Thomas Jefferson 13th US President
3rd under the 1787 Constitution Signer of the Declaration of Independence
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THOMAS JEFFERSON, author of the Declaration of Independence, was born on
April 13, 1743 and grew up on the family plantation at Shadwell in Albermarle
County, Virginia. His father was Peter Jefferson, who, with the aid of thirty
slaves, tilled a tobacco and wheat farm of 1,900 acres and like his fathers
before him, was a justice of the peace, a vestryman of his parish and a member
of the colonial legislature. The first of the Virginia Jefferson’s of Welsh
extraction, Peter in 1738 married Jane Randolph. Of their ten children, Thomas
was the third. Thomas inherited a full measure of his father’s bodily strength
and stature, both having been esteemed in their prime as the strongest men of
their county. He also inherited his father’s inclination to liberal politics,
his taste for literature and his aptitude for mathematics. The Jefferson’s
were a musical family; the girls sang the songs of the time, and Thomas,
practicing the violin assiduously from boyhood, became an excellent performer.
In 1757, when Thomas was only fourteen, his father died, leaving him heir to
an enormous estate. On his deathbed, his father left an order that his son’s
education, already well advanced in a preparatory school, should be completed at
the College of William and Mary, a circumstance which Thomas always remembered
with gratitude, saying that if he had to choose between the education and the
estate his father left him, he would choose the education.
At seventeen, when young Jefferson entered the College of William and Mary he
was tall, raw-boned, freckled, and sandy haired, with large feet and hands,
thick wrists, and prominent cheekbones and chin. His classmates described him as
far from handsome, a fresh, healthy looking youth, very erect, agile and strong,
with something of rusticity in his air and demeanor. The college at that time
had one truly outstanding educator, Dr. William Small of Scotland, professor of
mathematics. Jefferson said in his autobiography that his coming under the
influence of Dr. Small “probably fixed the destinies of my life”. Dr. Small
gave Jefferson the views of the connection of the sciences and of the system of
things of which man is a part, which then prevailed in the advanced scientific
circles of Europe. As a student, Jefferson attended the musical parties that the
lieutenant governor, Francis Fauquier hosted. Jefferson was always present with
his violin and participated in the concert, the governor himself also was a
performer. From Fauquier, a man of the world of the period, Jefferson learned
much of the social, political, and parliamentary life of the Old World. George
Wythe, who was then a young lawyer of Williamsburg, often frequented the
governor’s table, and contributed immensely to the forming of Jefferson’s
mind.
Upon his graduation in 1762, Jefferson took up the study of law, under the
guidance of George Wythe. While he was a student, he was an eyewitness of those
memorable scenes in the Virginia legislature, which followed the passage of the
stamp act. He was present as a spectator in the house when Patrick Henry read
his five resolutions, enunciating the principal that Englishmen living in
America had all the rights of Englishmen living in England, the chief of which
was that they could only be taxed by their own representatives. On coming of age
in April 1764, Jefferson assumed the management of his father’s estate and was
appointed to two of his father’s offices—justice of the peace and vestryman.
He gave much attention to the cultivation of his lands, and remained always an
attentive, zealous and improving farmer. Early in 1767, Jefferson was admitted
to the bar of Virginia, and entered at once the practice of his profession.
Jefferson was an accurate, painstaking and laborious lawyer and his business
blossomed. He practiced law for nearly eight years, until the Revolutionary
contest summoned him to other labors.
His public life began on May 11, 1769, when Jefferson took his seat as a
member of the Virginia House of Burgesses, George Washington also being a
member. Jefferson was then twenty-six years old. On becoming a public man he
made a resolution “never to engage, while in public office, in any kind of
enterprise for the improvement of my fortune, nor to wear any other character
than that of a farmer.” On the close of his public career of nearly half a
century, he could say that he had kept this resolution.
On January 1, 1772 Jefferson married Martha Wayles Skelton, who was the
daughter of John Wayles, a wealthy Williamsburg lawyer, from whom she inherited
a large property. Her first husband, Bathurst Skelton died before she was twenty
years of age, and Jefferson was one of her many suitors. A few days after their
marriage, he took her to live in his partly constructed mountaintop home,
Monticello. The next year, the death of Martha’s father brought them a great
increase of fortune – doubling Jefferson’s estate.
In March 1775, Jefferson was in Richmond as a member of the convention, which
assembled in the church of St. John to consider what course Virginia should take
in the crisis. The last act of this convention was to appoint a replacement in
the case of a vacancy in the delegation of Virginia to congress. That
replacement was Thomas Jefferson and on June 21, 1775, Jefferson took his seat
as a substitute for Peyton Randolph, who had been called home.
Jefferson was an earnest, diligent, and useful member of the congress. His
readiness in composition, his profound knowledge of British law and his innate
love of freedom and justice, gave him solid standing in the body. In May 1776,
the news reached congress that the Virginia convention had unanimously voted for
independence. On June 10, 1776, a committee of five was appointed to prepare a
draft of the Declaration—Jefferson, Franklin, John Adams, Roger Sherman and
Robert R. Livingston. Jefferson, being the chairman of the committee, was
naturally asked to write the document. Congress subjected his draft to a severe
and prolonged revision, making many changes, most of which were improvements.
The document was debated in congress on July 2, 3 and 4. Thursday, the 4th was a
warm day, and the members in the afternoon became weary and impatient with the
long strain upon their nerves. Jefferson used to relate with much merriment that
the final vote upon the Declaration was hastened by swarms of flies, which came
from a neighboring stable, and added to the discomfort of the members. A few
days afterward, Jefferson was one of a committee to devise a seal for the
newborn country. Among their suggestions (and this was the only one accepted by
congress) was the best legend ever appropriated, E pluribus unum, a phrase that
had served as a motto on the cover of the “Gentleman’s Magazine” for many
years.
In the fall of 1776, Jefferson resigned his seat in congress on the grounds
that the health of his wife and the condition of his household made his presence
in Virginia indispensable. He had again been elected a member of the Virginia
legislature, and his heart was set upon the work of purging the statute books of
unsuitable laws, and bringing the laws of Virginia up to the level of the
Declaration. For the next three years, Jefferson procured the abolition of
entails, led the fight for the disestablishment of the Church, and as a member
of the Committee on Revisors, recommended far reaching reforms in the legal code
of the state.
In January 1779, the Virginia legislature elected Jefferson governor of the
state, to succeed Patrick Henry, whose third term ended on June 1. His
governorship of two years, during a time of British invasion, ended unhappily,
largely through fault of circumstances. He declined re-election to a third term,
and induced his friends to support General Thomas Nelson, commander-in-chief of
the militia, who was elected.
On September 6, 1782, Jefferson’s wife died. Jefferson had retained a
romantic devotion to her throughout his life, and because of her failing health
refused foreign appointments in 1776 and again in 1781, having promised that he
would accept no public office that would involve their separation. For four
months prior to her death, he was never out of calling, and he was insensible
for several hours after her death. On her death, Martha left three daughters,
the youngest four months old.
Returning to public life to assuage his grief, Jefferson succeeded Benjamin
Franklin as minister to France in 1785. His sympathy for the French Revolution
led him into conflict with Alexander Hamilton when Jefferson was Secretary of
State in President Washington's Cabinet. He retired from that office after three
years. As a reluctant candidate for President in 1796, Jefferson came within
three votes of election. Through a flaw in the Constitution, he became Vice
President, although an opponent of just elected President Adams.
In 1800 Jefferson ran for president, won and served two distinguished terms.
Jefferson’s career during his presidency is so integral a part of the history
of the country, that it cannot be described here. The freedom of the individual
human being was ever his main concern, and it was his faith in men that made him
a prophet of progress. In his old age, he fathered the University of Virginia,
and he valued public enlightenment next after private freedom.
Jefferson retained his health nearly to his last days, and had the happiness
of living to the fiftieth anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. He
died at twenty minutes to one p.m. on July 4, 1826.
Letter
signed "Th: Jefferson," as Secretary of State, to New York
Governor George Clinton, relating to copies of the first census of the United
States, an act to establish a uniform rule of naturalization and an act making
appropriations for the support of Government for the year 1790 – three pivotal
laws at the very foundation of our government.A
powerful historical letter transmitting new Federal Laws which the Great State
of New York must now abide by.George
Washington had been elected president only a year, and the first act of the
congress of the U.S. was passed on June 1, 1789, setting oaths of office for
Federal officials on March 31, 1790.
Autograph
letter signed ("Th: Jefferson") to Jeremiah Van Rensselaer,
Philadelphia, and 10 July 1791. I page 4to, integral address leaf with
Jefferson's free frank: "Th: Jefferson' and small"Free"
stamp. The Secretary of State aids "an injured and friendless"
Frenchman with a land claim.
Jefferson
writes to a former New York Congressman in Albany regarding "a claim to
some lands in the Oneida country given by the Indians to one Le Tonnelier. &
by him sold to a Mr. Osruont. This latter gentleman is arrived from France &
has fixed himself what chance there is, & what should be his proceedings to
recover the lands, and having been very particularly recommended to me from
France, I am anxious to aid hisenquiries. The circumstance of Le Tonnelier's
having married in Albany & the relations between that place & the Oneida
country have induced me to suppose it a good place to make the necessary
enquiries. Not having the advantage of any particular acquaintance at Albany; I
have presumed on behalf of Mr. Osmont to address myself to you, relying for my
excuse on the motives which lead to this liberty; and on your own goodness which
will find in aninjured & friendless stranger a proper object for its
exercise. If therefore you can either at Albany or by the means of any
acquaintance on may have within reach of the (ands. obtain information of the
realm of Le Tonnelier's rights and the means of availing Osmont of them, the
communication of it will be esteemed a very singular favor"
Jeremiah
Van Rensselaer (1738-1811) was born in New York. and raised at the manor house
"Rensselaersvcvck." He was a descendent ofKiliaen van Rensselear,
Dutch merchant, director of the West India Company and the first patroon of the
Manor of Rensselaer. Jeremiah served in the First Congress (1789—1791) became
President of the Bank of Albany in 1798 and a Democratic elector in 1800,
casting his vote for Jefferson and Burr. He served as Governor of New York
1801—1804 and died in Albany in 1810
We invite you to read a transcription
of the complete text of the Declaration as presented by the National Archives.
&
The article "The
Declaration of Independence: A History,"
which provides a detailed account of the Declaration, from its drafting through
its preservation today at the National Archives.
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Message of President Thomas Jefferson laying before
the Senate the conventions with France for the cession of the province
of Louisiana to the United States
Center for Legislative Archives (NWL), National Archives
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The United Colonies 1st
government began in a Philadelphia Tavern
and the United States 1st federal government ended in a
NYC Tavern!
The Founders convened the government in 11 different capitol buildings and
experienced 15 years of challenges that
included war,
hyper-inflation, a failed
constitution, judicial corruption, armed citizen and U.S. Army rebellions.
Forgotten Founders Historic Documents and Coins of Freedom - By Stanley
L. Klos
Which U.S. President adopted
the Philadelphia Constitutional Convention
resolution, enacted the Northwest Ordinance, and backed George Washington,
James Madison and Nathaniel Gorham's resolution to submit the new U.S.
Constitution to the States for ratification without Congressional
alterations?
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