Mary Hemings

Mary Hemings, also known as Mary Hemings Bell , was born into slavery, most likely in Charles City County, Virginia, as the oldest child of Elizabeth Hemings, a mixedrace slave held by John Wayles. After the death of Wayles in 1773, Elizabeth, Mary and her family were inherited by Thomas Jefferson, the husband of Martha Wayles Skelton, a daughter of Wayles, and all moved to Monticello.

Mary was born into slavery to Elizabeth Hemings, a mulatto slave also called Betty. Elizabeth was the daughter of an enslaved African woman and John Hemings, an English sea captain. Marys father was probably a slave.

Source: Wikipedia