Young Thomas Jefferson to attend The College of William & Mary

Nicknamed "Long Tom," Thomas Jefferson was slim, at six feet two and a half inches, which was tall considering that the average man at the time stood five feet six inches tall.  In later years, his slave, Isaac Granger Jefferson, who worked as a tinsmith and blacksmith at Monticello, described his master as being a tall and straight-bodied man with square shoulders, long face and a high nose.  His cheeks were lean and  his jaw square and firm. Thomas had auburn to light-red hair, fair skin that freckeled and sunburned easily, pointed features, and deep-set hazel eyes.  He expressed fluent humorous and pleasant conversation in a soft voice, higher pitch than most, but could be shy and reserved.  He was described as  being the perpetual charmer, and usually made an excellent impression upon both men and women.

Young Thomas had a great love for reading and writing, and often had a book in his hand.  He knew his Bible, and  continued to love and become proficient in the English classics, that were introduced to him at the Dover Creek School and continued by Reverend James Maury at the Maury School for Boys. Because of his unusually high intellect, Thomas was greatly influenced and encouraged by Rev. Maury, and long-time friend of  the family, Joshua Fry, to apply to The College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia's capital and education center.

The Shadwell library was small in comparison to that of Tuckahoe, where he spent seven years of his childhood, as well as the Dover Creek School library. Thomas was looking forward to moving away from home, and began to give serious thought to enrolling at The College of William & Mary.

After a discussion with Peter Randolph, Thomas argues for permission to enter The College of William & Mary with Dr. Thomas Walker of Castle Hill and John Harvie of Belmont, the Jefferson estate executors and his  respected guardians.  John Harvie, the active executor of Peter Jefferson's estate, was the person responsible for providing Thomas with the estate funds necessary for college tuition and personal spending money.

In a letter written to John Harvie, one of the earliest preserved Jefferson letters, Thomas stated his reasons for wanting to go to college.  He wrote,


                                                                                                                  4 January 1760

"Sir,

I was at Colo. Peter Randolph's about a Fortnight ago, & my Schooling falling into Discourse, he said he thought it would be to my Advantage to go to College, & was desirous I should go, as indeed I am  myself for several Reasons.  In the first place as long as I stay at the Mountains, the Loss of one-fourth of my Time is inevitable, by Company's coming here & detaining me from School.  And likewise  my Absence will in a great Measure put a Stop to so much Company, & by that Means lessen the Expences of the Estate in House-Keeping.  And on the other Hand by going to the College I shall get a more  universal Acquaintance, which may hereafter be serviceable to me; &I suppose I can pursue my Studies in the Greek & Latin as well there as here, & likewise learn something of  the Mathematics.  I shall be glad of your opinion, and remain, Sir, your most humble servant,

                                                                                                        Thomas Jefferson, Jr."

Thomas Jefferson arrived at The College of William & Mary on the 25th of March 1760.  He graduated with supreme honors on the 25th of April  1762, having completed all his studies in two years.  Upon graduation, he was invited to study at the law office and home of the distinguished law professor and friend, George Wythe, where he remained a student for five years.

~

Read more about the young Jefferson's college years and time in Williamsburg, as well as Jefferson's first 31 years of life in Thomas Jefferson-From Boy to Man, by Jayne D'Alessandro-Cox. 

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