Lewis

Lewis worked as carpenter and joiner ; he was a cradler during the wheat harvest.  In 1774, Lewis was, “allotted to T.J. … on a division of the estate” of John Wayles.¹  At Monticello, Lewis met his wife, Jenny, and the couple had six children by 1800. But while “Jenny… [and the] children of the said Jenny,” were leased to tenant farmer John H. Craven “for the term of 5. years” at adjacent Tufton, Lewis remained at Monticello.² In 1798, “Davy, Lewis & Abram … [did] the carpenter’s work of Bagwell’s house,” likely near the Rivanna River.³ Later, Lewis worked on the renovation of the main house under joiners James Dinsmore and John Oldham.  Though in 1801 “Luis went of[f] from me [Oldham] twice,” Lewis continued to work on the mountaintop.  In 1807, Jefferson wrote Dinsmore that Lewis should “be constantly engaged in getting ready those ballusters,” for Monticello II (1796–1809).⁴ After the hired white joiners left Monticello, Lewis continued to work in the joiner’s shop with John Hemmings, making furniture, including a dressing table, and “a set of Venetian blinds.”⁵