In 1717, Isham Randolph married Jane Rogers in
London[4] at St. Paul's Church in the
Shadwell parish (today east London).[4] Jane was from a wealthy
landed gentry family of England and Scotland.[3] Isham and Jane Randolph moved to
Virginia. Together, they had nine children[nb 1] and were familially connected to many other prominent individuals:
Ann Randolph (born February 5, 1735),[4] who had four children in three marriages.[5] She was the mother of
James Pleasants Jr., the 22nd Governor of Virginia, via her last marriage to James Pleasants Sr.[5]
Thomas Randolph (born August 13, 1736),[4] who married Jane Cary, the daughter of
Archibald Cary, in 1768.[4]
Following his father, he was a prominent planter, merchant, public official, and also was a
shipmaster.[1] In London, Randolph was a well-established merchant[10] and agent for the colony of Virginia. By the birth of his second daughter, Mary, in October 1725, he returned to Colonial Virginia.[6] In 1730, he built Dungeness, with English manor house style architecture on what became a large tobacco plantation,[11][12] near
Goochland, Virginia[13] just west of Fine Creek (near the
Fine Creek Mills Historic District).[11] At the time that he acquired the land for Dungeness, it was frontier land,[6] 40 miles from
Richmond, Virginia.[3] It became a house of "refinement and elegant hospitality" with a hundred or more servants.[14]
Randolph was a prominent member of the Virginia planter class, often referred to as the "planter aristocracy", owning enslaved Africans which grew tobacco on his
plantations.[11] He also participated in the
triangular trade, in addition to bringing
indentured servants and
slaves to colonial Virginia.[3]
Like his good friend, Colonel
William Byrd, Randolph had an interest in science and engaged in amateur science circles while in London. He was noted for his abilities as a naturalist by members of the
Royal Society.[3] Upon the recommendation of naturalist
John Bartram, Randolph was visited by botanist
Peter Collinson and led an excursion to gather specimens in colonial Virginia.[3][14]
In 1738, Randolph became the adjutant general of Virginia. The following year, he became a colonel of the militia of Goochland County. He was also a member of the Virginia
House of Burgesses.[6] Randolph died in November 1742[4] and was buried on Turkey Island.[14] In his will he assigned guardians of his children, including his son-in-law,
Peter Jefferson (the father of President
Thomas Jefferson.)[6]
The distinguished qualities of the Gentleman he possessed in an eminent degree: To justice probity & honor so firmly attached that no view of secular interest or worldly advantage, no discouraging frowns of fortune could alter his Steady purpose of heart. By an easy Compliance and obliging deportment he new no enemy but gained many friends; this in life meriting an universal esteem.
^Robert Isham Randolph, whose grandfather's grandfather was Thomas Randolph, wrote that various sources erroneously treat sons Thomas and Isham as one child named "Thomas Isham". He also noted that some sources list birthdates for the children well after Isham Randolph of Dungeness had died in 1742.[4]
^
abcdefghijklmRandolph, Robert Isham (October 1937). "The Sons of Isham Randolph of Dungeness". The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography. 45 (4). Virginia Historical Society: 383–386.
JSTOR4244820.