THOMAS JEFFERSON
Thomas Jefferson was born April 13, 1743 at shadwell
plantation, Goochland (now Albemarle) county, Virginia. His birth place was
destroyed by fire in 1770. His father was colonel Peter Jefferson(1708-1757)
and his mother was Jane Randolph (1720-1776) who was born in London. She
came to America with her family when She was a child.
Thomas was the third of eight children. He had six sisters
and one brother; Jane Jefferson, Mary Bolling, Elizabeth Jefferson, Martha Carr,
Lucy Lewis, Anna Scott Marks and Randolph Jefferson.
Thomas Married Martha Wayles Skelton when she was 23 years
of age and he was 28. Jefferson had two daughters; Martha “ Patsy” Jefferson
(1772-1836) and Mary “Polly” Jefferson (1778-1804).
Thomas had no military service. He started practicing Law
since his admission to the bar in 1767 in Virginia. He became member of the
House of Burgesses in 1769 until1774. In 1775 he became a member of the
Continental Congress(1775-1776). He was appointed to the committee charged with
drafting the declaration of Independence. He was a member of the Virginia House
of Delegates (1776-1779) and later Governor of Virginia (1779-1781) Jefferson
served in other different positions; Member of the Continental Congress
(1783-1784), Minister of France (1785-1789), Secretary of State (1790-1793) and
Vice-president (1797-1801).
Thomas Jefferson was chosen as the Republican presidential
Candidate in 1800 with Aaron Burr of New York as his Vice-president. His
opponent was John Adams who was looking for the reelection. Thomas Jefferson won
the elections as President and also the reelection in 1804.
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