Patsy Jefferson Randolph (1772-1836)

United States Presidential First Lady. She was First Lady of the United States during her father's administration and is one of two ladies to be both "First Daughter" and First Lady of Virginia. The oldest child of Thomas and "Patty" Jefferson, "Patsy" Jefferson was left completely in her father's care after her mother died in 1782; educated under his direction and largely in his image she was thus far more learned than most girls of her time. While still a young teenager she served as Jefferson's official hostess during his 1785 thru 1789 service as Minister to France, at one point considering conversion to Catholicism which resulted in Jefferson's quick withdrawl of her and her younger sister Polly from their convent school. Patsy married her cousin, Thomas Mann Randolph Jr., in 1790; though the union produced twelve children it was rocky due to Randolph's mental illness, physical abusiveness, and drinking problems, with frequent estrangements. (Interestingly, Jefferson had once estimated that there was an 84% chance of Patsy landing a "blockhead"). Patsy and her children were thus forced to spend most of their time at Monticello; when Thomas Jefferson took office as President in 1801 Patsy assumed the duties of White House hostess and First Lady and was to carry this responsibility during much of Jefferson's time in office. She was also First Lady of Virginia while her husband was Governor from 1819 to 1822, but due to the state of her marriage lived most of the time at Monticello. During the post-White House years she was her father's closest confidante and friend, then found herself saddled with the massive debts and the forced sale of Monticello after Jefferson's July 4, 1826, death. Patsy reconciled with her husband before he died in 1828 and lived out her days at her estate, Edgehill. Her image was captured by several noted painters of the day including Thomas Sully.

Bio by: Bob Hufford