Isham Randolph
Member of theHouse of Burgesses forGoochland County
In office 1738–1741 Serving with James Holman
Preceded by	Edward Scott
Succeeded by	William Randolph III
Personal details
Born	February 24, 1687 Turkey Island,Henrico County, Virginia
Died	November 2, 1742 (aged 55) Goochland County, Virginia
Resting place	Turkey Island, Virginia
Spouse	Jane Rogers ​ ​ (m. 1717)​
Relations	Thomas Jefferson (grandson) Charles Lilburn Lewis (grandson) James Pleasants (grandson)
Children	11, includingJane
Parents	William Randolph (father) Mary Isham (mother)

Isham Randolph (February 24, 1687 – November 2, 1742) was an Americanplanter,shipmaster, merchant, military officer and politician who served a partial term in the House of Burgesses representing Goochland County.^[1][2] He may today be best known as the maternal grandfather ofUnited States PresidentThomas Jefferson.^[1]

Isham Randolph was born on theTurkey Island plantation inHenrico County, Virginia on February 24, 1687. He was the third son ofWilliam Randolph (1650–1711) and wife Mary Isham (c. 1659–1735).[3] His father was acolonist, landowner, planter, and merchant who served as the 26thSpeaker of the Virginia House of Burgesses.

Randolph graduated from theCollege of William & Mary.^[4]

Like his father, Isham Randolph farmed tobacco and other crops using enslaved labor.^[5] In 1730, Randolph built "Dungeness," an English manor styled house on what became a large tobaccoplantations,^[5][6] nearGoochland, Virginia^[7] just west of Fine Creek (near theFine Creek Mills Historic District).^[5] That land had seemed near the frontier when it was acquired,^[8] 40 miles fromRichmond, Virginia.^[4] but Dungeness became a house of "refinement and elegant hospitality" with a hundred or more servants.^[9]

Randolph was also a prominent merchant andshipmaster, traveling across the Atlantic Ocean to London many times.^[1] A well-established merchant in London,^[10] Randolph became agent for the colony of Virginia, but returned by October 1725 when his second daughter, Mary, was born.^[8] In addition to bringingindentured servants to the colony, Randoph also participated in thetriangular trade, andslaves to colonial Virginia.^[4]

Like his good friend, ColonelWilliam Byrd, Randolph had an interest in science and engaged in amateur science circles while in London. He was noted for his abilities as a naturalist by members of theRoyal Society.^[4] Upon the recommendation of naturalistJohn Bartram, Randolph was visited by botanistPeter Collinson and led an excursion to gather specimens in colonial Virginia.^[4][9]

In 1738, Randolph succeeded Abraham Nicholas as the adjutant general of Virginia.<refname=Tyler /> The following year, he became a colonel of the militia of Goochland County. Around the same time, Randolph also succeeded Edward Scott of Manakintown, who died in 1738, as one of Goochland County's two representatives to theHouse of Burgesses.^[8][11]

In 1717, Isham Randolph married Jane Rogers inLondon^[12] at St. Paul's Church in theShadwell parish (today east London).^[12] Jane was from a wealthylanded gentry family of England and Scotland.^[4] Isham and Jane Randolph moved toVirginia. Together, they had nine children^{[nb 1]} and were familially connected to many other prominent individuals:

• Isham Randolph (1718-1718), lived only ten days.
• Jane Randolph (1720–1776),^[12] who marriedPeter Jefferson and had nine children, includingThomas Jefferson, the thirdPresident of the United States.^[13]
• Isham Randolph (born August 18, 1724), married Sarah Hargreaves in 1749, in Philadelphia.^[12]
• Mary Randolph (born October 15, 1725, inColonial Williamsburg),^[8] who married Colonel Charles Lewis of Buck Island and had eight children, includingCharles Lilburn Lewis, one of the founders ofMilton, Virginia.^[14][15]
• Elizabeth Randolph (born 1727)^[12]
• William Randolph (1729-1791), married Elizabeth Little on 31 July 1761, in London and would died in Bristol
• Dorothea Randolph (born November 24, 1730) who marriedJohn Woodson^[16]
• Thomas Randolph (1732-173?), died young.
• Ann Randolph (born February 5, 1735),^[12] who had four children in three marriages.^[13] She was the mother ofJames Pleasants Jr., the 22nd Governor of Virginia, via her last marriage to James Pleasants Sr.^[13]
• Thomas Randolph (born August 13, 1736),^[12] who married Jane Cary, the daughter ofArchibald Cary, in 1768.^[12]
• Susannah Randolph (born September 25, 1738),^[12] who marriedCarter Henry Harrison I (the brother ofBenjamin Harrison V, the son ofBenjamin Harrison IV, and the grandson ofBenjamin Harrison III andRobert "King" Carter) and had six children.^[13][17] She was the great-grandmother ofCarter Henry Harrison III, a five-time mayor ofChicago.^[13][17]

Randolph died in November 1742^[12] and was buried on Turkey Island.^[9][2] In his will he assigned guardians of his children, including his son-in-law,Peter Jefferson (the father of PresidentThomas Jefferson.)^[8] His nephewWilliam Randolph III (1712-1745; son ofThomas Randolph of Tuckahoe) would succeed him in the House of Burgesses but serve only one session (with his cousin of the same name representing Charles City County downstream).

The distinguished qualities of the Gentleman he possessed in an eminent degree: To justice probity & honor so firmly attached that no view of secular interest or worldly advantage, no discouraging frowns of fortune could alter his Steady purpose of heart. By an easy Compliance and obliging deportment he new no enemy but gained many friends; this in life meriting an universal esteem.

• Ancestry of Thomas Jefferson
• Jane Randolph Jefferson § Ancestry

• 1687 births
• 1742 deaths
• Owners of plantations in colonial Virginia
• Jefferson family
• People from Henrico County, Virginia
• Randolph family (Virginia)
• Merchants from colonial Virginia
• 18th-century American merchants

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