How did thomas jefferson die

Early Family Origins and Life

The Jefferson family migrated from England and likely had arrived in America by early in the seventeenth century; Jefferson’s great-grandfather was living in Virginia when he died in 1697.

Although the Jeffersons were not among the elite landholding families of colonial Virginia, Thomas Jefferson’s grandfather and great-grandfather, both also named Thomas, were well respected, held various public offices, and married advantageously.

Jefferson’s father, Peter Jefferson, was born on February 29, 1707 (Old Style, or 1708, New Style), near present-day Richmond.

According to Thomas Jefferson, his father’s education was “quite neglected,” but he also recalled that Peter Jefferson was “of a strong mind, sound judgment and eager after information,” and that “he read much and improved himself.” The elder Jefferson held several prominent public offices and gradually acquired large tracts of land.

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