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Organization of the Monticello Plantation
See how Thomas Jefferson organized the layout, operations, and occupations of his 5,000-acre Monticello plantations.
Work on the Monticello Plantation
Work on the Monticello Plantation
At Monticello, enslaved people, free artisans, and indentured servants worked as tinsmiths, nailers, sawyers, carpenters, joiners, charcoal-burners, spinners, weavers, hostlers, and domestic servants. The work of these men, women, and children supported Jefferson’s elite household, and allowed him to build and renovate his house and carry out agricultural and industrial activities on the entire 5,000-acre Monticello plantation.
Selected Types of Work at Monticello
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People practicing a variety of trades and skills lived and worked at Monticello. A listing of these trades appears below.
Note: All involve both free (F) and enslaved (E) workers, unless otherwise noted.
Agriculture and Horticulture
Plower (E)
Gardener
Shepherd (E)
Miller
Engrafter (F)
OverseerWood trades
Charcoalburner
Sawyer
Carpenter
Joiner
Cabinetmaker
Wheelwright
Carriagemaker (wooden parts)
Millwright (F)
Cooper
Basketmaker (E)Metalworking
Blacksmith
Nailmaker
Tinsmith
Carriagemaker (metal parts)Spinner/Carder/Quiller (E)
Weaver
Dyer
Seamstress/Tailor
ShoemakerBuilding Trades (other than woodworking)
Brickmaker
Bricklayer
Limeburner (E)
Stonecutter
Stonemason
Glazier
Plasterer
Painter
RooferDomestic Skills
Launderer (E)
Cook (E)
Dairy workers (E)
Brewer
Soap Maker (E)
Candle Maker(E)
Butler (E)
Barber/hairdresser (E)
Lady's maid/valet (E)
House maid (ES)
MidwifeTravel and Transport
Postillion (E)
Coachman (E)
Hostler (E)
Wagoner/Carter
Waterman- Lucia Stanton, 1996
In this section
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![A map of the the Monticello home farm by Thomas Jefferson, showing the location of the main house along with road, streams, and the boundaries of various farmed areas of the larger plantation, drawn ink on brown paper. (N209/K168 recto)]()
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![A line of 20 enslaved men, women, and children, walk in pairs with two horseman, one at the line's font and one at its rear, holding whips. At least one pair of men appear to be bound together at the wrists.]()
PageTreatment
Find out how violence and coercion supported the American slave system and how Jefferson tried to mitigate slavery's violence.
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![A small drawing of too enslaved men and two enslaved women carry sheaves of wheat in front of an overseer holding a whip in between notes the artist had been making about the weather.]()
PageEconomy
Find out how Virginia's local and global markets and economies determined how slavery functioned at Thomas Jefferson's Monticello plantation.
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![Watercolor of 16 enslaved men and women, each carrying some kind of item on their heads or shoulders with side notes by the artist on what the various character are doing.]()
PageLabor
A look at the topic of labor at Monticello, including the size of Jefferson's workforce, the types of tasks it completed, and the breakdown between hired and enslaved workers.
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![Details from a sketch by Thomas Jefferson of plans for a row buildings and spaces, including a "Joiner's Shop," a "Timber yard," and "Carpenter's Shop"]()
PageSkills
A look at skilled labor at Thomas Jefferson's Monticello and the role it played the development of the plantation and in the lives of its free and enslaved workers.
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![A watercolor depicting the Haitian uprising showing buildings on fire, people lying in the streets and being chased as they run to a harbor and the safety of a ship.]()
PageResistance
Learn more about the different ways enslaved people resisted the dehumanizing effects of slavery at Thomas Jefferson's Monticello.
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Slavery at Monticello
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