Who managed the 5,000 acre estate of Thomas Jefferson?
Edmund Bacon (1785–1866) Edmund Bacon (1785–1866), was the business manager and primary overseer for 20 years for Thomas Jefferson, 3rd President of the United States, at Monticello. Among some of his other business duties, Bacon supervised the daily chores and activities of farming and ranching at Monticello along with Jefferson's nail forge. His duties included supervising and providing supplies and other needs for Jefferson's slaves. When he retired, Bacon moved to Kentucky and was discovered by the author Rev. Hamilton Pierson, who made use of his memoirs and letters to write a book about Jefferson's personal life and character. The memoirs of Bacon's life at Monticello has given much insight into the daily activities there, as well as into Jefferson's life and personality.
Eston Hemings Eston Hemings Jefferson (May 21, 1808 – January 3, 1856) was born a slave at Monticello, the youngest son of Sally Hemings, a mixed-race slave. Most historians who have considered the question believe that his father was Thomas Jefferson, the United States president. Evidence from a 1998 DNA test showed that a descendant of Eston matched the Jefferson male line, and historical evidence also supports the conclusion that Thomas Jefferson was probably Eston's father. Many historians believe that Jefferson had a relationship with Sally Hemings and fathered her six children, four of whom survived to adulthood.