Democratic-RepublicanPresident · Virginia
Thomas Jefferson"The Sage of Monticello"
1801 first electedLeft office 18098 years servedBorn 1743 in Shadwell Plantation, Virginia, British AmericaDied 1826
Biography
Born April 13, 1743, at Shadwell in Albemarle County, Virginia. A polymath with interests spanning law, architecture, science, and philosophy, he rose to prominence as a Virginia lawyer and legislator before being chosen to draft the Declaration of Independence in 1776, the document that would define his legacy as a founder of the nation. He went on to serve as Governor of Virginia, Minister to France, the first Secretary of State under George Washington, and Vice President under John Adams (his political rival) before being elected the 3rd President of the United States in 1800 in a bitterly contested election decided by the House of Representatives. As president, his most consequential achievement was the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, which doubled the size of the United States, followed by his commissioning of the Lewis and Clark Expedition to explore the new territory. He founded the University of Virginia later in life and designed much of it himself, along with his famous mountaintop home, Monticello.
Additional Info
Spouse
Martha Wayles (m. 1772; died 1782)
Vice President
Aaron Burr (1801–1805) George Clinton (1805–1809)
Prior Offices
2nd Vice President of the United States, 1st United States Secretary of State, 2nd Governor of Virginia,
Fun Fact
Jefferson died on July 4, 1826 — the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence — within hours of fellow founder and former president John Adams, whose last words reportedly referenced Jefferson still being alive (he wasn't). Jefferson was also a prolific inventor and gadget enthusiast, designing a revolving bookstand, a clock powered by cannonballs, and a "great clock" at Monticello that tracked days of the week using the momentum of falling weights — visible through a hole cut in the floor.
Election History
No election records found in the database yet.