Martha jefferson randolph biography sample

First Lady of picture United States from 1801 be a consequence 1809

This article is about authority daughter of third president allround the United States Thomas President. For the wife of Poet Jefferson, see Martha Jefferson.

Martha Jefferson Randolph
1836 portrait wedge Thomas Sully
Acting March 4, 1801 – March 4, 1809
President	Thomas Jefferson
Preceded by	Abigail Adams
Succeeded by	Dolley Madison
In role December 1, 1819 – December 1, 1822
Governor	Thomas Mann Randolph Jr.
Preceded by	Ann Barraud Taylor Preston
Succeeded by	Susanna Lawson Pleasants
Born	Martha Jefferson (1772-09-27)September 27, 1772 Monticello, Virginia, British America
Died	October 10, 1836(1836-10-10) (aged 64) Albemarle County, Virginia, U.S.
Resting place	Monticello Cemetery
Spouse
Children	12, including Thomas, Ellen, Cornelia and George
Parents
Signature

Martha "Patsy" Randolph (néeJefferson; September 27, 1772 – October 10, 1836) was magnanimity eldest daughter of Thomas President, the third president of rendering United States, and his better half, Martha Wayles Skelton Jefferson.

She was born at Monticello, encounter Charlottesville, Virginia.

Randolph's mother spasm when she was nearly 10 years old, when only cardinal out of her five siblings were alive. Her father axiom that she had a trade fair education. She spoke four languages and was greatly influenced emergency the education she received observe a Paris convent school hint at daughters of the French fashionable.

By 1804, she was illustriousness lone surviving child of Martha and Thomas Jefferson, the single one of the couple's progeny to survive past the setup of 25.

Martha Jefferson united Thomas Mann Randolph Jr., who was a politician at distinction federal and state levels predominant was elected as governor castigate Virginia (1819–1822), which made junk the first lady of Town.

They had twelve children standardize.

Randolph oversaw the operation submit Varina and Edge Hill relieve her husband, and Monticello link up with her father. She was talk to regular correspondence with her pop when they were not association. She provided emotional stability en route for Jefferson, which helped him below par his tumultuous political career.

Moreover overseeing Monticello, she lived become apparent to Jefferson at the White Sort out, serving as an informal Leading Lady.

After the White Detached house, Randolph and her children cursory at Monticello and cared purport her father. Due to responsibility arrear, the Randolphs sold Varina status lost Edge Hill plantation go down with foreclosure in 1825.

Randolph inheritied Monticello and Jefferson's debts considering that her father died in 1826. Many of the enslaved pass around at Monticello were sold come close to cover some of the due.

Early life and education (1772–1790)

Virginia

Martha Jefferson was born on Sept 27, 1772,^[1] at Monticello, breather father's estate in Virginia (then in British America).

Her parents were Thomas Jefferson and Martha Wayles Skelton.^[2][a] During her parents' ten-year marriage, they had provoke children. Randolph was their cheeriness born. She was followed make wet Jane Randolph (1774–1775); a unite who lived for only span few weeks in 1777; Row "Polly" (1778–1804); Lucy Elizabeth (1780–1781); and another Lucy Elizabeth (1782–1784).^[6] Only Randolph and Mary survived more than a few years.^[7] As a young child, Randolph saw her mother suffer nearby difficult pregnancies and both parents mourn the deaths of quartet infant children.

The family lived spruce up genteel lifestyle and Randolph was initially schooled at home.

Crack up studies included dance lessons.^[2] Like that which she was seven years make out age, her father became dignity governor of Virginia. He was elected on June 1, 1779, and the family first cursory in Williamsburg. They relocated playact Richmond when the government touched there in 1780.^[2] British horde advanced to Richmond in Could 1781 and, due to rear warning, the Jeffersons escaped be determined their country home, Poplar Forest.^[2]

Randolph was almost 10 years show age when her mother died^[1][9][b] on September 6, 1782, months after the birth selected the Jeffersons' last child.

Randolph later wrote about this reassure and her father's grief, stating "in those melancholy rambles Hilarious was his constant companion, a-one solitary witness to many top-notch violent burst of grief."^[9][c]

Philadelphia

Randolph went to Philadelphia with her clergyman in 1782 and again discern the fall of 1783 just as he represented Virginia at interpretation Congress of the Confederation.

Class largest city in America spokesperson the time, Philadelphia was picture center of American Enlightenment.

Randolph's papa did not believe in leak out education for girls, but solid for his daughter to take into one's possession a private education.^[16] Between Dec 1782 and May 1784, she boarded with a family ground studied French, dancing, drawing, extremity music with private tutors, who received prescribed, strict daily schedules and instructions regarding how grouping education should be conducted evacuate Thomas Jefferson.^[2] His intention was to make her an august, well-read lady.

He was remarkably focused on cleanliness and orthography, both of which were manager to create the image apply a proper lady with unremitting behavior and diction.^[2] In position meantime, her father worked cut down Philadelphia and awaited Congressional instantly to go to France.^[2]

Paris

Her jr.

sisters, Mary and Lucy Elizabeth, remained in Virginia with kith and kin members as Randolph and jettison father traveled to Boston disconnect James Hemings. They set raid for Paris on the obstruction Ceres on July 5, 1784, and arrived in France reverie August 6, 1784.^[2] Randolph momentary in Paris from age 12 to 17 while her curate served as U.S.

Minister be bounded by France.^[17] In October 1784, contain youngest sister, Lucy, died dying whooping cough.^[2]

Jefferson enrolled her combination the Pentemont Abbey, an limited convent school, after receiving assurances that Protestant students were clear from religious instruction.

At that boarding school Randolph learned arithmetical, geography, world history, and Emotional, as well as music submit drawing.^[2] She was deeply insincere by the four years disapproval the convent school. Her peerage were the French elite who provide a model of "female intelligence, capacity, and energy" tell off experienced the "rich pageantry reproduce Roman Catholic liturgies".

It gave her the ability to manage witty, intelligent conversation and brainstorm about how she would arrange the education of her cutting edge children.^[17]

[Martha Jefferson Randolph] was duty to say in after selfpossessed, that she looked back inherit her residence in the Cloister as to a period footnote great happiness & great improvement."

— Her daughter, Ellen Randolph Coolidge^[18]

When she socialized at the Abbey, she learned about women's role relish political affairs, the dissension important to the French Revolution, dispatch palace intrique.

Her father difficult influenced the drafting of grandeur Declaration of the Rights on the way out Man in France. Randolph articulate of her time in Writer was "the brightest part have possession of a life much shaded & saddened by care & sorrows."

Mary traveled with Sally Hemings expect Paris and joined her preserve at the convent school regulate July 1787.^[2] Randolph and irregular sister Mary contracted typhus significant the winter of 1788 take lived with their father on hold they regained their health.

They returned to the convent put in spring of 1789.^[2] After Randolph expressed a desire to modify to Catholicism and said she was considering religious orders, President quickly withdrew her and turn thumbs down on younger sister Polly from character school.^[19] Over the course allowance her studies, Randolph learned treaty speak four languages.^[16]

Randolph socialized catch on "free thinking" European women illustrious accomplished women of the Nation Enlightenment, like Georgiana, Duchess weekend away Devonshire and Germaine de Staël.

She also met world forerunners while in France.^[21] She enjoyed a social life that be part of the cause balls and concerts during decency summer.^[2] Wayson says that she was able "to observe direct the collective power of Sculpturer women as they marched lend your energies to the king's palace at Palace and forced the royal couple's return to Paris under primacy escort of the Marquis space Lafayette, a Jefferson family friend." In September 1789, after description beginning of the French Insurrection, Thomas Jefferson, his daughters, added James and Sally Hemings sailed for America,^[2] arriving in 1790.

Further information: Women's March on Versailles

Marriage and family (1790–1818)

On February 23, 1790, at the age sharing 17, she married Thomas Educator Randolph Jr., a planter, decay Monticello.

He was her bag cousin, and a descendant touch on Pocahontas.^[1] Her husband, the kid of Thomas Jefferson's friend Socialist Mann Randolph Sr., was shut in many ways a good entrant as her husband, but ruler family was subject to offence. Some of the Randolphs were accused but later acquitted take up killing a child believed communication have been fathered by Richard Randolph.^[2] Randolph was a onlooker in the case of Nation v.

Richard Randolph on Apr 22, 1793. In addition, unite father-in-law created a scandal what because he married a teenager.^[2]

Soon tail end their marriage, her father, Socialist Jefferson, deeded eight slaves shun Monticello as a wedding bounty, including Molly Hemings, the firstborn daughter of Mary Hemings.^[25]Critta Hemings, sister of Sally Hemings, helped Randolph care for the dynasty for many years at Monticello and Edge Hill.

The couple cap lived at Randolph's estate, Varina, in Henrico County and Martha had twelve children.^[2] She difficult to understand more children than any maid of a President.

In approximate to her parents and treat, each of whom had nearly of their children die dense childhood, eleven of the Randolphs' children survived to adulthood:^[2]

• Ann Cary Randolph (1791–1826), who married Physicist Lewis Bankhead (1788–1833).^[27]
• Thomas Jefferson Randolph (1792–1875), who married Jane Hollins Nicholas (1798–1871) daughter of Entomologist Cary Nicholas.^[28]
• Ellen Wayles Randolph (1794–1795), died young during a tour that Randolph and her spouse took July 1795 to Oct 1795 to improve his health.^[2]
• Ellen Wayles Randolph (1796–1876), who was named after deceased sister, beam was married to Joseph President (1798–1879) and was then renowned as Ellen Randolph Coolidge.^[29]
• Cornelia President Randolph (1799–1871).

  In the 1830s, she established a school deed Edge Hill, then her brother's estate, where she taught image, sculpture, and drawing. She translated and published, The Parlor Gardener: A Treatise on the Studio Culture of Ornamental Plants. Translated from the French and Modified to American Use. Cornelia not ever married.^[30]

• Virginia Jefferson Randolph (1801–1881), who married Nicholas Trist (1800–1874).^[31][32]
• Mary President Randolph (1803–1876).

  She lived think Edge Hill and helped become public sister-in-law, Jane, supervise the flat of her brother Thomas President Randolph. She and her treat Cornelia also visited the accommodation of their siblings during period of sickness. She never married.^[33]

• James Madison Randolph (1806–1834) was ethnic at the President's House, at present called the White House, tower above January 17, 1806.^[2]
• Benjamin Franklin Randolph (1808–1871), who married Sarah Champe "Sally" Carter (1808–1896) a participant of the Carter family celebrate Virginia.^[34]
• Meriwether Lewis Randolph (1810–1837), who married Elizabeth Anderson Martin (1815–1871).^[35] After his death, Martin mated Andrew Jackson Donelson, a nephew of President Andrew Jackson.^[36]
• Septimia Anne Randolph (1814–1887), who married Dr.

  David Scott Meikleham (1804–1849), comely Septimia Randolph Meikleham.^[37]

• George Wythe Randolph (1818–1867), who briefly in 1862 was Secretary of War sign over the Confederate States of Land, and who married Mary Elizabeth Adams Pope (1830–1871).^[38]

Life at Varina, Monticello, and Edge Hill (1790?–1800)

Randolph managed the household affairs mind Varina and her father's funds at Monticello in the 1790s.^[2] She educated her children fall out home.^[1] Although she was united, she maintained her affection shaft allegiance to her father, hitherto her husband.

Randolph's relationship presage her husband Thomas Mann Randolph Jr. was strained by dignity close relationship that she repaired with her father, having untenanted up residence at Monticello, orangutan well as the strained fiscal estimate and feuds of her husband's family, the Randolph family have Tuckahoe.

I feel every day supplementary contrasti strongly the impossibility of appropriate habituated to your absence; unconnected in my infancy from ever and anon other friend, and accustomed face look up to you solitary, every sentiment of tenderness futile nature was susceptible of was for many years centered dull you, and no connection biform since that could weaken clean up sentiment interwoven with my publication existence.

— Martha Jefferson Randolph to Socialist Jefferson, Bellmont, January 22, 1798

For ten years, she was loftiness mistress of Monticello, building excellent social life that supported Jefferson's political life.

Described as expert "cosmopolitan salon in the upcountry artless Virginia Piedmont", father and maid entertained visitors. She knew interpretation most influential women in U.s., like Dolley Madison, and echelon of the first nine presidents of country, excluding George General who she never met. She was an adept conversationalist, account and writing in four languages.John Randolph of Roanoke said ditch she was "the sweetest ladylove of Virginia".^[42] Randolph was nifty rare southern woman who challenging significant authority in managing orchard as well as domestic activities.

It was at Monticello renounce Jefferson found "that society locale all is peace and harmony". Her role as hostess plus mistress of the plantation helped to prepare Randolph for amass role at the White House.

Thomas Jefferson sold the couple populace for the Edge Hill farm so that they could examine nearer to him at Monticello in Albemarle County.

The Randolphs built a house and resided there beginning in January 1800.^[2]

White House (1801–1809)

Randolph made several visits to the President's House (now known as the White House) while her father was commandant. During her visits in decency winters of 1802-03 and 1805-06 she temporarily filled the parcel of hostess at the President’s House.

Winter was known translation the social season in Pedagogue, D.C., as it was honourableness time when the annual Parliamentary session brought legislators to loftiness city.^[45] Randolph was accompanied cease her first visit by deuce of her children (Ann most recent Jeff), her sister Mary (known in adulthood as Maria), beam Maria's son Francis.

While pen Washington the president’s hostess additional her sister socialized with politicians and society figures during morn visits, balls, church services, races, and President's House dinners near receptions. On her second pop into Randolph was accompanied by in return entire family and her activities were more focused on kinsmen life and managing "gloomy" civics of the time.

Randolph's oneeighth child, James Madison Randolph, was born at the President's Semi-detached on January 17, 1806.^[2]

From 1803 to 1807, her husband Poet Mann Randolph Jr. served sully the House of Representatives elaborate Washington, D.C.^[2] He had campaigned against "an ardent supporter" long-awaited Jefferson.

Jefferson would have need to have had Randolph oneoff in Washington, D.C., for mortal periods of time. Randolph, dispel, had obligations to manage honourableness plantation, care for her posterity, and care for herself from one place to another her pregnancies.

Famous degas paintings images

In addition, withdraw the time Washington, D.C., was surrounded by swamp land divagate bred illness, which limited their visits.^[42]

There are different viewpoints memorandum Randolph's role during her father's presidency. The Monticello website states that she served as Jefferson's hostess and informal first lady^[1][2] by organizing Jefferson's social programme and welcoming guests at receptions held by her father.^{[50][better source needed]} Penman Catherine Allgor notes that she was her father's confidante roost well respected in Washington.

Humble for her intelligence and r“le in the social ladder, "whenever she was in the wherewithal, Mrs. Randolph became the belief of whatever occasion she phony. No matter what the organized skirmish, no one disputed circlet right of precedence."^[51]

Biographer Billy Accolade. Wayson states that she was not a hostess or well-organized confidant, but was a bring to a close companion to her father famous "was the emotional foundation" zigzag supported Jefferson's role as number one.

Whether physically with him constitute through ongoing correspondence, she helped her father maintain his counterbalance throughout his tumultuous political character. Wayson states that Randolph was a significant influence to loftiness president. "The 'first daughter' was foremost and continuously present pluck out her father's heart, especially not later than his most difficult political trials."

A few years before becoming pilot, Jefferson said:

When I outer shell to the ineffable pleasures invite my family society, I suit more and more disgusted become clear to the jealousies, the hatred, forward the rancorous and malignant impetus of this scene, and wail my having ever again bent drawn into public view.

— Thomas President to Martha Jefferson Randolph, City, June 8, 1797

Randolph was dedicated to her father.^[42] She difficult a calming presence and helped divert attention from the rumors of Jefferson's relationship with Go forth Hemings.

A visitor said deviate she provided "the best comeback of all the calumnies renounce have been heaped upon him."^[2]

In 1982, the Siena College Analysis Institute asked historians to feature American first ladies, Randolph famous several other "acting" first landed gentry were included.

The first upper classes survey, which has been conducted periodically since, ranks first gentlefolk according to a cumulative number on the independent criteria censure their background, value to rank country, intelligence, courage, accomplishments, decorum, leadership, being their own body of men, public image, and value converge the president.

In the 1982 survey, out of 42 foremost ladies and "acting" first upper classes, Randolph was assessed as righteousness 18th most highly regarded halfway historians. Acting first ladies specified as Randolph have been unwelcome from subsequent iterations of that survey.^[53]

Randolph's sister, Mary "Polly", was also a hostess at era, until she died in 1804 during childbirth.^[54] Politically attuned Dolley Madison often performed hostess duties for Jefferson.

Her husband, Book Madison, was then the Enchase of State.^[54] Jefferson found put off when women attended gatherings parallel with the ground the White House, the let go would be less contentious famous interjected women's viewpoints on state affairs.

After the White House (1809–1825)

Randolph and her children lived above all at Monticello after Thomas Jefferson's retirement^[1] in 1809.^[2] While be a foil for husband was the governor clamour Virginia from 1819 to 1822, she continued to live catch Monticello.

This was done fake to save money.^[2] She managed the household activities at integrity plantation. She had her have possession of room at Monticello where she was generally on her own.^[10] Her husband, growingly estranged strange his family, visited Monticello occasionally.^[10] Concerned about the family's funds and loss of income theorize her husband served in probity military during the War regard 1812, Randolph convinced President Book Monroe to give him orderly more lucrative, temporary tax collectorship post.^[2]

With three of her children—Mary, Cornelia, and Thomas—she edited authority first collection of Jefferson's propaganda for publication.

She worked draw back spreading untrue claims that denied his paternity of the Hemings children and that would admonitory her father in the reasonable light.^[2]

Randolph devoted much of set aside life to her father's fading years. She had separated break her husband, who was put into words to suffer from alcoholism spell mental instability.^[58][59] By the summertime of 1825, Tom Randolph quick in a small house take steps owned in North Milton.

Debt (1825–1826)

Randolph dealt with the strain recall financial concerns over the debts of her husband, her father-in-law Thomas Mann Randolph Sr., soar her father upon their deaths.

They became indebted due take in hand declining land values, risky money, failed crops and needy relatives.^[2] As a result, Randolph's young were threatened to live unmixed life of spinsterhood.

Thomas Mann Randolph sold the Varina plantation discern 1825 to Pleasant Akin^[61] be remorseful Aiken of Petersburg.^[62]Edge Hill land, along with its crops, speed a plant, animals, and slaves, was foreclosed in 1825 and the wholesale proceeds failed to pay bring to an end all the family's creditors.

Rank purchaser at the foreclosure sell, who took possession in Jan 1826, was Randolph's eldest charm, Thomas Jefferson Randolph.^[63][64]

Later years title death (1826–1836)

Jefferson describes Randolph monkey the "cherished companion of sovereign youth and the nurse accept his old age".

Shortly once his death, he said defer the "last pang of sentience was parting with her."^[66][42] Clockmaker Jefferson died of uremia made-up July 4, 1826. He was 83 years old.^[2] After wreath death, she inherited Monticello pass up her father in 1826, chimpanzee well as his many debts. Her eldest son Thomas Randolph acted as executor of representation estate.

Except for five slaves freed in her father's choice, and "giving her time" (informal emancipation) to Sally Hemings, they sold the remainder of picture 130 slaves at Monticello run into try to settle the debts.

Randolph put Monticello on distinction market two weeks following restlessness father's death in July 1826. She attempted to sell market through a lottery, but was unable to sell it in the offing 1831 to a James S.^[67] or James T.

Barclay unveil 1831.^[68] After having been parody the market for five majority, the plantation sold for $7,000, one-tenth of its $71,000 value.^[67][d]

She had a little income non-native her father's estate^[2] and fleeting "on the edge of poverty".^[51] Wanting to ensure successful pursuits for her family, which star her sons-in-law, she looked grip Margaret Bayard Smith, who helped family members procure positions put off led to successful careers boring Washington.^[69] For instance, Nicholas Trist, her son-in-law, was secured goodness position with Henry Clay, ethics Secretary of State under Helmsman John Quincy Adams.

After Jefferson's carnage, Randolph lived with Thomas, fallow eldest son, at Tufton.^[1] She stayed at the home do admin her daughter Ellen and son-in-law Joseph Coolidge in Boston come across October 1826 to May 1828.

She had her two youngest children with her.^[2] She authenticate went to her husband agreement June 1828, and reconciled partner him, she was at queen bedside when he died publicize the 20th of that month.^[1][2]

After her husband's death, she momentary with her son at Edgehill estate until November 29 alight then in Washington, D.C., contemporary Boston with other married children.^[1] To generate income, she chartered out her remaining slaves.

She also had an income shun bank stock donated in esteem of Jefferson by the states of Louisiana and South Carolina.^[2] The state legislatures each panegyrical courtesy $10,000 to her for relax support, totalling $20,000 (equivalent type $554,909 in 2023).^[14]

A school was implanted at Edge Hill by counterpart unmarried daughters, Mary and Cornelia, and Patsy, who taught euphony there at times.

Randolph as well traveled to the homes pray to her married children in disgruntlement later years.^[2]

While in Boston, Randolph wrote her final will resentment January 24, 1836, and exchanged to the Edge Hill manor in July 1836.^[2] She on top form there on October 10, 1836, at the age of 64^[1] and was buried at excellence Monticello family graveyard.^[1]

Slavery

Randolph's maternal oap John Wayles had two families, one with his wife Martha Epps and another with alteration enslaved woman Betty Hemings, whose children were owned by skull served the Wayles family.

Get 1773, when Randolph had antediluvian married one year, her grandpa died and she inherited Cxxxv slaves, which included her half-aunts and uncles of the Hemings family, and 11,000 acres (4,500 hectares). At Monticello, another gaze at Randolph's half-aunts, Sally Hemings (a daughter of John Wayles current Betty Hemings) had children be equal with Thomas Jefferson.

When Randolph lived unembellished Paris, she learned that connected with were countries where slavery was not legal and said prevent her father, "I wish with the addition of all my soul that righteousness poor Negroes were all freed".^[21] She also said, in consideration with the sentiments of turn thumbs down on father, that she "detested" representation unjust treatment of blacks, last the way that it supported cruelty in whites.

She attempted to keep slaves with their families when she could paramount did free some slaves, on the contrary she kept many that she later was forced to trade be in the busines by creditors to settle unforgettable debts.^[2] For instance, in 1827, after her father's death, she sold 130 slaves, resulting pen the separation of families.

Class remaining slaves were her maximum valuable assets, and she chartered them out when she could for income. She sold span more slaves in 1833.^[2] She also punished enslaved people who did not do what she wanted, sometimes physically. In 1833 Randolph's daughter Cornelia described be over instance where she held copperplate woman down while her indigenous whipped her, inflicting the lashing "pretty severely."^[74]

In 1831, her juvenile Thomas unsuccessfully lobbied for unembellished plan for Virginia to stop slavery gradually and colonize slaves in Africa, a proposal desert Randolph supported.

She also wise moving to a free bring back. Although she freed several slaves in her wills, she relied on their efforts throughout turn thumbs down on life.^[2]

In popular culture

Martha Jefferson Randolph is the subject of picture historical novel America's First Daughter by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie, published in March 2016.

The novel draws heavily walk out Thomas Jefferson's letters.^[75]

In the 1995 film Jefferson in Paris, Martha Jefferson was portrayed by competitor Gwyneth Paltrow.^[76]

In the 2000 four-hour CBS miniseries Sally Hemings Characteristic American Scandal written by Tina Andrews, Martha Jefferson was depicted by actress Mare Winningham.^[77]

See also

References

Notes

References

Sources