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Ellen W. Randolph Coolidge to Henry S. Randall, 31 July 1856

I cannot myself give you any information as to what became of my grandfather’s letters to my mother. She died at Edgehill, October. 1836. I was in Boston at the time of her death and never saw the papers which she left behind. Her father’s letters were no doubt among those papers, and must be in...

Extract from Ellen W. Randolph Coolidge to Henry S. Randall, 16 May 1857

For the details of Mr Jefferson’s funeral I must refer you to my brothers and sisters. I was not present nor was my sister Cornelia. She was with me in Boston when in July 1826, we received a summons to hasten on to Virginia if we wished to see our grandfather alive. We set off immediately but...

Ellen W. Randolph Coolidge to Henry S. Randall, 11 June 1857

I have your two letters before me—If I have not sooner replied to them my excuse is simply that I could not. A complication of family cares & duties rendered it impossible for me to write till now. The first Mrs Francis Eppes was a niece of my father’s—the eldest daughter of his sister Jane...

George Wythe Randolph to Derby & Jackson, 27 Nov. 1857

I have received your letter of the 25th inst: addressed to “The Honble Geo: W Randolph” and requesting permission to publish in your circular my letter of July 3rd to Mr Randall. You probably mistake me for my elder brother who edited the correspondence of Mr Jefferson and was in public life at...

Ellen W. Randolph Coolidge’s Memories of Thomas Jefferson, [ca. 1858]

a beginning destined never to go farther— Thomas Jefferson It is now one hundred and fifteen years since a respectable family, possessed of competent fortune, resided on a plantation of Virginia situated on the banks of a mountain stream, the Rivanna, a tributary of the noble James, one of the...

Extract from Mary B. Randolph to Ellen W. Randolph Coolidge, 30 June 1858

“There has been a serious proposition made by the Governor of the State to my father (Col. T. J. Randolph) to have his Grandfather’s remains removed to Richmond, to be placed in the Hollywood Cemetery, where Mr Monroe’s are to be interred, and where Mr Wise proposes that Mr Madison, Mr Jefferson...

Ellen W. Randolph Coolidge to Adolph de Circourt, 18 July 1858

So long a time has passed without my writing to you that I fear you may be almost surprised at receiving a letter from me. You will not however have ascribed my silence to change of feeling towards yourself. You know me too well to suspect me of fickleness in my friendships. You will have placed...

Ellen W. Randolph Coolidge to Joseph Coolidge, 24 Oct. 1858

I am just from church, a church originally planned by Grandpapa, where I heard a good sermon from an Episcopalian Clergyman, a young man, the Revd Mr. Butler. I have been talking freely with my brother Jefferson on the subject of the ‘yellow children’ and will give you the substance of our...

Extract from the Autobiography of Thomas Jefferson Coolidge, 24 Oct. 1859

October 24. We hear of the first act which was the forerunner of our Civil War. John Brown of Kansas notoriety attempted, with fifteen men and five negroes, to take forcible possession of the arsenal at Harper’s Ferry. They defended themselves for a day or two, but were killed or taken prisoners....

Extract from the Autobiography of Thomas Jefferson Coolidge, 6 Nov. 1860

November 6. Election day. Lincoln and Hamlin were chosen. Every Republican member of Congress from Massachusetts has been elected except Burlingame, who was defeated to my great joy by Mr. William Appleton. I had worked so hard that I was attacked by fever and violent cold, brought on by...

Virginia J. Randolph Trist to Cornelia J. Randolph, 22 Dec. [1860]

I recieved your letter last night and hope the directions for the pudding may reach you to-morrow mornging. I have just recovered from a sick head-ache but feel well except rather weak. I went to market to day. Miss Dyckmann’s leaves us to day; She says she can get her house in order more quickly...

Extract from the Autobiography of Thomas Jefferson Coolidge, 23 Dec. 1860

December 23. South Carolina seceded on Friday, the twentieth, from the United States. The day, I am afraid, will be long remembered. Mr. William Amory, who returned from Washington yesterday, says that the Republicans will make no concessions and he thinks, as I do, that if that is the case the...

Extract from the Autobiography of Thomas Jefferson Coolidge, 30 Dec. 1860

December 30. Major Anderson has evacuated Fort Moultrie and retired to Fort Sumter. The palmetto flag floats over the Charleston Custom House. In short, they are in open rebellion. The President’s (Buchanan) message took the ground that every State might secede, as there was no law to prevent it,...

Ellen W. Randolph Coolidge to Benjamin F. Randolph, 6 Feb. 1861

I have had a little photograph taken which they tell me is not much uglier than I am myself, and I enclose one in this letter for Sally & yourself. I cannot tell you how unhappy I am in the present conflict between the North & South. The idea of Civil war makes all the blood in my body...