William Douglas (1708-1798) was a Scottish Reverend of St. James, Northern Parish, Goochland; and was the tutor of young Thomas Jefferson from 1752 until the death of the latter’s father in 1757. Jefferson was sent to the Reverend’s Latin school to study Greek, Latin, and French upon the return of his family from Tuckahoe to Shadwell.

Jefferson later wrote of his teacher in his Autobiography – “My teacher Mr. Douglas, was a superficial Latinist, less instructed in Greek, but with the rudiments of these languages he taught me French.” ^[1] According to Randall, Jefferson also had recollections “of mouldy pies and excellent instruction” at the Rev. Douglas’s school.^[2] Regardless of his mixed reviews of his education under Douglas, Jefferson had continued to keep in touch with his tutor until his death in 1798.

Primary Sources^[3]

1794 September 24 “I had proposed ere this to have visited my antient tutor and friend Mr. Douglas: but I have been attacked by a rheumatism…. You are so near Mr. Douglas that I will trouble you with my affectionate respects to him, with an assurance that there is nothing I desire more than to see him once again…”^[4]

Footnotes

1. ↑ Lipscomb, Andrew A. and Albert E. Bergh, eds. The Writings of Thomas Jefferson. Washington, D.C.: Thomas Jefferson Memorial Association of the United States, 1903-04. 1:3.
2. ↑ Randall, Life 1:17-18
3. ↑ Please note that this list should not be considered comprehensive.
4. ↑ PTJ, 28:167

Further Sources

• Malone, Jefferson, Volume 1.
• Meade, William. Old churches, ministers and families of Virginia. J. B. Lippincott company, 1891. 458-459.