Thomas Jefferson
AUTOBIOGRAPHY
With the Declaration of Independence
January 6, 1821
At the age of 77, I begin to make some memoranda and state some recollections of
dates & facts concerning myself, for my own more ready reference & for the
information of my family.
The tradition in my father's family was that their ancestor came to this country
from Wales, and from near the mountain of Snowdon, the highest in Gr. Br. I
noted once a case from Wales in the law reports where a person of our name was
either pl. or def. and one of the same name was Secretary to the Virginia
company. These are the only instances in which I have met with the name in that
country. I have found it in our early records, but the first particular
information I have of any ancestor was my grandfather who lived at the place in
Chesterfield called Ozborne's and ownd. the lands afterwards the glebe of the
parish. He had three sons, Thomas who died young, Field who settled on the
waters of Roanoke and left numerous descendants, and Peter my father, who
settled on the lands I still own called Shadwell adjoining my present residence.
He was born Feb. 29, 1707/8, and intermarried 1739. with Jane Randolph, of the
age of 19. daur of Isham Randolph one of the seven sons of that name & family
settled at Dungeoness in Goochld. They trace their pedigree far back in England
& Scotland, to which let every one ascribe the faith & merit he chooses.
My father's education had been quite neglected; but being of a strong mind,
sound judgment and eager after information, he read much and improved himself
insomuch that he was chosen with Joshua Fry professor of Mathem. in W. & M.
college to continue the boundary line between Virginia & N. Caroline which had
been begun by Colo Byrd, and was afterwards employed with the same Mr. Fry to
make the 1st map of Virginia which had ever been made, that of Capt Smith being
merely a conjectural sketch. They possessed excellent materials for so much of
the country as is below the blue ridge; little being then known beyond that
ridge. He was the 3d or 4th settler of the part of the country in which I live,
which was about 1737. He died Aug. 17. 1757, leaving my mother a widow who lived
till 1776, with 6 daurs & 2. sons, myself the elder. To my younger brother he
left his estate on James river called Snowden after the supposed birth-place of
the family. To myself the lands on which I was born & live. He placed me at the
English school at 5. years of age and at the Latin at 9. where I continued until
his death. My teacher Mr. Douglas a clergyman from Scotland was but a
superficial Latinist, less instructed in Greek, but with the rudiments of these
languages he taught me French, and on the death of my father I went to the revd
Mr. Maury a correct classical scholar, with whom I continued two years, and then
went to Wm. and Mary college, to wit in the spring of 1760, where I continued 2.
years. It was my great good fortune, and what probably fixed the destinies of my
life that Dr. Wm. Small of Scotland was then professor of Mathematics, a man
profound in most of the useful branches of science, with a happy talent of
communication, correct and gentlemanly manners, & an enlarged & liberal mind.
He, most happily for me, became soon attached to me & made me his daily
companion when not engaged in the school; and from his conversation I got my
first views of the expansion of science & of the system of things in which we
are placed. Fortunately the Philosophical chair became vacant soon after my
arrival at college, and he was appointed to fill it per interim: and he was the
first who ever gave in that college regular lectures in Ethics, Rhetoric &
Belles lettres. He returned to Europe in 1762, having previously filled up the
measure of his goodness to me, by procuring for me, from his most intimate
friend G. Wythe, a reception as a student of law, under his direction, and
introduced me to the acquaintance and familiar table of Governor Fauquier, the
ablest man who had ever filled that office. With him, and at his table, Dr.
Small & Mr. Wythe, his amici omnium horarum, & myself, formed a partie quarree,
& to the habitual conversations on these occasions I owed much instruction. Mr.
Wythe continued to be my faithful and beloved Mentor in youth, and my most
affectionate friend through life. In 1767, he led me into the practice of the
law at the bar of the General court, at which I continued until the revolution
shut up the courts of justice. [For a sketch of the life & character of Mr.
Wythe see my letter of Aug. 31. 20. to Mr. John Saunderson]
In 1769, I became a member of the legislature by the choice of the county in
which I live, & continued in that until it was closed by the revolution. I made
one effort in that body for the permission of the emancipation of slaves, which
was rejected: and indeed, during the regal government, nothing liberal could
expect success. Our minds were circumscribed within narrow limits by an habitual
belief that it was our duty to be subordinate to the mother country in all
matters of government, to direct all our labors in subservience to her
interests, and even to observe a bigoted intolerance for all religions but hers.
The difficulties with our representatives were of habit and despair, not of
reflection & conviction. Experience soon proved that they could bring their
minds to rights on the first summons of their attention. But the king's council,
which acted as another house of legislature, held their places at will & were in
most humble obedience to that will: the Governor too, who had a negative on our
laws held by the same tenure, & with still greater devotedness to it: and last
of all the Royal negative closed the last door to every hope of amelioration.
On the 1st of January, 1772 I was married to Martha Skelton widow of Bathurst
Skelton, & daughter of John Wayles, then 23. years old. Mr. Wayles was a lawyer
of much practice, to which he was introduced more by his great industry,
punctuality & practical readiness, than to eminence in the science of his
profession. He was a most agreeable companion, full of pleasantry & good humor,
and welcomed in every society. He acquired a handsome fortune, died in May,
1773, leaving three daughters, and the portion which came on that event to Mrs.
Jefferson, after the debts should be paid, which were very considerable, was
about equal to my own patrimony, and consequently doubled the ease of our
circumstances.
When the famous Resolutions of 1765, against the Stamp-act, were proposed, I was
yet a student of law in Wmsbg. I attended the debate however at the door of the
lobby of the H. of Burgesses, & heard the splendid display of Mr. Henry's
talents as a popular orator. They were great indeed; such as I have never heard
from any other man. He appeared to me to speak as Homer wrote. Mr. Johnson, a
lawyer & member from the Northern Neck, seconded the resolns, & by him the
learning & the logic of the case were chiefly maintained. My recollections of
these transactions may be seen pa. 60, Wirt's life of P. H., to whom I furnished
them.
In May, 1769, a meeting of the General Assembly was called by the Govr., Ld.
Botetourt. I had then become a member; and to that meeting became known the
joint resolutions & address of the Lords & Commons of 1768 - 9, on the
proceedings in Massachusetts. Counter-resolutions, & an address to the King, by
the H. of Burgesses were agreed to with little opposition, & a spirit manifestly
displayed of considering the cause of Massachusetts as a common one. The
Governor dissolved us: but we met the next day in the Apollo of the Raleigh
tavern, formed ourselves into a voluntary convention, drew up articles of
association against the use of any merchandise imported from Gr. Britain, signed
and recommended them to the people, repaired to our several counties, & were re
elected without any other exception than of the very few who had declined assent
to our proceedings.
Nothing of particular excitement occurring for a considerable time our
countrymen seemed to fall into a state of insensibility to our situation. The
duty on tea not yet repealed & the Declaratory act of a right in the British
parl to bind us by their laws in all cases whatsoever, still suspended over us.
But a court of inquiry held in R. Island in 1762, with a power to send persons
to England to be tried for offences committed here was considered at our session
of ...
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