JEFFERSON’S WILL
“I give to my good, affectionate, and faithful servant, Burwell, his freedom and the sum of three hundred dollars to buy the necessaries to commence his trade of painter and glazier, or to use otherwise as he pleases. I give also to my good servants, John Hemings and Joe Fosset, their freedom at the end of one year after my death, and to each of them respectively, all of the tools of their respective shops or callings, and it is my will that a comfortable log house be built for each of the three servants so emancipated, on some part of my lands convenient to them with respect to the residence of their wives, and to Charlottesville and the University, where they will mostly be employed.—I give the use of an acre of land to each during his life.—I humbly and earnestly request of the legislature of Virginia a confirmation of the bequest of freedom to these servants with permission to remain in this State where their families and connections are, as an additional instance of favor, of which I have received so many manifestations in the course of my life, and for which I now give them my last solemn and dutiful thanks.” (Two boys were to receive their freedom upon coming of age.)