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Contribution #265 of 365
Isaac Granger Jefferson
Tinsmith, Blacksmith and Nail Manufacturer
1790s–1840s
The contribution
How this work helped shape America
Born enslaved in Virginia, Isaac Granger Jefferson developed specialized metalworking skills through training as a tinsmith in Philadelphia and work as a blacksmith and nailmaker at Monticello. In the first three months of 1796, he produced 507 pounds of nails in 47 working days while achieving the highest documented daily profit return among the nailers. After gaining his freedom in the 1820s, Jefferson moved to Petersburg, Virginia, where he continued practicing his skilled trade as a blacksmith into old age.