Thomas Jefferson Randolph
Encyclopedia
Thomas Jefferson Randolph (September 12, 1792 – October 8, 1875) of Albemarle County was a planter
and politician
who served in the Virginia House of Delegates
, was rector of the University of Virginia
, and was a colonel in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War
. He was notable as the oldest grandson of President Thomas Jefferson
and executor of his estate, and helped manage it during his grandfather's and mother's lives.
Since the late 20th century, Randolph has been notable for having been shown to give false information in telling the historian Henry Randall that his cousin (Thomas Jefferson's nephew), Peter Carr, was the father of Sally Hemings' children. He was likely trying to deflect attention from his grandfather, Thomas Jefferson. The Carr story was the basis for historians' denials of Jefferson's relationship. Since the late 20th century and a DNA study disproving any Carr genetic connection, most historians have come to accept that Jefferson had a long relationship with Sally Hemings and fathered her six children.
and Martha Jefferson Randolph
, the oldest son of their eleven children who survived. His mother was the eldest daughter, and he was the eldest grandson of United States President Thomas Jefferson
. Part of the time, he grew up at Monticello and was close to his grandfather.
. They had several children:
, Randolph was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates and served for years.
He had been close to his grandfather and was appointed executor of his estate in his will of 1826. Randolph had begun to manage Monticello for his mother and grandfather for a short period during Jefferson's lifetime. Because the estate was heavily encumbered by debt, Randolph ordered the sale of Monticello goods and property, including most of its 130 slaves. His mother gave Sally Hemings "her time", which informally allowed her to live freely in Charlottesville, Virginia
with her two younger sons. Jefferson had formally freed Madison
and Eston
in his will, after allowing their older brother and sister to "escape" in 1822.
In 1829, Randolph published Memoir, Correspondence And Miscellanies: From The Papers Of Thomas Jefferson. It was the first collection of Jefferson's writings.
After Nat Turner's slave rebellion of 1831, Randolph introduced a post nati emancipation
plan in the Virginia House of Delegates. This would have provided for gradual emancipation
of children born into slavery after they served an apprenticeship and came of age. It was defeated.
From 1857 to 1864 Randolph served as the rector
of the University of Virginia
, where he succeeded Andrew Stevenson
. During the Civil War, he also held a colonel’s commission in the Confederate Army. Most planters were excused from active service.
Continuing to be active in politics after the war, Randolph served as the temporary chairman of the 1872 Democratic National Convention.
' children to his grandfather, their master. In relation to rumors that Jefferson had children with Hemings, he is reported to have said:
But in the 1850s Randolph told the biographer Henry Randall that Jefferson's nephew Peter Carr had been the father of Hemings' children. He also said that Jefferson had been absent when one of the Hemings children was conceived, so could not be the father. Randall passed this on to James Parton, and suggested his own confirmation of the material. The two elements were the basis for Parton's denial of the story in his 1874 biography of Jefferson, as well as by the succeeding 20th-century historians, Merrill Peterson and Douglass Adair
. In addition, Randolph's sister Ellen wrote to her husband identifying Samuel Carr, Peter's brother, as the father of Hemings' children. The 20th-century historian Dumas Malone
used this letter to refute the issue, and was the first to publish it in his book in the 1970s.
Later 20th-century historians used Malone's timeline of Jefferson's activities to determine that the president was at Monticello for the conception of each of Hemings' children. The Carrs were disproved as possible fathers by the results of the 1998 DNA study
. It showed a match between the Jefferson male line and a descendant of Eston Hemings, Sally's youngest son. No genetic link existed to the Carr male line. As the historian Andrew Burstein has said, "[T]he white Jefferson descendants who established the family denial in the mid-nineteenth century cast responsibility for paternity on two Jefferson nephews (children of Jefferson’s sister) whose DNA was not a match. So, as far as can be reconstructed, there are no Jeffersons other than the president who had the degree of physical access to Sally Hemings that he did."
Planter
Planter may refer to:*A flower pot or box for plants**Jardinière, one such type of pot*A person or object engaged in sowing seeds**Planter , implement towed behind a tractor, used for sowing crops through a field*A coloniser...
and politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
who served in the Virginia House of Delegates
Virginia House of Delegates
The Virginia House of Delegates is the lower house of the Virginia General Assembly. It has 100 members elected for terms of two years; unlike most states, these elections take place during odd-numbered years. The House is presided over by the Speaker of the House, who is elected from among the...
, was rector of the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
, and was a colonel in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. He was notable as the oldest grandson of President 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...
and executor of his estate, and helped manage it during his grandfather's and mother's lives.
Since the late 20th century, Randolph has been notable for having been shown to give false information in telling the historian Henry Randall that his cousin (Thomas Jefferson's nephew), Peter Carr, was the father of Sally Hemings' children. He was likely trying to deflect attention from his grandfather, Thomas Jefferson. The Carr story was the basis for historians' denials of Jefferson's relationship. Since the late 20th century and a DNA study disproving any Carr genetic connection, most historians have come to accept that Jefferson had a long relationship with Sally Hemings and fathered her six children.
Early life and education
Thomas Jefferson Randolph was the son of Thomas Mann Randolph Jr.Thomas Mann Randolph Jr.
Thomas Mann Randolph Jr. was a planter, soldier, and politician from Virginia. He served as a member of both houses of the Virginia General Assembly, a Representative in the U.S. Congress, and as the 21st Governor of Virginia, from 1819-1822.He married Martha Jefferson, the oldest daughter of...
and Martha Jefferson Randolph
Martha Jefferson Randolph
Martha Washington Jefferson Randolph was the daughter of Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States, and his wife Martha Wayles Skelton Jefferson. She was born in Monticello, near Charlottesville, Virginia and was named in honor of her mother and of Martha Washington, wife of...
, the oldest son of their eleven children who survived. His mother was the eldest daughter, and he was the eldest grandson of United States President 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...
. Part of the time, he grew up at Monticello and was close to his grandfather.
Marriage and family
In 1815 Randolph married Jane Hollins Nicholas, daughter of Wilson Cary NicholasWilson Cary Nicholas
Wilson Cary Nicholas was an American politician who served in the U.S. Senate from 1799 to 1804 and was the 19th Governor of Virginia from 1814 to 1816....
. They had several children:
- Margaret Smith Randolph (1816-1843)
- Mary Randolph (1818-1821)
- Martha Jefferson Randolph (1817-1857)
- Carey Anne Randolph (1820-1859)
- Ellen Wayles Randolph (1823-1896)
- Maria Jefferson Carr Randolph (1826-1902)
- Caroline Ramsey Randolph (1828-1902)
- Thomas Jefferson Randolph (1829-1872)
- Jane Randolph (1831-1868)
- Wilson Cary Nicholas Randolph (1834-1907)
- Meriweather Randolph (1837-1871)
- Sarah Randolph (1839- )
Career
A planterPlanter
Planter may refer to:*A flower pot or box for plants**Jardinière, one such type of pot*A person or object engaged in sowing seeds**Planter , implement towed behind a tractor, used for sowing crops through a field*A coloniser...
, Randolph was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates and served for years.
He had been close to his grandfather and was appointed executor of his estate in his will of 1826. Randolph had begun to manage Monticello for his mother and grandfather for a short period during Jefferson's lifetime. Because the estate was heavily encumbered by debt, Randolph ordered the sale of Monticello goods and property, including most of its 130 slaves. His mother gave Sally Hemings "her time", which informally allowed her to live freely in Charlottesville, Virginia
Charlottesville, Virginia
Charlottesville is an independent city geographically surrounded by but separate from Albemarle County in the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States, and named after Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the queen consort of King George III of the United Kingdom.The official population estimate for...
with her two younger sons. Jefferson had formally freed Madison
Madison Hemings
Madison Hemings, born James Madison Hemings , was born into slavery as the son of the mixed-race slave Sally Hemings; he was freed after the death of his master Thomas Jefferson. Based on historical evidence, most historians believe that Jefferson, United States president, was his father...
and Eston
Eston Hemings
Eston Hemings Jefferson was born a slave at Monticello, the youngest son of Sally Hemings, a mixed-race slave. Most historians believe that his father was Thomas Jefferson, the United States president. Evidence from a 1998 DNA test showed that Eston's descendants matched those of the male...
in his will, after allowing their older brother and sister to "escape" in 1822.
In 1829, Randolph published Memoir, Correspondence And Miscellanies: From The Papers Of Thomas Jefferson. It was the first collection of Jefferson's writings.
After Nat Turner's slave rebellion of 1831, Randolph introduced a post nati emancipation
Emancipation
Emancipation means the act of setting an individual or social group free or making equal to citizens in a political society.Emancipation may also refer to:* Emancipation , a champion Australian thoroughbred racehorse foaled in 1979...
plan in the Virginia House of Delegates. This would have provided for gradual emancipation
Emancipation
Emancipation means the act of setting an individual or social group free or making equal to citizens in a political society.Emancipation may also refer to:* Emancipation , a champion Australian thoroughbred racehorse foaled in 1979...
of children born into slavery after they served an apprenticeship and came of age. It was defeated.
From 1857 to 1864 Randolph served as the rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
of the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
, where he succeeded Andrew Stevenson
Andrew Stevenson
Andrew Stevenson was a Democratic politician in the United States. Educated at the College of William and Mary, he married three times. His second wife, Sarah Coles, was a cousin of Dolley Madison and sister of Edward Coles, a governor of Illinois...
. During the Civil War, he also held a colonel’s commission in the Confederate Army. Most planters were excused from active service.
Continuing to be active in politics after the war, Randolph served as the temporary chairman of the 1872 Democratic National Convention.
Jefferson-Hemings controversy
Randolph noted the strong resemblance of Sally HemingsSally 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...
' children to his grandfather, their master. In relation to rumors that Jefferson had children with Hemings, he is reported to have said:
But in the 1850s Randolph told the biographer Henry Randall that Jefferson's nephew Peter Carr had been the father of Hemings' children. He also said that Jefferson had been absent when one of the Hemings children was conceived, so could not be the father. Randall passed this on to James Parton, and suggested his own confirmation of the material. The two elements were the basis for Parton's denial of the story in his 1874 biography of Jefferson, as well as by the succeeding 20th-century historians, Merrill Peterson and Douglass Adair
Douglass Adair
Douglass Greybill Adair was an American historian who specialized in intellectual history. He is best known for his work in researching the authorship of disputed numbers of the Federalist Papers, and his influential studies in the history and influence of republicanism in the United States during...
. In addition, Randolph's sister Ellen wrote to her husband identifying Samuel Carr, Peter's brother, as the father of Hemings' children. The 20th-century historian Dumas Malone
Dumas Malone
Dumas Malone was an American historian, biographer, and editor noted for his six-volume biography on Thomas Jefferson, for which he received the 1975 Pulitzer Prize for history...
used this letter to refute the issue, and was the first to publish it in his book in the 1970s.
Later 20th-century historians used Malone's timeline of Jefferson's activities to determine that the president was at Monticello for the conception of each of Hemings' children. The Carrs were disproved as possible fathers by the results of the 1998 DNA study
Jefferson DNA Data
The Jefferson-Hemings controversy concerns the question of whether there was an intimate relationship between Thomas Jefferson and his mixed-race slave, Sally Hemings. The controversy started as early as the 1790s...
. It showed a match between the Jefferson male line and a descendant of Eston Hemings, Sally's youngest son. No genetic link existed to the Carr male line. As the historian Andrew Burstein has said, "[T]he white Jefferson descendants who established the family denial in the mid-nineteenth century cast responsibility for paternity on two Jefferson nephews (children of Jefferson’s sister) whose DNA was not a match. So, as far as can be reconstructed, there are no Jeffersons other than the president who had the degree of physical access to Sally Hemings that he did."
Further reading
- Freehling, William W., The Road to Disunion (1990).
- Randolph, Sarah Nicholas. The Domestic Life of Thomas Jefferson: Compiled from Family Letters and Reminiscences (1871), discusses the relationship between Thomas J. Randolph and his maternal grandfather Thomas Jefferson.