Department of Research
DOCUMENTARY AND HISTORICAL RESEARCH AT MONTPELIER
Documentary Research
Montpelier's African American Descendants' Project
Resources
The Montpelier Research Department conducts historical inquiry into the life and times of James and Dolley Madison, the Enslaved Community and their descendants, and the United States Constitution. Our research supports Montpelier’s educational and interpretive programs, curatorial exhibitions, and publications.
Research Projects
The Montpelier Research Department conducts numerous projects in support of our mission. Our digital database, available to researchers, scholars, and the general public by appointment, is regularly updated with historical documents and current research reports. To learn more about the work we do, see sample projects, and visit online exhibitions, use the buttons to the right.
Digging Deeper Blog
Our blog is where you can get a behind-the-scenes look at all of our projects, and learn more about what our researchers do. Dive into the day-to-day world of historical research!
The Naming Project: Demas (Demars)
Demas was born September 12, 1777. James Madison Sr. gave Demas – along with mother Eliza and his brothers and sisters – to his daughter Nelly when she married Isaac Hite.
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The Naming Project: Jason
In 1803, Jason escorted 11-year-old John Payne Todd from Montpelier to his boarding school in Alexandria, and then delivered horses to William Thornton in Washington.
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The Naming Project: Reuben
Reuben, a weaver, appears in James Madison Sr.’s tax records in the 1780s. In 1795-96, he had a 3-month bout of rheumatism that prevented him from weaving.
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The Naming Project: Katey
Born July 26, 1782, Katey was an infant when James Madison Sr. gave her, her mother Truelove, and her brother and sisters to his newlywed daughter and son-in-law.
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The Naming Project: Pamela Barbour Taliaferro
Pamela Barbour, enslaved by Nelly Madison, married Frank Taliaferro and had two children, Solomon and Judy. After Nelly’s death, Pamela was able to choose her next enslaver.
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The Naming Project: Anthony
Anthony, age 17, escaped from Montpelier on June 14, 1786. He was captured a year later, escaped the next day, and was last known to be heading toward Philadelphia.
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The Naming Project: Daughter of Gabriel
“Gabriel & Daughter” appear on an 1845 list of enslaved people drawn up by Dolley Madison’s son, John Payne Todd. The name of Gabriel’s daughter is unknown to us.
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The Naming Project: York
York was mentioned in James Madison Sr.’s records beginning in 1768, and continuing through the 1780s. He was issued a pair of size 6 shoes on November 2, 1787.
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The Naming Project: Benjamin McDaniel
Benjamin McDaniel, who often worked as a courier, traveled over 50 miles to Dr. Henkal’s in New Market in June 1843, carrying a pass signed by Dolley Madison.
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The Naming Project: Milly
Milly, sometimes called “Granny Milly,” was 104 years old when she met General Lafayette at Montpelier in 1825. She lived in a cabin with her daughter and 70-year-old granddaughter.
Read MoreThe Team
Hilarie M. Hicks, MA
Senior Research Historian
Hilarie M. Hicks came to Montpelier in 2010 and joined the Research Department in 2011. She served on the research and writing team for the award-winning exhibition The Mere Distinction of Colour. Hilarie’s current research interests include plantation operations, James and Dolley Madison, and any topic that she hasn’t looked into yet. Having earned her B.A. at the College of William and Mary and her M.A. from the Cooperstown Graduate Program in Museum Studies, Hilarie’s historic site experience includes working as a historical interpreter at Colonial Williamsburg (VA), as curator of interpretation at Tryon Palace Historic Sites & Gardens (New Bern, NC), and as executive director of the Rosewell Ruins (Gloucester, VA). She is a board member of the Orange County Historical Society and volunteers as a judge for the We the People student competition.