Thomas Jefferson’s Conveyance of Bedford and Campbell County Land to Thomas Jefferson Randolph, 9 January 1823, document 1 in a group of documents on Transfer of Jefferson’s Debt to the College of William and Mary, 9 January 1823
I. Conveyance of Bedford and Campbell County Land to Thomas Jefferson Randolph
This Indenture made on the Ninth day of January one thousand eight hundred and twenty three between Thomas Jefferson of the one part and Thomas Jefferson Randolph grandson of the Said Th. Jefferson on the other part both of the County of Albemarle Witnesseth that the Said Thomas Jefferson by Virtue of the power and authority to him given by a deed of Settlement duly executed proved and recorded Concerning the lands herein conveyed and in consideration of the Natural affection which he beareth his Said grandson and of certain Security Ships in which he is bound and may hereafter become bound for the Said Thomas Jefferson hath given granted bargained and Sold to the Said Th. J. Randolph all the lands Which the Said Th: Jefferson holds Whether in his own right or that of his Deceased Wife grandmother of the Said Thomas J Randolph in the Counties of Bedford and Campbell on the head Waters of Black Water and Buffalo Creeks to the East and South of the following lines To Wit Begining at Radfords uper Corner Near the double branchs of Bear Creek and the publick road and running thence in a Straight line to the fork of the private road of the Said Thomas Jefferson Near the Barn thence along that private road (as it Was Changed in 1817—) to its crossing of the Main Branch of North Tomahawk and from that crossing in a direct line over the Main bridge Which divides the North and South Tomahawks to the Said South Tomahawk at the confluence of two branches Where the old road to the Waterlick crossed it and from that confluence up the Northermost branch to its Source and thence the Shortest line to his Western boundary Which Said parcel of land Contains by estimation two thousand Seven hundred and Nineteen acres be the Same more or less To Have and To Hold the Said parcel of land With its appurtenances to him the Said Thomas Jefferson Randolph and his heirs1 and the Said Thomas Jefferson his2 heirs executors and administrators the Said parcel of land With its appurtenances to him the said Thomas Jefferson Randolph and his heirs Will forever Warrant and defend In Witness Whereof the Said Thomas Jefferson hath hereto Set his hand and Seal on the day and Year first above Written
Th. Jefferson {Seal}
| Signed Sealed & Delivered in Presence of |
| Martin Dawson |
| James R Watson |
| Samuel Carr |
Albemarle County Sc
We Samuel Carr and Martin Dawson Justices of the peace in the County aforesaid in the State of Virginia do hereby certify that Thomas Jefferson a party to a certain deed bearing date on the Ninth day of January 1823. and hereto annexed personally appeared before us in our County aforesaid and acknowledged the same to be his act and deed and desired us to certify the Said acknowledgement to the Clerk of the County Court of Bedford in order that the Said deed may be recorded Given under our hands and seals this ninth day of January one thousand eight hundred and twenty three
| Samuel Carr {Seal} |
| Martin Dawson {Seal} |
Bedford Clerks Office March 17th 1823
This deed of Gift from Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Jefferson Randolph was certified by two Justices of the peace for the County of Albemarle and admited to Record Teste
Ja Steptoe CBC
Tr (Bedford Co. Deed Book, 17:300–1); in left margin between certifications: “Exd & Delivd.”
James Richard Watson (ca. 1798–1867) was the son of John Watson, of Milton. He became an Albemarle County magistrate in 1832, rose to major in the local militia, and was a hotel keeper at the University of Virginia from at least 1848 to 1856. Watson owned six slaves in 1830, eleven in 1840, eighteen in 1850, and nine in 1860, when his real estate was valued at $20,000 and his personal property at $5,000 (, 339, 378, 405; DNA: RG 29, CS, Albemarle Co., 1830–60, 1850, 1860 slave schedules; Richmond Enquirer, 8 Dec. 1832; Catalogue of the University of Virginia [1848–49 sess.]; [1855–56 sess.]).
For the 1817 change in the private road, see editorial note and group of documents on Survey of Poplar Forest Boundaries, printed above at 27 Nov. 1817. sc: abbreviation for “scilicet.” cbc: “Clerk of Bedford County.”
1. Clerk here canceled “executors.”
2. Manuscript “his his.”
Index Entries
- Bedford County, Va.; TJ’s lands in search
- Campbell County, Va.; TJ’s land in search
- Carr, Samuel (TJ’s nephew); witnesses document search
- Dawson, Martin; witnesses documents search
- Jefferson, Thomas; Writings; Conveyance of Bedford and Campbell County Land to Thomas Jefferson Randolph search
- Poplar Forest (TJ’s Bedford Co. estate); roads search
- Randolph, Thomas Jefferson (TJ’s grandson; Jane Hollins Nicholas Randolph’s husband); TJ conveys land to search
- roads; at Poplar Forest search
- Steptoe, James; clerk of Bedford Co. search
- Watson, James Richard; identified search
- Watson, James Richard; witnesses documents search