Recently, I had the privilege of receiving an amazing private tour of the 1768 Eppington Plantation home. It is located on the Appomattox River in Chesterfield County, VA. The house is not furnished inside, which I so appreciated. The floors, walls, doors, staircase, fireplaces, etc. are all original. You can just imagine Thomas and Martha Jefferson and their daughters visiting the Eppes family as they walk about the house. This is the back view of the home. It was a mirror image of the front, which faced the Appomattox River, now blocked by a thick forest. Thomas Jefferson was visiting Eppington when he received a letter from George Washington offering him the position of Secretary of State..."I consider the Office of Secretary for Department of State as important on many accounts and know no other person could better execute duties than yourself."
Eppington was the residence of Thomas Jefferson's wife, Martha's, step-sister Elizabeth and her husband Francis Eppes IV. Two years after Martha Jefferson died in 1782, Thomas Jefferson accepted the position to succeed Benjamin Franklin as the Minister to France (1785-9). He brought his oldest daughter, Martha (Patsy), and left 2 year old Lucy and 6 year old Maria (Polly) at Eppington w/ Aunt Elizabeth, Uncle Frances and their family.
Sadly, as the Eppes were entertaining guests that they did not know were infected with whopping cough, their toddler Lucy, Thomas Jefferson's 2 yr old Lucy, and 6 year old Maria contracted whopping cough. Maria got through it, but the two Lucy's were not strong enough to be saved, and died. They were buried in the family cemetery. Once Thomas Jefferson was informed of his youngest daughter's death, he insisted that his family send Maria to him in Paris. Maria did not want to leave her Aunt Elizabeth. The persistent father won, but an escort was very difficult to find. The only person available to escort Maria to Paris was a 13 year old enslaved girl from Monticello...Sally Hemings. What a surprise it was for Thomas Jefferson to see that his very young daughter was escorted on the large an arduous trip by yet another "child".
Eppington Plantation can be toured by appointment only in groups of 5 or more. Call 804.748.1623. Eppington is open free of charge one day a year... the first Saturday of October, from 11am - 4pm. For more information on tours and the October Festival, visit http://eppington.org/
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