John Randolph (1727 – January 31, 1784) was an American lawyer and politician from Williamsburg in the British colony of Virginia. He served as king's attorney for Virginia from 1766 until he left for Britain at the outset of the

American Revolution The American Revolution was an ideological and political revolution that occurred in British America between 1765 and 1791. The Americans in the Thirteen Colonies formed independent states that defeated the British in the American Revoluti ...

Early life

Randolph was born in Williamsburg into one of the most prominent families of Virginia. His father was

Sir John Randolph Sir John Randolph (1693 – March 7, 1737) was an American politician. He was a Speaker of the House of Burgesses, an Attorney General for the Colony of Virginia, and the youngest son of William Randolph and Mary Isham. Early life Randolph ...

, the only colonial Virginian to be knighted. The younger Randolph was a close friend of

Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson (April 13, 1743 – July 4, 1826) was an American statesman, diplomat, lawyer, architect, philosopher, and Founding Father who served as the third president of the United States from 1801 to 1809. He was previously the natio ...

, his cousin, with whom he often played violin.

Revolution

During the revolutionary crisis, Randolph remained a Loyalist, unlike his brother

Peyton Randolph Peyton Randolph (September 10, 1721 – October 22, 1775) was an American politician and planter who was a Founding Father of the United States. Born into Virginia's wealthiest and most powerful family, Randolph served as speaker of Virginia' ...

, and his son,

Edmund Randolph Edmund Jennings Randolph (August 10, 1753 September 12, 1813) was a Founding Father of the United States, attorney, and the 7th Governor of Virginia. As a delegate from Virginia, he attended the Constitutional Convention and helped to create ...

. In 1774, he wrote "Considerations on the Present State of Virginia", in which he called for reconciliation between his fellow colonists and Great Britain. He boycotted the Virginia Convention, an extralegal convening of the

House of Burgesses The House of Burgesses was the elected representative element of the Virginia General Assembly, the legislative body of the Colony of Virginia. With the creation of the House of Burgesses in 1642, the General Assembly, which had been establishe ...

headed by his brother Peyton. When hostilities began, Randolph fled to Scotland with Governor Dunmore. In Scotland, Randolph continued to promote reconciliation between Great Britain and the colonies.

Personal life

On July 26, 1750, he married Ariana Jennings (–1808) in Annapolis, Maryland. Together, they had three children. *

Edmund Jennings Randolph Edmund Jennings Randolph (August 10, 1753 September 12, 1813) was a Founding Father of the United States, attorney, and the 7th Governor of Virginia. As a delegate from Virginia, he attended the Constitutional Convention and helped to create ...

(1753–1813), who married Elizabeth Nicholas (1753–1810), daughter of Robert Carter Nicholas Sr. * Susanna Beverly Randolph (1755–1791), who married John Randolph Grymes (1745–1805). * Ariana Jennings Randolph (1760–1794), who married James Wormeley (1746–1830). When Randolph died in Brompton, London, in 1784, his last request was to be buried in Virginia. His remains were returned and he is interred in the chapel at

The College of William and Mary ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

in Williamsburg. His son Edmund became Governor of Virginia, the first Attorney General of the United States, and the second US Secretary of State.

Descendants

His grandson, John Randolph Grymes (1786–1854), was a

New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans

attorney, member of the

Louisiana Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is borde ...

state legislature, U. S. attorney for Louisiana district, and '' aide-de-camp'' to General

Andrew Jackson Andrew Jackson (March 15, 1767 – June 8, 1845) was an American lawyer, planter, general, and statesman who served as the seventh president of the United States from 1829 to 1837. Before being elected to the presidency, he gained fame as ...

during the

Battle of New Orleans The Battle of New Orleans was fought on January 8, 1815 between the British Army under Major General Sir Edward Pakenham and the United States Army under Brevet Major General Andrew Jackson, roughly 5 miles (8 km) southeast of the Frenc ...

. His great-granddaughters through his grandson, Ralph Randolph Wormeley (1785–1852), included Elizabeth Wormeley Latimer (1822–1904), and Ariana Randolph Wormeley (1833–1922), was married to Daniel Sargent Curtis (1825–1908), a lawyer and banker and Trustee of the Boston Public Library, director of the Boston National Bank and owner of Palazzo Barbaro.Wadlin, Horace G. The Public Library of the City of Boston: A History. Boston: Trustees of the Boston Public Library, 1911.

Ancestry

References

*Crompton, Samuel Willard. "Randolph, John". '' American National Biography Online'', February 2000.

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Randolph, John 1727 births 1784 deaths Loyalists in the American Revolution from Virginia American people of English descent Burials at the College of William & Mary Mayors of Williamsburg, Virginia

John John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Secon ...

Virginia lawyers