Who Is Thomas Jefferson Wife
Introduction
Thomas Jefferson’s wife was Martha Wayles Skelton Jefferson, an American Virginia planter’s wife born on October 19, 1748, at The Forest in Charles City County, Virginia. Thomas Jefferson was an American statesman, Founding Father, principal author of the Declaration of Independence, and the third president of the United States. Although Martha lived more than two centuries ago, her life remains an important part of the Jefferson family story.
Martha and Jefferson married on January 1, 1772, after Martha had previously been married to Bathurst Skelton. Their marriage lasted about ten years, ending with Martha’s death in 1782 at age 33. The couple had six children together, but only two daughters survived to adulthood. This article explores Martha Wayles Skelton Jefferson’s early life, family background, marriage to Thomas Jefferson, children, household role, and the historical record surrounding her life.
Who Is Martha Wayles Skelton Jefferson?
Martha Wayles Skelton Jefferson was the wife of Thomas Jefferson and the daughter of John Wayles, a Virginia lawyer, planter, and slave trader, and Martha Eppes Wayles. She was born on October 19, 1748, at her father’s plantation home, The Forest, in Charles City County, Virginia. Her mother died less than a week after giving birth to her, leaving Martha to grow up in a complicated family environment.
Martha first married Bathurst Skelton on November 20, 1766. They had a son, John, born in 1767, but Bathurst died in 1768. Their son also died in 1771, when he was three years old. Martha subsequently returned to The Forest before beginning her relationship with Thomas Jefferson.
There is no reliable evidence of Martha attending a formal school or college. Like many women of her social position in colonial Virginia, much of her education appears to have taken place within the household. Historical evidence suggests that she was accomplished in music and household management. A visitor to Monticello in 1780 specifically remarked on her skill with the harpsichord piano forte.
Martha was also connected to the complicated Wayles and Hemings family history. Her father, John Wayles, had children with Elizabeth Hemings, an enslaved woman, making Sally Hemings and several other members of the Hemings family Martha’s half-siblings.
Martha Wayles Skelton Jefferson’s Career & Professional Life
Martha Wayles Skelton Jefferson did not have a modern professional career. Historical records describe her primarily as Thomas Jefferson’s wife, household manager, and a woman of accomplishment within Virginia’s planter society. Monticello identifies her as the wife of Thomas Jefferson and First Lady of Virginia from 1779 to 1781, when Jefferson served as governor.
Her responsibilities extended well beyond simply being a political spouse. Accounts from descendants portray Martha as an organized household manager who kept family accounts, maintained household routines, and welcomed Jefferson’s guests. She was also remembered for her musical abilities and social skills.
Martha’s surviving papers provide evidence of her involvement in household affairs. Her manuscript music book and household records are among the materials associated with her life. These surviving documents offer historians a glimpse into the domestic world surrounding Jefferson during the Revolutionary era.
Martha’s financial position also changed through marriage and inheritance. When her father died in 1773, Martha and Thomas Jefferson inherited part of his estate, including land and enslaved people.
There is no dependable historical figure for Martha Jefferson’s personal net worth. Modern celebrity-style net-worth estimates would be misleading because 18th-century wealth was measured through land, enslaved people, property, inheritance, and agricultural assets rather than modern income or investments.
How Did Thomas Jefferson and Martha Jefferson Meet?
Thomas Jefferson and Martha Wayles Skelton appear to have begun courting around late 1770, although the exact details of their first meeting are not fully documented. At the time, Martha was a young widow living again at The Forest with her son John.
Jefferson and Martha did not immediately marry. Their relationship developed over the following year, but tragedy affected the timeline. Martha’s young son, John Skelton, died on June 10, 1771. Jefferson and Martha married about six months later, on January 1, 1772.
The couple’s wedding marked the beginning of a decade-long marriage. Jefferson was already pursuing a political and legal career, while Martha became the central figure in his private household.
Their marriage also became closely connected to Monticello. Jefferson had begun developing the property before their wedding, and the couple lived there during the early years of their marriage. Monticello’s historical records state that Jefferson moved Martha into the unfinished house after their marriage.
Unlike modern celebrity relationships, there are no extensive public engagement records, photographs, or social-media posts documenting their courtship. Most information comes from Jefferson’s papers, family records, historical accounts, and later recollections.
Marriage & Wedding Details
Thomas Jefferson and Martha Wayles Skelton married on January 1, 1772. The ceremony took place in Virginia, and the marriage lasted until Martha’s death on September 6, 1782.
Martha moved into Jefferson’s Monticello household after the wedding. Their home was still developing, and Jefferson continued working on the property during their marriage. Their domestic life became an important part of the early history of Monticello.
Jefferson later described the marriage as ten years of “unchequered happiness,” according to Monticello’s historical account. He was deeply affected by Martha’s death and did not marry again.
Martha’s health appears to have suffered after the birth of her final child. She died only a few months after Lucy Elizabeth Jefferson was born. The precise medical cause of Martha’s death is not known, although Jefferson’s correspondence indicates that she had experienced serious health problems following the birth.
Children & Family Life
Thomas Jefferson and Martha Wayles Skelton Jefferson had six children together. Their children were Martha Jefferson, Jane Randolph Jefferson, an unnamed son, Maria Jefferson, Lucy Elizabeth Jefferson, and another daughter named Lucy Elizabeth Jefferson.
Only two of their six children survived to adulthood: Martha, known as Patsy, and Maria, later known as Polly or Maria Eppes. Martha Jefferson Randolph lived from 1772 to 1836, while Maria Jefferson Eppes lived from 1778 to 1804.
Martha’s first child, Martha Jefferson, was born later in 1772, the same year her parents married. Her younger daughter Maria was born in 1778. Following their mother’s death, the surviving daughters remained important members of Jefferson’s family.
The loss of Martha’s children was significant. Two daughters and a son died as infants, while another daughter, Lucy Elizabeth, died at about two years old from whooping cough. Martha herself died only four months after the birth of the youngest Lucy Elizabeth.
Martha’s surviving daughters later became important figures at Monticello. Her eldest daughter, Martha Jefferson Randolph, helped manage Jefferson’s household during his retirement years and became an important family presence there.
Martha Jefferson on Social Media
Martha Wayles Skelton Jefferson lived from 1748 to 1782, long before modern social-media platforms existed. Therefore, she had no Instagram, Facebook, X, TikTok, or other social-media accounts, and there is no legitimate follower count to report.
Modern readers can instead learn about her through historical collections, letters, household records, family papers, and educational resources maintained by institutions such as Monticello.
Her surviving documents are particularly valuable because very few personal records remain in her own hand. Monticello notes that her music book and household records provide evidence of her interests and domestic responsibilities.
Quick Facts
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Martha Wayles Skelton Jefferson |
| Date of Birth | October 19, 1748 |
| Nationality | American |
| Profession | Household manager; wife of Thomas Jefferson |
| Married to | Thomas Jefferson |
| Marriage Year | 1772 |
| Children | Six with Thomas Jefferson; two survived to adulthood |
| Net Worth | Not reliably documented |
FAQ: Thomas Jefferson Wife
Q: What is Thomas Jefferson’s wife name?
A: Thomas Jefferson’s wife was Martha Wayles Skelton Jefferson.
They married on January 1, 1772, and remained married until her death in 1782.
Q: How old was Martha Jefferson?
A: Martha Wayles Skelton Jefferson was 33 years old when she died on September 6, 1782.
She was born on October 19, 1748, at The Forest in Virginia.
Q: What did Martha Jefferson do for a living?
A: Martha did not have a modern professional career.
She was known primarily as Thomas Jefferson’s wife, household manager, and an accomplished woman with musical and social skills.
Q: When did Thomas Jefferson and Martha Jefferson get married?
A: Thomas Jefferson and Martha Wayles Skelton married on January 1, 1772.
Their marriage lasted approximately ten years, until Martha died in September 1782.
Q: How many kids did Thomas Jefferson and Martha Jefferson have?
A: Thomas Jefferson and Martha Jefferson had six children together.
Only two daughters, Martha and Maria, survived to adulthood.
Conclusion
Martha Wayles Skelton Jefferson was more than simply the wife of a famous American president. Born in Virginia in 1748, she became Thomas Jefferson’s wife in 1772 and played an important role in his private household at Monticello. She was remembered for her musical ability, household management, good nature, and accomplishments. Martha gave birth to six children with Jefferson, although only two survived to adulthood. Her death at age 33 profoundly affected Jefferson, who never remarried. Today, the story of Thomas Jefferson’s wife remains an important part of understanding the family and domestic history surrounding one of America’s most influential Founding Fathers.
