written by a white man about Lillburn
>>Lewis, nephew of Thomas Jefferson of Livingston County, Kentucky:
>>
>>
>>
>>>Lillburn Lewis (nephew of Thomas Jefferson, the penman of the
>>>Declaration of
>>>Independence), of Livingston County, Kentucky, was the owner of about
>>>fifty
>>>Slaves, whom he drove constantly, fed sparingly, and lashed severely.
>>>The
>>>consequence was that some of them were in the habit of running away.
>>>This
>>>gave Lewis great anxieties until he found them, or until they starved
>>>out
>>>and returned. Among the rest was a boy named George, about seventeen
>>>years
>>>of age, who, having just returned, was sent to a spring for water, and
>>>let
>>>fall a pitcher breaking it. This was the occasion. It was night.
>>>Lewis
>>>then collected all the slaves into an out house, and ordered a rousing
>>>fire
>>>to be made. When the door was secured, that none might escape, either
>>>through fear or sympathy, Lewis opened the design of the meeting,
>>>namely,
>>>that they might be effectually taught to stay at home and obey his
>>>orders.
>>>All things being now in train, he called up George, who approached his
>>>master with the most unreserved submission. He bound him with cords
>>>
>>>
>>, and aid him on a meatblock, and seizing a broad axe, proceeded to
>>chop him
>>
>>
>>>into pieces, commencing at the ankles.
>>>In vain did the unhappy victim call upon his Master to forgive him.
>>>
>>>
>> In vain did he scream. Not a slave durst interfere. Casting the feet
>>into the
>>
>>
>>>fire, he lectured the Slaves at some length. He then chopped off
>>>below the
>>>knees, and admonished them again, throwing the legs into the fire. He
>>>then
>>>chopped off above the knees, tossing the joints into the fire,
>>>lecturing as
>>>he proceeded. The next two or three strokes severed the thighs from
>>>the
>>>body. These were also committed to the flames. And so were the arms,
>>>head
>>>and trunk, until all was in the fire. Still protracting the intervals
>>>with
>>>lectures, and threatenings of like punishment, in case of disobedience
>>>and
>>>running away. The Slaves were then permitted to disperse.
>>>
>>>When the monster returned to his house, Mrs. Lewis exclaimed, Oh! Mr.
>>>Lewis where have you been, and what have you done! She had heard a
>>>strange pounding, and dreadful screams, and had smelled something like
>>>fresh meat burning! He replied that he had never enjoyed himself at a
>>>ball
>>>so well as he had enjoyed himself that evening.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>According to scholars, Jefferson, an enslaver of 154 Africans, would
>>never
>>confront the murder in any of his writings. Reprinted in Tingba Apidta,
>>The
>>Hidden History of Washington, DC: A Guide for Black Folks (Roxbury, MA:
>>Reclamation Project, 1996); William Loren Katz, editor, The Suppressed
>>Book
>>About Slavery (New York: Arno/New York Times, 1968), pp. 199-200.
>>
>>Peace, blessings, favor and grace, Alta
>>
>>"I have learned that no one can experience true love, or a joyful
>>presence,
>>or create an optimal future until one makes peace with one's past.
>>Genealogy
>>heals the soul!"
>>
>>To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions
>>at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html
>>
>>
>
>--
>Paul Finkelman
>Chapman Distinguished Professor of Law
>University of Tulsa College of Law
>3120 East 4th Place
>Tulsa, OK 74104-3189
>
>phone 918-631-3706
>Fax 918-631-2194
>e-mail: [log in to unmask]
>
>
>To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions
>at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html
>
>
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