Martha Washington "Patsey" Jefferson

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: LZT6-QC7
• Initiatory (LDS): 27 Feb 1939, SLAKE

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: L7RV-G3V
• Initiatory (LDS): 23 Aug 1877, SGEOR

Notes:

3rd President of the United States.

He was an American statesman, diplomat, lawyer, architect, philosopher , a nd Founding Father who served as the third president of the United St ate s from 1801 to 1809. He had previously served as the second vice pres iden t of the United States under John Adams and as the first United Stat es se cretary of state under George Washington. The principal author of t he Dec laration of Independence, Jefferson was a proponent of democracy , republi canism, and individual rights, motivating American colonists t o break fro m the Kingdom of Great Britain and form a new nation; he prod uced formati ve documents and decisions at both the state and national le vels.

During the American Revolution, Jefferson represented Virginia in the Co n tinental Congress that adopted the Declaration of Independence. As a Vi rg inia legislator, he drafted a state law for religious freedom. He serv e d as the second Governor of Virginia from 1779 to 1781, during the Amer ic an Revolutionary War. In 1785, Jefferson was appointed the United Stat e s Minister to France, and subsequently, the nation's first secretary o f s tate under President George Washington from 1790 to 1793. Jefferson a nd J ames Madison organized the Democratic-Republican Party to oppose th e Fede ralist Party during the formation of the First Party System. Wit h Madison , he anonymously wrote the provocative Kentucky and Virginia Re solution s in 1798 and 1799, which sought to strengthen states' rights b y nullifyi ng the federal Alien and Sedition Acts.

Jefferson was a longtime friend of John Adams, both serving in the Conti n ental Congress and drafting the Declaration of Independence together. H ow ever, Jefferson's status as a Democratic-Republican would end up makin g A dams, a Federalist, his political rival. In the 1796 presidential ele ctio n between Jefferson and Adams, Jefferson came second, which accordin g t o electoral procedure at the time, unintentionally elected him as vic e pr esident to Adams. Jefferson would later go on to challenge Adams aga in i n 1800 and win the presidency. After concluding his presidency, Jeff erso n would eventually reconcile with Adams and shared a correspondenc e tha t lasted fourteen years.

As president, Jefferson pursued the nation's shipping and trade interes t s against Barbary pirates and aggressive British trade policies. Starti n g in 1803, Jefferson promoted a western expansionist policy, organizin g t he Louisiana Purchase which doubled the nation's claimed land area. T o ma ke room for settlement, Jefferson began the process of Indian triba l remo val from the newly acquired territory. As a result of peace negoti ation s with France, his administration reduced military forces. Jefferso n wa s re-elected in 1804. His second term was beset with difficulties a t home , including the trial of former vice president Aaron Burr. In 1807 , Ameri can foreign trade was diminished when Jefferson implemented the E mbargo A ct in response to British threats to U.S. shipping. The same yea r, Jeffer son signed the Act Prohibiting Importation of Slaves.

Jefferson (while primarily a plantation owner, lawyer, and politician) m a stered many disciplines, which ranged from surveying and mathematics t o h orticulture and mechanics. He was an architect in the classical tradi tion . Jefferson's keen interest in religion and philosophy led to his pr eside ncy of the American Philosophical Society; he shunned organized rel igio n but was influenced by Christianity, Epicureanism, and deism. A phi lolog ist, Jefferson knew several languages. He was a prolific letter wri ter an d corresponded with many prominent people, including Edward Carrin gton, J ohn Taylor of Caroline and James Madison. Among his books is Note s on th e State of Virginia (1785), considered perhaps the most importan t America n book published before 1800. Jefferson championed the ideals , values, an d teachings of the Enlightenment.

During his lifetime, Jefferson owned over 600 slaves, who were kept in h i s household and on his plantations. Since Jefferson's time, controvers y h as revolved around his relationship with Sally Hemings, a mixed-rac e ensl aved woman, and his late wife's half-sister. According to DNA evid ence fr om surviving descendants and oral history, Jefferson fathered a t least si x children with Hemings, including four that survived to adult hood. Evide nce suggests that Jefferson started the relationship with Hem ings when th ey were in Paris, where she arrived at the age of 14 when Je fferson was 4 4. By the time she returned to the United States at 16, sh e was pregnant.

After retiring from public office, Jefferson founded the University of V i rginia. Jefferson and John Adams both died on July 4, 1826, the 50th an ni versary of U.S. independence. Presidential scholars and historians gen era lly praise Jefferson's public achievements, including his advocacy o f rel igious freedom and tolerance in Virginia. Jefferson ranks highly am ong th e U.S. presidents, usually in the top five.

Thomas married Martha Wayles on 1 Jan 1772 in Lower Merion Township, Montgomery, Pennsylvania, United States. Martha (daughter of John Wayles and Martha Eppes) was born on 30 Oct 1748 in Charles City, Charles City, Virginia, United States; died on 6 Sep 1782 in Charlottesville City, Virginia, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: LZGN-XQW
• Initiatory (LDS): 2 Mar 2013, MERID

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: LZGN-N9N
• Initiatory (LDS): 19 May 1933, SLAKE

Peter married Jane Randolph on 3 Oct 1739 in Goochland, Virginia, United States. Jane (daughter of Isham Randolph and Jane Lilburne Rogers) was born on 9 Feb 1721 in Shadwell, Yorkshire, England; died on 31 Mar 1776 in Massachusetts, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: LZPW-3B3
• Initiatory (LDS): 27 Oct 1926

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: LCB4-D29
• Initiatory (LDS): 30 Mar 2013, ARIZO

John married Martha Eppes on 3 May 1746. Martha was born on 10 Apr 1712 in Bermuda Hundred, Chesterfield, Virginia, United States; died on 5 Nov 1748 in Charles City, Charles City, Virginia, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: 9XTL-CMN
• Initiatory (LDS): 7 Dec 2012, BILLI

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: LZYY-9PN
• Initiatory (LDS): 19 May 1933, SLAKE

Thomas married Mary Field on 20 Oct 1697 in Henrico, Virginia, United States. Mary was born on 3 Feb 1679 in Henrico, Virginia, United States; died on 13 Aug 1715 in Osbornes, Chesterfield, Virginia, United States; was buried in Henrico, Virginia, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: L5X4-ZXP
• Initiatory (LDS): 19 May 1933, SLAKE

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: 9C6D-YGH
• Initiatory (LDS): 1 Apr 1938, LOGAN

Isham married Jane Lilburne Rogers about 1718 in London, Middlesex, England. Jane was born about 1692 in London, Middlesex, England; died before 21 Jul 1761. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: L85S-7WT
• Initiatory (LDS): 22 Jan 1936, ALBER