Central Anchor

Betty Brown

Daughter of Elizabeth "Betty" Hemings. Her father is unknown. Some of her sons also have unknown fathers. Together we aim to solve one of the most compelling mysteries in African American family history.

The Mystery

At the center of our investigation stands Betty Brown, the daughter of Elizabeth "Betty" Hemings, the matriarch of the Hemings family enslaved by President Thomas Jefferson. While her mother is well-documented in Jefferson's records, Betty Brown's father remains unknown.

But the mystery does not end there. Some of Betty Brown's sons also have unknown fathers, creating additional branches of uncertainty that we are actively working to resolve through DNA analysis and archival research.

Key Figures in Betty Brown's Lineage

Individuals whose documented connections may illuminate the paternal lines of Betty Brown and her children.

Elizabeth "Betty" Hemings

Matriarch

The matriarch of the Hemings family, inherited by Jefferson through his wife, Martha Wayles Skelton. Her descendants formed one of the most documented enslaved families in American history.

Hemings FamilyJefferson

Sally Hemings

Daughter of Betty Hemings

Daughter of Betty Hemings and mother of several children fathered by Thomas Jefferson.

Hemings FamilyJefferson

Wormley Hughes

Key Research Figure

A prominent enslaved man at Monticello who served as a gardener, wagon driver, and caretaker of the Monticello cemetery. Son of Betty Brown's sister, Mary Hemings Bell, and brother-in-law to Sally Hemings. After Jefferson's death he was hired out and eventually purchased his freedom. His documented connections to the Hemings family make him a critical figure in understanding the kinship networks surrounding Betty Brown.

MonticelloHemings FamilyGardener

Colbert Brown

Key Research Figure

A member of the Colbert Freedmen community of the Creek Nation, whose name appears repeatedly in DNA matches and archival records. The Colbert naming pattern connects to Betty Brown's descendants through chromosomal evidence and may reveal links between the Hemings family of Virginia and the Colbert Freedmen of the Creek Nation.

Colbert FreedmenCreek NationDNA Match

Research Strategy

Triangulating DNA & Archives

By triangulating DNA evidence with archival records, the cooperative aims to determine the identities of Betty Brown's father and the fathers of her children, and to trace how these lineages connect to broader kinship networks across Virginia, Georgia, and beyond.

Key record sets include the Monticello Enslaved Community Database, the Colbert Freedmen records, Jefferson's Farm Book, estate documents, and the Watkins DNA matrix.

Explore Our Research

DNA Triangulation

Use the Watkins DNA matrix and Gedmatch comparisons to identify chromosomal overlaps pointing to shared paternal ancestors.

Archival Cross-Reference

Cross-check genetic findings with plantation records, estate auctions, census data, and Freedmen rolls to confirm relationships.

Help Solve the Betty Brown Mystery

If you have DNA matches, archival records, or family oral history connected to Betty Brown or the Hemings line, your contribution could be the missing piece.

Join the Cooperative