History of Charles City County Virginia United States of America

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Edmund Waddill, Jr., jurist, was born in Charles City county, Va., May 22, 1855; son of Edmund and Mary Louisa (Redwood) Waddill; grandson of Richard and Mary (Christian) Waddill, and great-grandson of Capt. Joseph Christian, a distinguished American officer in the Revolutionary war. He attended the local schools; was trained as a court clerk in the office of his father; studied law; was admitted to the bar in 1877, and practised in Richmond, Va., and surrounding counties. He was married, Dec. 19, 1878, to Alma C., daughter of John G. and Conway Ella (Chisholm) Mitchell of Hanover county, Va. He was judge of Henrico county, Va., 1880-83; U.S. attorney of the eastern district of Virginia, 1883-85; a representative in the state legislature, 1885-89; the defeated Republican candidate for representative from the third Virginia district to the 50th congress in 1886; was elected to the 51st congress in 1888, receiving 196 votes more than George D. Wise, Democrat and serving 1889-91. He was appointed by President McKinley March 22, 1898, U.S. judge of the eastern district of Virginia.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

John Munford Gregory, governor of Virginia, was born in Charles City county, Va., July 8, 1804; son of John Munford and Letitia Power (Graves) Gregory. He was graduated from William and Mary college, with the degree of LL.B. in 1830; was a member of the state assembly, 1830-41, and in the latter year became acting governor of Virginia, serving as such until 1843. He was U.S. attorney for the eastern district of Virginia, 1853-60, and judge of the fifth judicial circuit of Virginia, 1860-66. He died in Williamsburg, Va., in 1887.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Martha (Wayles) Skelton Jefferson, wife of President Jefferson, was born at "The Forest" in Charles City county, Va., Oct. 19 (o.s.), 1748; daughter of John Wayles. She was married in 1765 to Bathurst Skelton, a widower with several children, who died in 1767, and she inherited the property of both her husband and father. She was celebrated throughout Virginia for her extraordinary beauty and her varied accomplishments, being a skilled horsewoman, musician, dancer and housewife. She also had a marked literary taste and was a brilliant conversationalist. She was married at "The Forest," the home of her father, to Thomas Jefferson, in January, 1772, and they had six children, all girls, only three of whom survived their mother. The youngest, Lucy Elizabeth, died in October, 1784. The eldest, Martha, born in 1772, went abroad with her father on his appointment as minister plenipotentiary to Europe, and was placed in a convent at Panthemont, France, where she remained until 1789. On Feb. 23, 1789, she was married to her cousin, Thomas Mann Randolph, and she became the mother of eleven children. She made occasional visits to the White House during her father's administration, assisting him in dispensing hospitality as far as her family cares would allow. Her sister Mary, born Aug. 1, 1778, went to France in 1787, was educated in the convent with Martha, and was married Oct. 13, 1797, to her cousin, John Wayles Eppes. She died April 17, 1804. Sarah N. Randolph, great granddaughter of President Jefferson, published an account of his domestic life (1871). Mrs. Jefferson died at "Monticello," near Charlottesville, Va., Sept. 6, 1782. Jefferson wrote the epitaph for his wife's tomb: "To the memory of Martha Jefferson, daughter of John Wayles; Born October 19th, 1748, o.s., intermarried with Thomas Jefferson January 1, 1772; Torn from him by Death September 6th, 1789; This Monument of his Love is inscribed."

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

History of Charles City County Virginia

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