Henry S. Randall
Encyclopedia
Henry Stephens Randall was an American agriculturist, writer, educator and politician.
. He came as a young boy from Madison County, New York
to Cortland.
He wrote many articles for agricultural periodicals, and Sheep Husbandry, the "sheepman's bible" of the times.
On February 4, 1834, Henry married in Auburn, New York
, Jane Rebecca Polhemus, the daughter of Rev. Henry Polhemus and Jane (Anderson) Polhemus. They had a son, Roswell Stephens Randall born November 8, 1834, who married Mary Forby, of Albany, New York
. Henry's son Francis died on June 29, 1844, aged 21 months. His daughter Hattie S. Randall married D. J. Mosher, MD, on June 18, 1872.
In November 1849
, he ran for Secretary of State on the Democratic ticket but was defeated by Whig Christopher Morgan
. He was Secretary of State of New York
from 1852 to 1853, elected in November 1851
.
Randall wrote The Life of Thomas Jefferson
, published in three volumes in 1858, considered the most complete and authoritative biography ever written on Jefferson, because he was the only biographer permitted to interview Jefferson’s immediate family. In a letter to James Parton
he relates that the family believed Jefferson's nephew Peter Carr was the father of Sally Hemings
's children.
Randall was a delegate to the 1860 Democratic National Convention
at Charleston, South Carolina
. He was buried at the Cortland Rural Cemetery.
Life
He was the son of General Roswell Randall and Harriet (Stephens) Randall, of Shelburne, VermontShelburne, Vermont
Shelburne is a town in southwestern Chittenden County, Vermont, United States, along the shores of Lake Champlain. The population was 7,144 at the 2010 census.-History:...
. He came as a young boy from Madison County, New York
Madison County, New York
Madison County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 73,442. It is named after James Madison, fourth President of the United States of America...
to Cortland.
He wrote many articles for agricultural periodicals, and Sheep Husbandry, the "sheepman's bible" of the times.
On February 4, 1834, Henry married in Auburn, New York
Auburn, New York
Auburn is a city in Cayuga County, New York, United States of America. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 27,687...
, Jane Rebecca Polhemus, the daughter of Rev. Henry Polhemus and Jane (Anderson) Polhemus. They had a son, Roswell Stephens Randall born November 8, 1834, who married Mary Forby, of Albany, New York
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
. Henry's son Francis died on June 29, 1844, aged 21 months. His daughter Hattie S. Randall married D. J. Mosher, MD, on June 18, 1872.
In November 1849
New York state election, 1849
The 1849 New York state election was held on November 6, 1849, to elect the Secretary of State, the State Comptroller, the Attorney General, the State Treasurer, the State Engineer, a Judge of the New York Court of Appeals, a Canal Commissioner and an Inspector of State Prisons, as well as all...
, he ran for Secretary of State on the Democratic ticket but was defeated by Whig Christopher Morgan
Christopher Morgan
Christopher Morgan was a U.S. Representative from New York, brother of Edwin Barber Morgan and nephew of Noyes Barber.Born in Aurora, New York, Morgan pursued classical studies and was graduated from Yale College in 1830....
. He was Secretary of State of New York
Secretary of State of New York
The Secretary of State of New York is a cabinet officer in the government of the U.S. state of New York.The current Secretary of State of New York is Cesar A...
from 1852 to 1853, elected in November 1851
New York state election, 1851
The 1851 New York state election was held on November 4, 1851, to elect the Secretary of State, the State Comptroller, the Attorney General, the State Treasurer, the State Engineer, a Judge of the New York Court of Appeals, a Canal Commissioner and an Inspector of State Prisons, as well as all...
.
Randall wrote The Life of Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
, published in three volumes in 1858, considered the most complete and authoritative biography ever written on Jefferson, because he was the only biographer permitted to interview Jefferson’s immediate family. In a letter to James Parton
James Parton
James Parton was an England-born American biographer.-Biography:Parton was born in Canterbury, England in 1822. He was taken to the United States when he was five years old, studied in New York City and White Plains, New York, and was a schoolmaster in Philadelphia and then in New York...
he relates that the family believed Jefferson's nephew Peter Carr was the father of Sally Hemings
Sally Hemings
Sarah "Sally" Hemings was a mixed-race slave owned by President Thomas Jefferson through inheritance from his wife. She was the half-sister of Jefferson's wife, Martha Wayles Skelton Jefferson by their father John Wayles...
's children.
Randall was a delegate to the 1860 Democratic National Convention
1860 Democratic National Convention
The 1860 Democratic National Convention was one of the crucial events in the lead-up to the American Civil War. Following a fragmented official Democratic National Convention that was adjourned in deadlock, two more presidential nominating conventions took place: a resumed official convention,...
at Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
. He was buried at the Cortland Rural Cemetery.
Sources
- http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/jefferson/cron/1868randall.html His letter to James Parton about Thomas Jefferson
- http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/randall-randlett.html Political Graveyard
- http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ny/county/cortland/vitals/cs1872.htm His daughter's marriage, at Vital Statistics for Cortland County, transcribed from The Cortland County Standard
- http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ny/county/cortland/vitals/d1840-44.htm His son Francis's death, at Vital statistics of Cortland County, transcribed from Cortland Democrat
- http://www.cortlandhistory.com/people.htm Short bio, at Cortland History
- http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9B0DEFDC1030E333A25753C3A9619C94699ED7CF Obit of his sister Lucy Maria Randall Hoes