Jane Randolph Jefferson Mother of the third US President Date of Birth: 09.02.1721 Country: Great Britain

Jane Randolph Jefferson: Biography

Jane Randolph Jefferson, the mother of the third President of the United States and the principal author of the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson, was born on February 9, 1721 in Shedwell Parish, London. She was the daughter of Isham Randolph, a planter and fleet captain, and the granddaughter of William Randolph, a colonist and landowner who played a significant role in the formation of Virginia.

Jane's family relocated to Virginia, and by October 1725, when her younger sister Mary was born, they were living in Williamsburg. Jane's first recorded presence in Virginia was her marriage to Peter Jefferson on October 3, 1739 in Goochland County. The wedding likely took place at "Dandridge," her father's estate on the James River. Isham Randolph provided a dowry of 200 pounds sterling for his daughter, but the money had still not been paid three years later at the time of his death. It appears that neither land nor slaves were included in Jane's dowry.

However, it was Jane's marriage to Peter, a member of an old and respected family, that opened the doors to the elite circle of influential Virginia planters. And without Jane, there would be no Thomas Jefferson, one of the founding fathers of the United States. Jane and Peter had nine children together - six daughters and three sons. The future president was the third oldest, after his sisters Jane and Mary.

Peter, who was 13 years older than his wife, passed away in 1757, leaving Jane with their home and plantation, which he named Shedwell to please her. Although the main house was destroyed by fire in 1770, she continued to reside on the estate until her death on March 31, 1776. Jane Randolph Jefferson was buried in the family cemetery at Monticello.

Thomas Jefferson rarely mentioned his mother, with her name only appearing in financial records that indicate Jane managed the family's affairs with skill and frugality, protecting them from debt. After Jane's death, her son destroyed her personal belongings and letters, even reaching out to her acquaintances in an attempt to retrieve her letters. Consequently, very little is known about Jane's life. The only mention of his mother that researchers have found is in a letter dated June 1776, which Thomas Jefferson wrote to his brother-in-law, William Randolph, a merchant from Bristol. Jefferson wrote, "You probably have not heard of the death of my mother. It happened on the last day of March after an illness. She died within the hour. We suppose it was a stroke." Thus, it can be assumed that Jane passed away from the effects of a stroke.