Randolph Jefferson
Encyclopedia
Randolph Jefferson was the younger brother of Thomas Jefferson
. He was Thomas' only brother to survive infancy, and was a twin to Anna Scott, Thomas' youngest sister. Randolph was 12 years younger than Thomas. He married his first cousin Anne Jefferson Lewis in 1780 or 1781 and they had four sons and a daughter who survived. Jefferson was widowed some time between 1792 and 1807. He married a second time, to Mitchie B. Pryor of Buckingham.
Together with other historical evidence, after a 1998 DNA study showed a match between the Jefferson male line and descendants of Eston Hemings
, most historians, including the Thomas Jefferson Foundation that operates Monticello, have accepted the paternity of Thomas Jefferson for his slave Sally Hemings
' children. In 1999 the newly formed Thomas Jefferson Society commissioned a scholars' study to examine the evidence. In 2001 it concluded that Randolph Jefferson was more likely as a candidate for paternity of Eston and possibly other of Hemings' children, although he was seldom documented as being at Monticello
. Their conclusions were strongly criticized by other historians and by the National Genealogical Society
.
writes in his book Jefferson and His Time: The Sage of Monticello that Randolph did not share his older brother's eloquence. His letters to Thomas show a disregard of grammar and the use of colloquialisms such as "tech" instead of "touch."
A former Monticello slave, Isaac Jefferson
, recalled in 1847 that Randolph Jefferson "used to come out among black people, play the fiddle and dance half the night." Since Isaac Jefferson left Monticello in 1797, his reference probably predates that year, and most likely refers to the 1780s, the period that is the subject of the majority of his recollections.
Thomas was considerate and affectionate toward Randolph; they addressed each other as "Dear Brother," and exchanged visits and services with each other. Letters document that Thomas lent Randolph the harness for a gig, had his watch repaired, gave him a dog, sent him vegetable seeds, and gave him a spinning jenny.
Captain Jefferson, as Randolph was called, inherited the plantation
Snowden, about twenty miles south of Monticello, in Buckingham County, across from Scott's Ferry. He lived with his family simply as a planter dependent on enslaved
labor. Snowden later burned to the ground, two days after Randolph's second wife and widow Mitchie B. Jefferson moved out.
As a child, Thomas, Jr. was a resident at Monticello for extended periods of schooling in 1799 and 1800, and possibly 1801. In another first cousin marriage, Thomas eventually married Mary Randolph Lewis, the daughter of Charles Lilburn Lewis
of Monteagle.
After Ann died, Randolph Jefferson married a second time, to Mitchie B. Pryor of Buckingham.
study showed a match between the Jefferson male line and patrilineal descendants
of Eston Hemings
, one of Sally Hemings
's sons. She was a mixed-race slave of Thomas Jefferson, who was reputed to have had children with her.
The Thomas Jefferson Foundation (TJF), which runs Monticello, commissioned a scholars' study to review all the evidence. The National Genealogical Society
undertook its own review. Both concluded that Thomas Jefferson was the father of all of Hemings' children. The Monticello website reads, "Ten years later, TJF and most historians now believe that, years after his wife’s death, Thomas Jefferson was the father of the six children of Sally Hemings mentioned in Jefferson's records..." The DNA study proved there was no connection between the Hemings descendant and the male Carr line, named by Jefferson's grandchildren as fathers to Hemings' children. This has been a dramatic change in nearly 180 years of Jeffersonian scholarship, and it has been reflected in books written since 2000.
The Thomas Jefferson Heritage Society, formed in 1999 after the DNA results were published, commissioned its own scholars report; completed in 2001, it suggested that Randolph rather than Thomas was the father of Hemings' children, or that she may have had multiple partners. Critics of the report noted Randolph had never been seriously proposed as a candidate until after the DNA study of 1998. They said "previous testimony had agreed" that Hemings had only one father for her children. Other researchers documented that Randolph Jefferson was seldom at Monticello.
The National Genealogical Society criticized the Scholars Commission report for failing to adhere to the standards of genealogical research. Helen F. M. Leary noted that the report demonstrated over-reliance on derivative sources, biased assessment of data, distortion of evidence, deficient context, and ignoring the weight of the body of evidence.
The Monticello Jefferson-Hemings Report noted that Randolph made only four recorded visits to Monticello (in September 1802, September 1805, May 1808, and sometime in 1814); none is related to Sally Hemings's conceptions. Thomas Jefferson was documented as in residence for each of her conceptions, over years of extensive absences. In August 1807, a probable conception time for Eston Hemings, Thomas Jefferson wrote to his brother about visiting, but there is no evidence that the younger man arrived. Similarly, no documentation of a Randolph visit appears at the probable conception time for Madison Hemings
, but Thomas was in residence.
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...
. He was Thomas' only brother to survive infancy, and was a twin to Anna Scott, Thomas' youngest sister. Randolph was 12 years younger than Thomas. He married his first cousin Anne Jefferson Lewis in 1780 or 1781 and they had four sons and a daughter who survived. Jefferson was widowed some time between 1792 and 1807. He married a second time, to Mitchie B. Pryor of Buckingham.
Together with other historical evidence, after a 1998 DNA study showed a match between the Jefferson male line and descendants of Eston Hemings
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...
, most historians, including the Thomas Jefferson Foundation that operates Monticello, have accepted the paternity of Thomas Jefferson for his slave 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...
' children. In 1999 the newly formed Thomas Jefferson Society commissioned a scholars' study to examine the evidence. In 2001 it concluded that Randolph Jefferson was more likely as a candidate for paternity of Eston and possibly other of Hemings' children, although he was seldom documented as being at Monticello
Monticello
Monticello is a National Historic Landmark just outside Charlottesville, Virginia, United States. It was the estate of Thomas Jefferson, the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence, third President of the United States, and founder of the University of Virginia; it is...
. Their conclusions were strongly criticized by other historians and by the National Genealogical Society
National Genealogical Society
The National Genealogical Society is a genealogical interest group founded in 1903 in Washington, D.C.. Its headquarters are in Arlington, Virginia....
.
Biography
Randolph attended The College of William and Mary, following the path of his older brother. The historian Dumas MaloneDumas 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...
writes in his book Jefferson and His Time: The Sage of Monticello that Randolph did not share his older brother's eloquence. His letters to Thomas show a disregard of grammar and the use of colloquialisms such as "tech" instead of "touch."
A former Monticello slave, Isaac Jefferson
Isaac Jefferson
Isaac Jefferson, also likely known as Isaac Granger was a valued, enslaved artisan of U.S. President Thomas Jefferson; he crafted and repaired products as a tinsmith, blacksmith, and nailer at Monticello....
, recalled in 1847 that Randolph Jefferson "used to come out among black people, play the fiddle and dance half the night." Since Isaac Jefferson left Monticello in 1797, his reference probably predates that year, and most likely refers to the 1780s, the period that is the subject of the majority of his recollections.
Thomas was considerate and affectionate toward Randolph; they addressed each other as "Dear Brother," and exchanged visits and services with each other. Letters document that Thomas lent Randolph the harness for a gig, had his watch repaired, gave him a dog, sent him vegetable seeds, and gave him a spinning jenny.
Captain Jefferson, as Randolph was called, inherited the plantation
Plantation
A plantation is a long artificially established forest, farm or estate, where crops are grown for sale, often in distant markets rather than for local on-site consumption...
Snowden, about twenty miles south of Monticello, in Buckingham County, across from Scott's Ferry. He lived with his family simply as a planter dependent on enslaved
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
labor. Snowden later burned to the ground, two days after Randolph's second wife and widow Mitchie B. Jefferson moved out.
Marriage and family
Jefferson's first marriage was to his first cousin Ann Jefferson Lewis on July 30, 1780, however, another account states that they were married in 1781. Ann was the daughter of Charles Lilburn Lewis of Buck Island and Mary Randolph, the sister of Jane Randolph Jefferson. Isham Randolph of Dungeness was the grandfather of both Randolph Jefferson and Ann Jefferson Lewis. Randolph Jefferson and Ann Jefferson (Lewis) Jefferson had four children: Isham Randolph Jefferson (1781–1852), Thomas Jefferson (1783–1876), Lewis Jefferson, and Anne Scott Jefferson. Possibly: Field Jefferson (c1785?-1808+); Robert Lewis Jefferson (c1787?-1808+); and James Lilburne Jefferson (c1789?-1816+).As a child, Thomas, Jr. was a resident at Monticello for extended periods of schooling in 1799 and 1800, and possibly 1801. In another first cousin marriage, Thomas eventually married Mary Randolph Lewis, the daughter of Charles Lilburn Lewis
Charles Lilburn Lewis
Charles Lilburn Lewis , sometimes referred to as Charles Lilburn Lewis of Monteagle, was one of the founders of Milton, Virginia, as well as one of the signers of Albemarle County, Virginia's Declaration of Independence in 1779....
of Monteagle.
After Ann died, Randolph Jefferson married a second time, to Mitchie B. Pryor of Buckingham.
Suggested paternity of Sally Hemings' children
In 1998 a DNADNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
study showed a match between the Jefferson male line and patrilineal descendants
Kinship
Kinship is a relationship between any entities that share a genealogical origin, through either biological, cultural, or historical descent. And descent groups, lineages, etc. are treated in their own subsections....
of Eston Hemings
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...
, one 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 sons. She was a mixed-race slave of Thomas Jefferson, who was reputed to have had children with her.
The Thomas Jefferson Foundation (TJF), which runs Monticello, commissioned a scholars' study to review all the evidence. The National Genealogical Society
National Genealogical Society
The National Genealogical Society is a genealogical interest group founded in 1903 in Washington, D.C.. Its headquarters are in Arlington, Virginia....
undertook its own review. Both concluded that Thomas Jefferson was the father of all of Hemings' children. The Monticello website reads, "Ten years later, TJF and most historians now believe that, years after his wife’s death, Thomas Jefferson was the father of the six children of Sally Hemings mentioned in Jefferson's records..." The DNA study proved there was no connection between the Hemings descendant and the male Carr line, named by Jefferson's grandchildren as fathers to Hemings' children. This has been a dramatic change in nearly 180 years of Jeffersonian scholarship, and it has been reflected in books written since 2000.
The Thomas Jefferson Heritage Society, formed in 1999 after the DNA results were published, commissioned its own scholars report; completed in 2001, it suggested that Randolph rather than Thomas was the father of Hemings' children, or that she may have had multiple partners. Critics of the report noted Randolph had never been seriously proposed as a candidate until after the DNA study of 1998. They said "previous testimony had agreed" that Hemings had only one father for her children. Other researchers documented that Randolph Jefferson was seldom at Monticello.
The National Genealogical Society criticized the Scholars Commission report for failing to adhere to the standards of genealogical research. Helen F. M. Leary noted that the report demonstrated over-reliance on derivative sources, biased assessment of data, distortion of evidence, deficient context, and ignoring the weight of the body of evidence.
The Monticello Jefferson-Hemings Report noted that Randolph made only four recorded visits to Monticello (in September 1802, September 1805, May 1808, and sometime in 1814); none is related to Sally Hemings's conceptions. Thomas Jefferson was documented as in residence for each of her conceptions, over years of extensive absences. In August 1807, a probable conception time for Eston Hemings, Thomas Jefferson wrote to his brother about visiting, but there is no evidence that the younger man arrived. Similarly, no documentation of a Randolph visit appears at the probable conception time for Madison Hemings
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...
, but Thomas was in residence.