Jefferson and His Families

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"...no society is so precious as that of one's own family."

-Thomas Jefferson, 1789

Jefferson's Lineage ... Martha Wayles Skelton Jefferson ... Martha Jefferson Randolph ... Maria Jefferson Eppes ... Sally Hemings

Jefferson's Lineage

"The tradition in my father's family was that their ancestor came to this country from Wales ... "

-Thomas Jefferson, 1821

Peter Jefferson Jefferson's father, Peter Jefferson, was a planter, Justice of the Peace, and surveyor for the British Crown.

Jane Randolph Jefferson Jefferson's mother, Jane Randolph Jefferson, was a member of the wealthy and powerful Randolph family.

Relatives Peruse the Thomas Jefferson Encyclopedia page with links to information about Jefferson's relatives by descent and marriage.

Martha Wayles Jefferson

“… every time I kiss thy hand to bid adieu, every absence which follows it, are preludes to that eternal separation which we are shortly to make!” – Tristam Shandy

Martha Wayles Skelton Jefferson - Biography Explore Martha Wayles Skelton Jefferson's biography in the Thomas Jefferson Encyclopedia

The World of Martha Wayles Skelton Jefferson In this recorded live Q&A, Nicole Brown, a PhD student at William & Mary, shares her current scholarship connected to Martha Jefferson.

John Wayles Explore the Thomas Jefferson Encyclopedia entry on Martha Wayles Jefferson’s father, John Wayles, and the revelation that he also fathered Sally Hemings.

Martha Jefferson Randolph

"... my evening prospects now hang on the slender thread of a single life."

-Thomas Jefferson, 1804

Martha Jefferson Randolph and her family were a constant presence in Jefferson's world, living with him in Washington, D.C. and Monticello, where she ran his household as the plantation's mistress.

Biography of Martha Jefferson Randolph A biography of Jefferson eldest surviving child and "constant companion" Martha Jefferson Randolph

A Virginia Aristocrat Monticello’s Kyle Chattleton and Laura-Michal Balderson discuss the world Martha Jefferson Randolph inhabited as a woman of Virginia’s plantation aristocracy in the 18th and 19th Century.

"Mama's Sitting Room" Explore the Family Sitting Room of Martha Jefferson Randolph.

Surrounded By Family Martha Jefferson Randolph was the central figure among many of Jefferson’s family who called Monticello home.

Thomas Mann Randolph Explore the Thomas Jefferson Encyclopedia profile of Thomas Mann Randolph, Martha Jefferson Randolph’s husband.

A Daughter's Recollection Read the unfinished sketch of Martha Jefferson Randolph's life, compose by her daughter Ellen Wayles Coolidge

Maria Jefferson Eppes

“god bless you my ever dear daughter and preserve you safe to be the blessing of us all"

-Thomas Jefferson, 1804

Maria Jefferson Eppes Explore the Thomas Jefferson Encyclopedia entry on Jefferson's youngest surviving child, Maria Jefferson Eppes

John Wayles Eppes Peruse the Thomas Jefferson Encyclopedia entry on Maria Jefferson Eppes's husband, John Wayles "Jack" Eppes

Francis Wayles Eppes A brief biography of Maria Jefferson Eppes's only surviving child, Francis Wayles Eppes from the Thomas Jefferson Encyclopedia

Sally Hemings

"Such is the story that comes down to me."

-Madison Hemings, 1873

The Life of Sally Hemings Explore the life of Sally Hemings, enslaved half-sister of Martha Wayles Skelton Jefferson, who bore six children with her owner, Thomas Jefferson, and who negotiated for their freedom.

Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings: A Brief Account The claim that Thomas Jefferson fathered children with Sally Hemings has remained a subject of discussion and disagreement for two centuries. Explore an overview of the connection between Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings.

Sally Hemings and Her Family Explore the Thomas Jefferson Encyclopedia article on Sally Hemings, including links to information about the children she bore with Thomas Jefferson

Jefferson-Hemings Resources A compendium of internal and external resources about Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings

Report of the Research Committee on Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings Read the report evaluating the historical record, scientific results, and all the available evidence relevant to the connection between Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings.

Recollections of Madison Hemings Read Madison Hemings's account of the connection between his mother, Sally Hemings, and his father, Thomas Jefferson, originally published in the Pike County Republican in 1873.