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digital database, available to researchers, scholars, and the general public by appointment, is regularly updated with historical documents and current research reports.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: Silvey (Sylvia)
Silvey was sold with her children Fanny, Abraham, Frank, Elizabeth, and William to Montpelier’s new owner, Henry Moncure, for $1000. Silvey died in childbirth on April 18, 1847.
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The Naming Project: Elijah
Elijah was enslaved by Dolley Madison’s uncle, who leased Elijah to James Madison in 1818 and 1819. Madison asked for a reduced rate due to “the lameness of Elijah.”
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The Naming Project: John Freeman
John Freeman waited table at the White House and was sold by Jefferson to Madison, with the stipulation that he be freed in 1815. He remained in Washington as a free man.
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The Naming Project: Lucy
Lucy was enslaved by James Madison Sr. and inherited by Nelly Madison. When Nelly died, Lucy – who was elderly and unable to work – was appraised at negative $60.
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The Naming Project: Henry
Henry and his mother Margaret were given by James Madison Sr. to his son William Madison. When William died 60 years later, the estate valued Henry at only $25.
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The Naming Project: Joanna
Joanna, born March 16, 1773, was 10 years old when James Madison Sr. gave her, her mother Eliza, and her four siblings to his newlywed daughter and son-in-law.
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The Naming Project: Lemon
Lemon’s name appears only once in the documentary record. Tax records show that he was an enslaved laborer on James Madison Sr.’s land in Culpeper County in 1783.
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The Naming Project: Harry
Sometimes referred to as “Tradesman Harry,” Harry was also a carriage driver. In 1789 Harry made the return trip to Montpelier alone, by a route of his own choosing.
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The Naming Project: Eliza
Eliza, born February 17, 1750, was 33 when James Madison Sr. gave her to his daughter and son-in-law, along with Eliza’s children: Joanna, Diana, Demas, Pendar, and Webster.
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The Naming Project: Ariel
Ariel’s name appears in an 1847 letter from Dolley Madison, indicating that Ariel had carried a message to Dolley. It is unclear whether Dolley or someone else enslaved Ariel.
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.