Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-05-22
Born April 2, O.S., 1743.
Died July 4, 1926.

The full epitaph which Mr.. Jefferson wrote.
and rough pen and ink sketch of a monument
for himself was found in a private drawer
shortly after his death. 1t was TO be an obelisk
OF granite, eight feet high, ut appeared to be a
little over nine feet, and to bear the following
inscriptions:
HERE WAS BURIED
THOMAS JEFFERSON,
Author
OF THE DECLARATION OF
AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE,
of
THE STATUTE OF VIRGINIA
FOR RELIGIOUS FREEDOM, AND
TIA PATHER OF THE UsIvEKsITY OF VIRGINIA.
Born APR April 2: ?: o: IS: $. 174s.
His wishes were fully carried out. the blank
In the last line having been filled with July
4, 1885,
In an old pocket account book OF 1741, among
other memoranda In Jefferson's handwriting
was the following selection OF burial place:
"Choose some unfrequented vale In the park,
where is mo sound to break the stiffness bat a
DrOOk, that bubbling winds among the weeds:
no mark of human shape that has been there
unless the skeleton OF some poor wretch who
sought that place out to despair and Gle in
Let 1t be among ancient and venerable oaks;
tnterSperSe some gloomy evergreenS Appro-
pirate One-half to the use of my own family, the
other to strangers, servants, etc. Let
the exit look on a small and distant part of the
Blue mountains"
The graveyard is located on an unfreauented
slope OF the mountain, "amOng ancient and
venerable oaks" ..interspersed" with a solitary
evergreen, but no sound OF brooks "that bub-
bling winds among the weeds" breaks the
stiffness. A tall pine waving in the breeze,
singing old songs with new gladness'
was the only sound. The graves, of which
there are thirty besides that of Jefferson, are
partly surrounded by an old brick wall about
an hundred feet square and eight or ten feet high
With high, ruSt-eaten iron gates wide enough to
admit carriage On the north and west Sides
ground and On the west portion has fallen.
Within the Enclosure. as stated everything is
the picture OF deSOlatiOn and decay. With the
exception Of two or three marble slabs which
mark the graves OF some OF Jefferson s descend
ants, buried as late as ten years ago, there is
not one that is not cracked or defaced, over
grown with the weeds, or out OF its place. 1t is
half covered with rank weeds and loose stones
and bricks. On the west wall the virginia
creepers' are struggling to grow out OF the
place before they put on the scarlet ttntS of the
autumn, and within the bloom of single bush
OF egaltine only relieves the decay which met
one at every step.
There is no trace whatever of the grave of
Mrs Jefferson, which was about the first inter-
ment and which was located by the side OF the
obelisk OF Jefferson. He survived her forty-four
years. In 1851 this grave and its slab OF white
marble were visible with the simple inscription:
"Maltha Jefferson, born In 174S O. s. Inter-
married with Thomas jefferson January list.
17I2: Torn from him by death Sept 9Th. 1882:
This monument OF love is inscribed" On the
other side OF the o6elisk the slab covering the
grave OF Jefferson's oldest daughter Is partially
legible. What Is missing Is In brackets:
m. A. R.-IMartha Jefferson Randolph,
eldest daughter OF Thomas Jefferson, born Sept
2I-QII2l. Intermarried with Thomas Mann
randolph FEB. %, 1890. Died oct. 10, 1886. She
possessed strong and cultivated mild
and gentle temper; warm, affecttonate
and self sacrificing in all her duties. This is a
Jefferson Randolph" The latter, the first
grandson OF Thomas Jefferson, died but few
years ago; (ue was president in 1872 OF the
National Democratic Convention, which met at
BaltimoTe). He was present when Jefferson
died and furnished Mr.. Randall, his biographer,
an interesting account OF Jefferson's last mo-
mentS.
From him 1t Is learned that Mr., Jefferson had
no funeral 1t was his wish that his 1nterment
should be private and without parade of any
kind, and no notice OF the hour OF interment nor
invitations were issued. His body was borne
down the mountain side from his residence by
little procession OF his family and servants but
at the grave his friends and neighbors had
tribute OF affection. The burial Service OF the
Episcopal Church was read over the remains at
the grave. Mr.. Jefferson was invited to the city
or washington on the 4th of July-the day on
which he died-to join In the the Celebration of
the nftieth anniversary of American Indepen-
dence; but he declined on account of Ill health,
though anxious, as he said. to see his ''ancient
In his last days Jefferson wrote to Madison
'"Take care of me when dead, and be assured l
shall leave WIN you my last aneCt1OnS." Al
though Mr.. Randall tells us that this probably
referred to defence OF his political life 1t is an
appeal, now partially needed, to the American
people to save from further Dissertation this
''temple Of silence and reconciliation"
Monticello itself, at the time OF our VISIT was
In possession OF a tramp. When we reached
the hill top from the graveyard and walked to
the front OF the mansion an old man In rags sat
half asleep In the sun on the pOrtico He
aroused himself at the barking Of half fed dog
and greeted US gruf11y with DO you want to see
Old man Jef1erson's house, gentlemen ~. We
answered. ''Then 1t will cost you twenty five
cents apiece" The money was paid. chain
| acIoss the main door was unlocked, it swung
open, and we entered spacious ante han. The
appearance OF decay in his earthly habitationn
was not 30 great as we had been led TO believe,
but was not the dissertation In keeping with
| that down the mountain Slope7 The home o;
| Thomas Jefferson In possession OF tramp
| Who could believe this unless he had