Scottsville Museum Newsletter Number 23 Page 1 The President’s Brother: Capt. Randolph Jefferson of Buckingham County, Virginia By Joanne L. Yeck When someone learns I am of his 60th birthday. The squire investigating the life of Randolph of Snowden from 1776 until his Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson’s death on August 15, 1815, Ran- only brother, they inevitably want dolph Jefferson’s life in Bucking- to know: “What was his relation- ham County was typical for a ship with the great man?” That man of his station. His education question inspired The Jefferson and experience far exceeded the Brothers (Slate River Press, average Virginian of the day; it 2012). included a year in Williamsburg, where he took courses at the The Jefferson brothers were very Grammar School at William and different men, living very Mary, supplemented by a private independently from each other. tutor from the College. He also Randolph was younger by more studied the classical violin with than twelve years—virtually a his brother’s Italian-born mentor, generation apart in Colonial Frances Alberti. America. Thomas spent much of his adult life away from central Randolph Jefferson was a suc- Virginia, whereas Randolph spent cessful planter, maintaining his his entire life living and farming patrimony, something many Vir- in Buckingham County, at the ginia farmers found hard to do in James River’s Horseshoe Bend. the late 18th century. He never The Jefferson Brothers accumulated crippling debt, by Joanne Yeck something many Virginia farmers The early death of their father, Book Cover Design by Andy Snow Peter Jefferson, played a signifi- found all too easy to do. Ran- cant part in determining the dolph was not a spender or a high within a day’s journey of each separate lives of the brothers. As liver; in fact, he became extreme- other, relating as planters, as well Randolph approached manhood, ly distressed when his second as brothers. They had their ex- Thomas guided his education in wife was a little too free with his tended family and farming in the early 1770’s. In 1776, Ran- money. common. Their surviving corre- dolph inherited Peter Jefferson’s spondence primarily discusses this distant Buckingham plantation, During the American Revolution, mundane world, providing a win- Snowden, isolating him from Randolph rode with Gen. Thomas dow into their mutuality, which Shadwell, the Jefferson home- Nelson’s Corps of Lighthorse, includes the interconnected lives place in Albemarle County, and joining other young gentlemen Thomas’ eventual home at Monti- of several of their slaves. like himself in what turned out to cello. When Thomas Jefferson be an aborted effort to aid Gen. stepped onto the national and in- Randolph was born in Albemarle Washington. Later, when Banas- ternational stage, their lives di- County at Shadwell on October 1, tre Tarleton and the Redcoats verged for decades. Then, during 1755. The only surviving brother threatened central Virginia, Thomas’ retirement in the early of Thomas Jefferson, Randolph Randolph patriotically served the 19th century, the two men resided led a quiet, local life, dying short (Continued on page 5 Scottsville Museum Newsletter Number 23 Page 2 cause. Following the war, he vol- of Allegiance in Albemarle.” he felt wronged, including taking unteered for at least eight years in Others supporting the document his cousin, John Jefferson, to court the Buckingham militia, retiring included his brother, Thomas. A for damages. Randolph won the with the rank of Captain. He would decade later, a rare 18th-century case. remain Capt. Randolph Jefferson poll list for Buckingham County the rest of his life, content with his reveals that on April 14, 1788, Randolph Jefferson was no intel- title. Randolph voted for delegates Jo- lectual to be sure, and, unjustly, seph Cabell and Thomas Anderson his apparent rustic sense of humor In 1781, at the age of twenty-five, to represent the county in the Vir- has been misinterpreted as he married his first cousin, Anne ginia General Assembly. dimwittedness. An oft-quoted “Nancy” Lewis, and together they summation of his personality was raised six children to adulthood at Thomas Jefferson characterized his made by former Monticello slave, Snowden. Following Nancy’s brother as diffident, easily influ- Isaac Jefferson Granger, who death (c. 1800), Randolph married enced by the strong opinions of remembered various Jefferson a Buckingham native, Mitchie B. others. Occasionally, those strong family members and described Pryor, whose presence at Snowden opinions came from Thomas Jef- Randolph as follows: “Old proved disruptive within Ran- ferson himself. As it turns out, Master’s brother, Mass Randall, dolph’s first family. Randolph did not always follow was a mighty simple man: used to his brother’s advice, though he come out among black people, While he never entered politics pro- graciously acknowledged it. Not play the fiddle and dance half the fessionally, Randolph participated surprisingly, Thomas also com- night; hadn’t much more sense in government and certainly held mented on his younger brother’s than Isaac.” It should be recalled political opinions. In 1777, he “kindness of temper.” Randolph that Isaac had enough “sense” to joined many of his neighbors and may have lacked self-confidence; arrange his freedom in about 1822 relations when he signed the “Oath however, he asserted himself when and to dictate his memoirs in 1847. Dwelling house ~ 400 feet Ferry house ~ floodplain (Continued on page 3) Location of Snowden on the south side of the James River’s horseshoe bend. Scottsville Museum Newsletter Number 23 Page 3 (Continued from page 2) eral ideas about how to ease into wife. Inheritances were not only his “retirement,” to prepare his threatened, they could completely sons as planters, and to transfer disappear. Additionally, Mitchie Keeping late hours might reveal his property. Among them was possessed a strong personality, that Randolph Jefferson was less his failed alliance with his cousin, even unafraid to approach her po- disciplined than his “bookish” John Jefferson; another was a tentially imposing brother-in-law brother, and his relaxed associa- non-agrarian, family business concerning Randolph’s operations tion with blacks on the plantation venture known as “Nevil and Jef- at Snowden. has led to the speculation that ferson.” His son-in-law, the very Randolph fathered mixed-race competent Zachariah Nevil, was An uncomplicated and practical children. Since he did not marry married to the Jeffersons’ only man, as Randolph Jefferson aged, until he was nearly twenty-six daughter, Anne Scott “Nancy” his health concerns grew, but not years old, there was plenty of Jefferson; he had property of his abnormally so. At age forty-five, time for him to father a “mulatto” own in both Nelson and Albe- he was in need of spectacles and, child before he committed him- marle counties and was Randolph in 1811, he suffered a severe at- self to Anne Lewis. He could Jefferson’s generational peer. tack of gravel (kidney stones). have simply sowed some wild The ultimate cause of his death is oats or, as a young romantic, in- By 1809, though Randolph had unknown, as is the length of his dulged in an interracial affair de been a widower for nearly a dec- final illness, though it was appar- coeur. To date, there is no irrefu- ade, he never lacked for family ently not long. In June of 1815, table proof that he did either. around him. Surrounded by his he wrote to his brother, Thomas, Over the years, however, he ex- children and grandchildren, he stating that he was quite fit, hav- pressed unusual concern for his could sit back, enjoy his increas- ing recovered from a spring ill- own slaves, more than once sell- ing leisure, experiencing the very ness and was now busy with the ing off his best land to keep his life his older brother Thomas so wheat harvest at Snowden. Two servants with him. longed for—the Virginia planter months later, he was dead. at his ease. Then Randolph When Randolph Jefferson wrote “spoiled” it all when he married When Randolph Jefferson died on his will in May of 1808, he was again He was in his mid-fifties; August 7, 1815, his twin sister, fifty-two years old. Significantly, his youthful bride, Mitchie B. Anna Scott (Jefferson) Marks, he valued a fair and equal distri- Pryor, may not yet have been was with him. His brother, bution of his property among his twenty-one. Thomas, headed for Snowden sons over the preservation of from Monticello, only to reach Snowden in his family. With five Mitchie came from an upstanding, the James River and learn that his sons to consider, rather than cut “middling,” Buckingham family brother was already dead. No his plantation into slivers, he re- and had grown up at the Pryor published obituary has been locat- quested that his land and other plantation, Woodlawn, located ed for Randolph nor is his grave property be sold and the proceeds about four to five miles north of site known. dumped into a “hotchpot,” to be Buckingham Courthouse. Her divided equally among his sons. exact age at the time of her mar- Indications are that he was an Importantly, this did not include riage is not known, but it is likely easygoing man, especially in his his human property. In keeping that she was younger than most youth, though later in life he be- with his strong desire to retain his of, if not all of, Randolph’s chil- came less tolerant of his sons’ slaves, Randolph requested that dren. While this kind of May- criticisms. In middle age, he they not be sold, but stay with the December second marriage was struggled to maintain control over family.