Randolph Jefferson was the younger brother of Thomas Jefferson, the only male sibling to survive infancy.
29 Facts About Randolph Jefferson
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Randolph Jefferson was a planter and owner of the Snowden plantation that he inherited from his father.
3.
Randolph Jefferson served the local militia for about ten years, making captain of the local militia in 1794.
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The theory that Randolph Jefferson fathered Hemings children is discounted by the Thomas Jefferson Foundation and most scholars of Jefferson, given that evidence strongly suggests Randolph was not physically present at Monticello at any of the periods in question.
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Randolph Jefferson was a twin to Anne Scott Jefferson and the only male sibling of Thomas Jefferson's to survive infancy.
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Randolph Jefferson assisted in management of his younger brother's affairs after 1776.
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In 1764 and 1765, Randolph Jefferson studied with Ben Snead at the residence of his uncle Charles Lewis, Jr.
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Randolph Jefferson lived again at Shadwell with his mother in 1769, when he was taught by Patrick Morton.
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In 1770, the main house at Shadwell was destroyed in a fire, and his mother, Jane Randolph Jefferson, had a house built there as a replacement.
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Thomas was considerate and affectionate toward Randolph Jefferson; they addressed each other as "Dear Brother," and exchanged visits and services with each other.
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Historian Dumas Malone states that Randolph Jefferson did not share his older brother's eloquence.
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In 1776, Randolph Jefferson served in Captain Wingfield's Company of the Albemarle militia.
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Randolph Jefferson served with William Fossett and Joseph Nielson who had worked at Monticello and had live-in relationships with members of the Hemings family.
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Randolph Jefferson was a member of the local militia in 1779.
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Randolph Jefferson was content to enjoy the title of Captain the remainder of his life.
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In 1776, Randolph Jefferson inherited the Snowden plantation in Buckingham County, Virginia.
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Randolph Jefferson's life at Snowden was relatively simple compared to life at Monticello; however, he was an affluent planter and dependent on enslaved labor.
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Randolph Jefferson had 2,000 acres, 30 slaves, 6 horses, and 42 cattle in 1782.
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Randolph Jefferson was a widower for about ten years after his wife died about 1799.
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Randolph Jefferson periodically suffered from ill health beginning in 1807, which precluded his ability to travel at times.
21.
Randolph Jefferson remarried about 1809 to Mitchie Ballow Pryor of Buckingham County, who did not get along with her stepsons and convinced Randolph Jefferson to favor her in a rewrite of his will that was dated May 28,1808.
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Mitchie, whose father was David Pryor, was in her early twenties, perhaps not yet age 21, when she married Randolph Jefferson, who was in his mid-50s.
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Randolph Jefferson created disruption within the Jefferson family, including communicating her concerns about Randolph's management of the Snowden estate with her brother-in-law, Thomas Jefferson.
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Randolph Jefferson was prone to heavy spending, responsible for large bills with local merchants.
25.
Randolph Jefferson conceived a son named John before Randolph died at Snowden on August 17,1815.
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Randolph Jefferson suffered an illness in the Spring of 1815, but told his brother in June of that year that he was feeling fine and was involved in the wheat harvest.
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Randolph's sons and Thomas Jefferson tried to break Randolph's last will, which favored Mitchie.
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Randolph Jefferson's will called for his property to be sold and the funds divided up among his sons and his slaves were to stay with the family.
29.
The DNA study, published in Nature on November 5,1998, titled Jefferson Fathered Slave's Last Child, led to speculation about whether Randolph was the Jefferson who fathered the Hemings children.