Martha Jefferson
Wikipedia
First Ladies of the United States for Middle School Readers
Martha Skelton Jefferson ( October 19 or 30, 1748 – September 6, 1782) was the wife of Thomas Jefferson. She served as First Lady of Virginia during Thomas' term as Governor from 1779 to 1781, but did not serve as First Lady of the country because she died in 1782, 19 years before he became President.
Of the six children born to Thomas and Martha, only two survived to adulthood, Martha and Mary. Martha died four months after the birth of her last child. It is widely held that Thomas had a long-standing relationship and children with Martha's half-sister, Sally Hemings, a favored slave who was three-quarters white. Thomas burned their letters to each other and rarely spoke of her, so she remains a somewhat enigmatic figure.
Martha Wayles was born on October 19 or 30, 1748, the daughter of Martha Eppes Wayles and John Wayles of The Forest plantation near Colonial Williamsburg in Charles City County, Virginia. Their only child, Martha was nicknamed "Patty". John Wayles was an attorney, slave trader, business agent for Bristol-based merchants Farrell & Jones, and prosperous planter.
Martha Wayles had two stepmothers, neither of whom lived long after their marriages to John Wayles, and through one stepmother she had four half-sisters. After which John Wayles took Betty Hemings as a mistress, and gave Martha additional half-siblings. Martha likely received her education-including literature, dance, music, French language and Bible study- from private tutors or women in the family. She became the "Lady of the House" after her second stepmother died when she was 13 years of age and was often a hostess to John Wayles' social events and helped manage his business and household affairs. She knew how to make candles, soap, butter and remedies for illnesses.
Martha Wayles first married Bathurst Skelton , an attorney, on November 20, 1766. Their son, John, was born on November 7, 1767. Bathurst Skelton died on September 30, 1768. Martha moved back to The Forest following her husband's death. Three-year-old John died on June 10, 1771.
Her third cousin, Thomas Jefferson likely began courting Martha in December 1770. They shared an interest in horse-back riding, literature, and music. As part of Martha's dowry for their January 1, 1772 wedding, Thomas and Martha received property, including the Elk Hill plantation, where Martha had lived with her first husband, and a great number of slaves, which helped Thomas complete the construction of the Monticello residence and landscaping of the estate's 5,000 acres. While Monticello was undergoing construction and Thomas was away, Martha often stayed at the Elk Hill plantation.
They had six children, but only two daughters reached adulthood. An unnamed son, Jane Randolph, and Lucy Elizabeth, who died of whooping cough, died as infants. Only the eldest, Martha "Patsy" Jefferson, survived past the age of 25.
There are no surviving contemporaneous portraits of Martha Jefferson, but she has been described by family members and Isaac Granger Jefferson as small, graceful, and pretty and like her daughter, Mary Jefferson Eppes. She was described by Robert Skipwith, her sister's husband, as having possessed "... the greatest fund of good nature ... that sprightliness and sensibility which promises to ensure you the greatest happiness mortals are capable of enjoying." As Thomas was having Monticello built, he obtained a piano forte from England for Martha as a wedding present. She played the harpsichord piano forte, while Thomas Jefferson played violins. It was said that Martha played the harpsichord "very skilfully and who, is in all respects a very agreeable sensible and accomplished lady," according to a Hessian officer, Jacob Rubsamen, who visited Monticello in 1780.
According to her daughter, Martha Jefferson was highly educated and musical, a constant reader, with a good nature and a vivacious temper that sometimes bordered on tartness. She had great affection for her husband. She was a little over five feet tall, with a lithe figure, auburn hair, and hazel eyes. She was an accomplished needlewoman, some of her embroidery still exists. Martha maintained a collection of notes regarding her household duties and recipes, such as butchering and curing meat and the creation of large batches of soft and hard soap, candles, and beer. During her first year of marriage she began the practice of brewing beer, producing 170 gallons that year.
Martha Jefferson was First Lady of Virginia from 1779 to 1781, during the American Revolution. In that capacity, and in response to a request from Martha Washington, Mrs. Jefferson led a drive among the women of Virginia to raise funds and supplies for her state's militia in the Continental Army to the extent that her health permitted.
Managing the Jefferson household became increasingly difficult for Martha Jefferson, who had endured at least one case of smallpox, may have had diabetes, and was weakened by her numerous pregnancies, which would ultimately kill her. She bore the stress of having to flee a British invasion of Richmond in early January 1781 and a raid on Monticello in June of that year, during which she had to travel with infant children, many of whom died. She was aware that the British were interested in capturing her or her husband.
Thomas limited his political service due to her health. Jefferson, in Philadelphia for the Second Continental Congress of 1776 that drafted the Declaration of Independence, wished to return to her as soon as possible. Thomas served as Governor and in the House of Delegates in Virginia. He rejected the offer to serve as the as a commissioner to France made by the Continental Congress while she was alive.
The birth of their youngest child in May 1782 was reportedly the most difficult pregnancy for Mrs. Jefferson, having carried a very large baby. Edmond Randolph wrote in the month of her death that Thomas was "inconsolable" about Martha's declining health and pain." Mrs. Jefferson's health worsened and she died on September 6, 1782, four months after the birth of her last child. Jefferson was inconsolable. She was buried at Monticello and her tombstone included the words from Thomas' perspective: "Torn from him by death" and "This monument of his love is inscribed".
So that her children would not grow up with stepmothers, Martha had asked Thomas Jefferson to never marry again, and he never did. Her request has been attributed to her own disagreeable relationships with her step-mothers. At her death, she was 33; he was 39.
Of the six children born to Thomas and Martha, only two survived to adulthood, Martha and Mary. Martha died four months after the birth of her last child. It is widely held that Thomas had a long-standing relationship and children with Martha's half-sister, Sally Hemings, a favored slave who was three-quarters white. Thomas burned their letters to each other and rarely spoke of her, so she remains a somewhat enigmatic figure.
Martha Wayles was born on October 19 or 30, 1748, the daughter of Martha Eppes Wayles and John Wayles of The Forest plantation near Colonial Williamsburg in Charles City County, Virginia. Their only child, Martha was nicknamed "Patty". John Wayles was an attorney, slave trader, business agent for Bristol-based merchants Farrell & Jones, and prosperous planter.
Martha Wayles had two stepmothers, neither of whom lived long after their marriages to John Wayles, and through one stepmother she had four half-sisters. After which John Wayles took Betty Hemings as a mistress, and gave Martha additional half-siblings. Martha likely received her education-including literature, dance, music, French language and Bible study- from private tutors or women in the family. She became the "Lady of the House" after her second stepmother died when she was 13 years of age and was often a hostess to John Wayles' social events and helped manage his business and household affairs. She knew how to make candles, soap, butter and remedies for illnesses.
Martha Wayles first married Bathurst Skelton , an attorney, on November 20, 1766. Their son, John, was born on November 7, 1767. Bathurst Skelton died on September 30, 1768. Martha moved back to The Forest following her husband's death. Three-year-old John died on June 10, 1771.
Her third cousin, Thomas Jefferson likely began courting Martha in December 1770. They shared an interest in horse-back riding, literature, and music. As part of Martha's dowry for their January 1, 1772 wedding, Thomas and Martha received property, including the Elk Hill plantation, where Martha had lived with her first husband, and a great number of slaves, which helped Thomas complete the construction of the Monticello residence and landscaping of the estate's 5,000 acres. While Monticello was undergoing construction and Thomas was away, Martha often stayed at the Elk Hill plantation.
They had six children, but only two daughters reached adulthood. An unnamed son, Jane Randolph, and Lucy Elizabeth, who died of whooping cough, died as infants. Only the eldest, Martha "Patsy" Jefferson, survived past the age of 25.
There are no surviving contemporaneous portraits of Martha Jefferson, but she has been described by family members and Isaac Granger Jefferson as small, graceful, and pretty and like her daughter, Mary Jefferson Eppes. She was described by Robert Skipwith, her sister's husband, as having possessed "... the greatest fund of good nature ... that sprightliness and sensibility which promises to ensure you the greatest happiness mortals are capable of enjoying." As Thomas was having Monticello built, he obtained a piano forte from England for Martha as a wedding present. She played the harpsichord piano forte, while Thomas Jefferson played violins. It was said that Martha played the harpsichord "very skilfully and who, is in all respects a very agreeable sensible and accomplished lady," according to a Hessian officer, Jacob Rubsamen, who visited Monticello in 1780.
According to her daughter, Martha Jefferson was highly educated and musical, a constant reader, with a good nature and a vivacious temper that sometimes bordered on tartness. She had great affection for her husband. She was a little over five feet tall, with a lithe figure, auburn hair, and hazel eyes. She was an accomplished needlewoman, some of her embroidery still exists. Martha maintained a collection of notes regarding her household duties and recipes, such as butchering and curing meat and the creation of large batches of soft and hard soap, candles, and beer. During her first year of marriage she began the practice of brewing beer, producing 170 gallons that year.
Martha Jefferson was First Lady of Virginia from 1779 to 1781, during the American Revolution. In that capacity, and in response to a request from Martha Washington, Mrs. Jefferson led a drive among the women of Virginia to raise funds and supplies for her state's militia in the Continental Army to the extent that her health permitted.
Managing the Jefferson household became increasingly difficult for Martha Jefferson, who had endured at least one case of smallpox, may have had diabetes, and was weakened by her numerous pregnancies, which would ultimately kill her. She bore the stress of having to flee a British invasion of Richmond in early January 1781 and a raid on Monticello in June of that year, during which she had to travel with infant children, many of whom died. She was aware that the British were interested in capturing her or her husband.
Thomas limited his political service due to her health. Jefferson, in Philadelphia for the Second Continental Congress of 1776 that drafted the Declaration of Independence, wished to return to her as soon as possible. Thomas served as Governor and in the House of Delegates in Virginia. He rejected the offer to serve as the as a commissioner to France made by the Continental Congress while she was alive.
The birth of their youngest child in May 1782 was reportedly the most difficult pregnancy for Mrs. Jefferson, having carried a very large baby. Edmond Randolph wrote in the month of her death that Thomas was "inconsolable" about Martha's declining health and pain." Mrs. Jefferson's health worsened and she died on September 6, 1782, four months after the birth of her last child. Jefferson was inconsolable. She was buried at Monticello and her tombstone included the words from Thomas' perspective: "Torn from him by death" and "This monument of his love is inscribed".
So that her children would not grow up with stepmothers, Martha had asked Thomas Jefferson to never marry again, and he never did. Her request has been attributed to her own disagreeable relationships with her step-mothers. At her death, she was 33; he was 39.