The Colonial Period, 1743-1774 April 13 (April 2, Old Style).*
Thomas Jefferson is born at Shadwell plantation in Goochland
(later Albemarle) County, Virginia, to Peter Jefferson, a
planter and surveyor, and Jane Randolph, daughter of a prominent
Virginia family. *April 2 by the Old (Julian) Calendar, April 13
by the New (Gregorian) Calendar. The New Calendar was adopted by
Great Britain and its colonies in 1752. To bring the calendar in
line with the solar year, it added eleven days; the new year
began in January rather than March. Jefferson begins attending a
local school run by a Scotsman, Reverend William Douglas. Peter
Jefferson dies. Jefferson attends the school of the Reverend
James Maury in Fredericksville Parish, twelve miles from
Shadwell. He boards with Maury's family. At about this time, he
also begins keeping a literary commonplace book, writing
extracts in it from Greek, Latin, and English literature.
Jefferson attends the College of William and Mary in
Williamsburg. He studies mathematics and p