History
Construction is generally thought to have been begun by Thomas Randolph about 1710. His son William Randolph III is believed to have finished the work on the mansion. The original house is now the north wing; William added rooms and sections between 1730-1745 that created the "H"-shaped house of today.
He married Maria Paige and they had four children, but his wife died in 1744. William Randolph's cousin Jane married Peter Jefferson, and they were friends. Before William Randolph died in 1745, he named Peter Jefferson as guardian for his four children, including his oldest son Thomas Mann Randolph. The Jeffersons moved from Charlottesville into the house with their two-year-old son Thomas. They lived in the home until 1754, and for 7 years young Thomas was tutored with his young Randolph cousins. Jefferson turned over management of the plantation to Thomas Mann Randolph in 1757.
In 1794 his son William B. Randolph was born. He kept the house until 1830, and since then it has continued to be privately owned.
The house is currently under the care of the owner/managers Addison B. Thompson and his wife. The grounds are open for self-guided tours. The house is open for private tours by appointment and may also be rented for private events.
Read more about this topic: Tuckahoe (plantation)
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