Ben was enslaved by Thomas Jefferson’s brother, Randolph Jefferson, at his Buckingham County plantation, Snowden. His father, Peter, was Randolph Jefferson’s personal servant. In 1796 Thomas Jefferson purchased Ben, then aged eleven, to work in the Monticello nail factory. Thereafter Jefferson sometimes referred to him as Snowden Ben, to distinguish him from another Ben in the nailery. In later years he was a farm laborer. At some point before 1817 he became Lily Hern’s second husband. In 1829 they were sold together at auction to University professor George Blaettermann for $385. Life dates: 1785-after 1829