Ann-Elizabeth Fossett Isaacs
Ann-Elizabeth Fossett Isaacs (1812-1902) was an African American woman who was born into slavery at Monticello, the plantation owned by then former president Thomas Jefferson. She lived there until she was around the age of fifteen with her mother, a cook, and her father, a blacksmith, along with their other nine children. She would later be sold to a new owner, and eventually gain freedom, and after moving around from Ohio and Charlottesville, would eventually settle in Ross County, Ohio. It was here that she and her family were able to play an integral part in the Underground Railroad. Early life Ann-Elizabeth was the daughter of Edith Hern Fossett and Joseph Fossett, and their fourth child out of ten total. Edith was a chef at Monticello, who also worked at the White House while Jefferson held office. Joseph acted as the plantation’s chief blacksmith for twenty years, and was able to keep one sixth of the profits that were generated at his shop, a rarity for enslaved people at Monticello. Little is known of Fossett Isaacs exact role at Monticello, however it was typical for enslaved children there to take care of the younger enslaved children and perform tasks in