William Randolph III

Career

Planter

William Byrd of Westover visited Judith and questioned the difficulties the eighteen-year-old might face for taking on significant responsibilities before getting a good education. In any event, Randolph became an able manager of the family's plantation and fit in well with the "elite planter culture". Household and farm work was performed by indentured servants and enslaved men, women, and children. The slave quarters at Tuckahoe were larger than most slave quarters, which could be as small as 12 by 8 feet. They were about 16 by 20 feet, but were divided into two units, which were separated by a central chimney. Each room had an exterior door.

Tuckahoe, located along the James River in Goochland County, Virginia, was near the properties of his uncle, Isham Randolph of Dungeness, and Peter and Jane Jefferson. He patented 2400 acres in what is now Albemarle County. The land was adjacent to a 2000-acre tract owned by Peter Jefferson. Randolph sold 200 acres that were adjacent to Peter Jefferson's Shadwell property in 1741 to Jefferson, who used it for the site of his home with his wife Jane.

Politics

He worked for Goochland County as the Clerk and as one of the justices of the peace who jointly governed the county in that era. In 1742 he succeeded his uncle Isham Randolph of Dungeness (who had died) as one of the men representing Goochland County in the House of Burgesses, alongside Benjamin Cocke. Later in that session the legislature created Albemarle County from the western part of Goochland County, so George Carrington succeeded him as the other burgess for Goochland. In 1744, Randolph became the first Clerk of Albemarle County.

Marriage and children

In 1733, Randolph started building a two-story house on Tuckahoe.

In 1735, he married Maria Judith Page, the daughter of Hon. Mann Page and Judith Wormsley or Wormeley of Rosewell. Known as Mary, she had a dowry of £2000 sterling, which the couple used to finish building the mansion for Tuckahoe. It was completed in 1840 and The Washington Post said that it is "one of the James River's most famous plantations.

They had four children, including their only son Thomas Mann Randolph Sr.

Death

When Maria died by 1742, Randolph wrote out a will in late 1745, shortly before his death, knowing that his three children would become orphans.

Whereas I have appointed by my will that my dear only son Thomas Mann Randolph should have a private education given him in my house at Tuckahoe, my will is that my dear and loving friend Mr. Peter Jefferson do move down with his family to my Tuckahoe house and remain there till my son comes of age with whom my dear son and his sisters shall live.

Although Peter Jefferson had intended to establish a plantation off the Rivanna River, he instead moved his family to Tuckahoe in 1746 and raised William and Maria Judith's children there until 1752, when Thomas Randolph was 11 years of age.

During that time Jefferson managed the plantation, was executor of William Randolph’s estate, and was guardian of the children. It was considered unusual that he did not chose a Randolph family member to be guardian of his children or executor of his estate.