Edith Hern Fossett

Edith Hern Fossett (1787–1854) was an African American chef who for much of her life was enslaved by Thomas Jefferson before being freed.

Three generations of her family, the Herns, worked in Jefferson's fields, performed domestic and leadership duties, and made tools.

The son of Mary Hemings, he lived at Monticello as a child and worked his way up from a nail-maker to chief blacksmith.

That year, Joseph made a statement listing the family members, including Edith, who were emancipated and manumitted.

[5] Three generations of the Hern family, which included Isabel and David's grandchildren, "raised Jefferson's crops, drove his wagons, cooked his meals, cared for his children, built his barns, directed his laborers, and made nails, barrels, plows and plow chains.

Honoré Julien, a French chef, taught them how to cook and create French-style foods and elegant desserts.

[1][3] Margaret Bayard Smith remarked of the food, "The excellence and superior skill of his [Jefferson's] French cook was acknowledged by all who frequented his table, for never before had such dinners been given in the President's House".

But because they were women, because they were black, because they were enslaved and because this was the beginning of the 19th century, they were just known as 'the girls'.Edith and Fanny were the only slaves from Monticello to regularly live in Washington.

[8][9][10] During the nearly seven years that she worked in Washington, she gave birth to three children: James, Maria, and a child who did not survive to adulthood.

Situated below Jefferson's private terrace, it had a bread-baking oven, a stew stove with eight individually regulated burners, a large hearth, and a "set kettle", which generated hot water on demand.

[12] The women had use of 60 pieces of French copper cookware, including tart pans, fish cookers, skillets, and chafing dishes.

[14] In the summer of 1806, while Jefferson was visiting Monticello and Edith was in Washington, Joseph received word that there was disturbing news, perhaps about his wife, at the President's House.

[1][6] The next year, Joseph was made chief blacksmith after the white man who held that position was fired for drunkenness.

[8] Edmund Bacon, the Monticello overseer, stated that Fossett was "a very fine workman; could do anything... with steel or iron.

[1][d] An auction was held at Monticello in January 1827, where "130 valuable negroes" were put up for sale, and resulted in the separation of families.

[24] Born and reared as free, not knowing that I was a slave, then suddenly, at the death of Jefferson, put upon an auction block and sold to strangers.Separate buyers purchased Joseph and Edith's other children: Ann-Elizabeth, Martha (Patsy), Isabella, and Peter Fossett.

[41] For instance, Virginia enacted a law in 1806 in which freed slaves could be returned to slavery if they stayed in the state more than 12 months.

[42] Know all men by these presents that I Joseph Fossett of the County of Albemarle and state of Virginia have manumitted, emancipated and set free, and by these presents do manumit, emancipate and set free the following negro slaves to wit, Eady, Elizabeth Ann, William, Daniel, Lucy and Jesse and her grandchildren James, Joseph, Thomas and Maria Elizabeth an infant.

: Eady a woman of brown complexion 5 feet 2 inches and 44 years old.The family then moved to Ohio where most of the children were able to establish a life for themselves.

[8] They are buried at the Union Baptist Cemetery, Cincinnati, Ohio, with their names engraved on the Fossett family tombstone.