Randolph family of Virginia

The Randolph family is a prominent Virginia political family, whose members contributed to the politics of Colonial Virginia and Virginia after it gained its statehood. They are descended from the Randolphs of Morton Morrell, Warwickshire, England. The first Randolph to come to America was Henry Randolph in 1643.^[1] His nephew, William Randolph later came to Virginia as an orphan in 1669. He made his home at Turkey Island along the James River. Because of their numerous progeny, William Randolph and his wife, Mary Isham Randolph, have been referred to as "the Adam and Eve of Virginia." The Randolph family was the wealthiest and most powerful family in Colonial Virginia.

Randolph Family of Virginia coat of arms.

History

Colonial Virginia

William Randolph (1650–1711), 26th Speaker of the Virginia House of Burgesses.

Peyton Randolph (1721–1775), 1st and 3rd President of the Continental Congress.

John Marshall (1755–1835), 4th Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court.

In 1663, Henry Randolph I built Swift Creek Mill (widely believed to be one of the first grist mills in the United States]]^{[2] [3]} )

William Randolph was a Virginia Burgess for Henrico County and later Speaker of the Virginia House of Burgesses. He was a founding trustee of The College of William and Mary.

Thomas Randolph of Tuckahoe and William Randolph II, sons of William Randolph, were Virginia Burgesses for Henrico County in 1720 and 1722.^[4]

Sir John Randolph, son of William Randolph, was a Speaker of the House of Burgesses, and later Deputy Attorney General for Charles City County, Prince George County, and Henrico County.^[5]

Revolutionary War era

Peyton Randolph, son of Sir John Randolph, was a speaker of the Virginia House of Burgesses, chairman of the Virginia Conventions, and the first President of the Continental Congress.^[6][7]

Beverley Randolph, grandson of William Randolph, was a Virginia Delegate for Henrico County from 1777-1780 and the 8th Governor of Virginia, the first after the US Constitution was ratified.^[8]

Edmund Randolph, grandson of Sir John Randolph, was an aid-de-camp to George Washington in the American Revolutionary War. He was afterward seventh Governor of Virginia, the second Secretary of State, and the first United States Attorney General. Thomas Jefferson, great-grandson of William Randolph, was a Virginia Burgess for Albemarle County and the principal author of the Declaration of Independence. At the beginning of the American Revolution he was a delegate to the Continental Congress for Virginia, also serving as a wartime Governor of Virginia. Just after the war ended, from mid-1784 Jefferson served as a diplomat to Paris and became the United States Minister to France. He was the first United States Secretary of State (1790–1793) serving under President George Washington. He was the 2nd Vice President, under John Adams, and 3rd President of the United States, during which he oversaw the Louisiana Purchase, leading the United States to double in size during his presidency. In later years he founded the University of Virginia.

John Marshall, great-grandson of Thomas Randolph of Tuckahoe, was the 4th Chief Justice of the United States. His court opinions helped lay the basis for United States constitutional law and made the Supreme Court of the United States a coequal branch of government along with the legislative and executive branches. Previously, he had been a leader of the Federalist Party in Virginia and served as a US Representative. He was Secretary of State under President John Adams from 1800-1801.^[9]

"Light Horse Harry" Lee, great-grandson of William Randolph was an early American patriot who served as the ninth Governor of Virginia and as the Virginia Representative to the United States Congress. During the American Revolution, Lee served as a cavalry officer in the Continental Army.^[10][11]

Antebellum era

Thomas Mann Randolph Jr., 2nd great grandson of William Randolph, was a member of both houses of the Virginia General Assembly, a Representative in the U.S. Congress, and as the 21st Governor of Virginia, from 1819-1822.

Civil War era

Robert E. Lee, 2nd great grandson of William Randolph, was an American career military officer best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War. In postbellum years he was president of Washington College (later Washington and Lee University).

George W. Randolph, 3rd great grandson of William Randolph, was a general officer in the American Civil War and a Confederate States Secretary of War. He was most well known for his strengthening the Confederacy's western and southern defenses, but came into conflict with Confederate President Jefferson Davis over this.^[12]

Plantations

The family’s wealth was based on four large plantations on the James River, acquired by William Randolph: Turkey Island (which he began assembling after his arrival around 1668), Curles (purchased from the colonial government), Tuckahoe and Dungeness (the result of two large land grants around 1700).

Turkey Island derives its name from the first explorers of the James River, who noted that it contained a large population of wild turkeys. The term can refer to the surrounding area as well as the island. William Randolph's residence overlooked Turkey Island, and he is buried near the site of the house.^[13]

Curles (Curles Neck) Plantation is west of Turkey Island. It was owned by Nathaniel Bacon, who rebelled against the governor in 1676. The property was forfeited to the colonial government and William Randolph purchased it.

Tuckahoe was the Native American name for an edible water plant. It became a pejorative reference for members of elite Tidewater society. It is likely that the cultural term tuckahoe derives from Tuckahoe Plantation, established by William Randolph's son, Thomas. Tuckahoe is the only remaining intact plantation of William's sons.

Dungeness is the headland of a shingle beach in Kent, England, which must be rounded to approach the Thames Estuary. The founder of Dungeness Plantation, Isham Randolph, spent several years of his adult life as a ship's captain, and therefore was familiar with the feature. The name may have been chosen to suggest a turning point in a long voyage. The similar headland at the southwestern top of Cornwall, Land's End, has inspired the names of several enterprises, including two plantations.

The name "Bremo" comes from a Germanic word meaning "edge", in this case the edge of a river. The root also occurs in the English word "brim". The plantation identified with Edward Randolph was near Turkey Island, in Henrico County. The extant Bremo Plantation was established in the early 19th century in Fluvanna County, far to the west.

These plantations are shown on the 1751 Fry-Jefferson map.

Historic homes

Historic homes associated with the family include Tuckahoe in Goochland and Henrico counties, the Peyton Randolph House in Williamsburg, the Wilton House Museum and the John Marshall House in Richmond, Monticello near Charlottesville, Stratford Hall in Westmoreland, and Brandon Plantation in Prince George.

Freed slaves

Randolphs who freed slaves and fought Virginia's growing dependence on the "peculiar institution" in the early Republic are less known, but include Richard Randolph of Bizarre and Anne Cary Randolph Morris, who later married founding father (and anti-slavery advocate) Gouverneur Morris of New York)^[14] Jacob Randolph of Isle of Wight County, Virginia, freed 13 slaves in 1783.^[15]

John Randolph of Roanoke freed nearly 400 slaves in his will, probated in 1833 and upheld more than a decade later.^[16][17][18]

Other connections

Members of the Randolph family also intermarried with other prominent Virginia families, including the Blands, Byrds, Carters, Beverleys, Fitzhughs, and Harrisons. Native American princess Pocahontas was directly related to members of the Randolph family through marriages of Robert Bolling's two granddaughters, Lucille and Jane Bolling. Some evidence suggests that the famous legendary hero, BGray Randolph, and famous American frontiersman, politician and hero Davy Crockett were in fact of Randolph descent. Actor Lee Marvin and actress and producer Kimberley Kates are also Randolph descendants, in her case through her paternal grandmother. World War I fighter ace Hamilton Coolidge was a direct descendant of the marriage of a Randolph and the daughter of U.S. President Thomas Jefferson.

Today, many Randolph descendants continue the family's political tradition in the United States.

Family connection (listed by ancestry/generation)

See also

• First Families of Virginia

References

External links

• Media related to Randolph family of Virginia at Wikimedia Commons