Peachy Ridgeway Gilmer (1779–1836), attorney, was the son of TJ’s friend George Gilmer (d. 1795) and brother of Francis W. Gilmer. Born in Albemarle County, he received a private education before attending the College of William and Mary for one session, 1797–98. Gilmer afterwards studied law with his brother-in-law William Wirt, and he was admitted to the Albemarle County bar. In 1803 he married Mary House, the niece of Elizabeth Trist. Three years later Gilmer moved to Henry County and practiced law. In 1818 he moved to the town of Liberty (later Bedford), where he was admitted to the Bedford County bar and appointed commonwealth’s attorney later the same year. Gilmer returned to Albemarle County permanently in 1830. He owned five slaves in 1820 and fifty in 1830 (ViU: Gilmer Family Correspondence, including Gilmer’s memoir; John Gilmer Speed, The Gilmers in America [1897], 72–91, 151–2; William and Mary Provisional List description begins A Provisional List of Alumni, Grammar School Students, Members of the Faculty, and Members of the Board of Visitors of the College of William and Mary in Virginia. From 1693 to 1888, 1941 description ends , 19; Woods, Albemarle description begins Edgar Woods, Albemarle County in Virginia, 1901, repr. 1991 description ends , 207–8, 381, 402; PTJ description begins Julian P. Boyd, Charles T. Cullen, John Catanzariti, Barbara B. Oberg, James P. McClure, and others, eds., The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, 1950– , 43 vols. description ends , 42:494–5; Historical Sketch, Bedford County, Virginia [1907], 23; DNA: RG 29, CS, Bedford Co., 1820, 1830, Albemarle Co., 1830; Richmond Whig & Public Advertiser, 15 Apr. 1836; Washington Daily National Intelligencer, 22 Apr. 1836; Albemarle Co. Will Book, 12:187–9).