On 1 January, 1772, Jefferson married Mrs. Martha Skelton,
a beautiful and childless young widow, daughter of John Wayles, a lawyer in
large practice at the Williamsburg bar. His new house at Monticello, a view of
which is, given on page 419, was then just habit, able, and he took his wife
home to it a few days after the ceremony. Next year the death of his wife's
father brought them a great increase of fortune--40,000 acres of land and 135
slaves, which, when the encumbrances were discharged, doubled Jefferson's
estate.
The Jefferson's thrived in Virginia and in September the
birth of their daughter Martha was a cause for celebration. Martha had four more
childen but only two lived to maturity, Martha, called Patsy, and Mary, called
Maria or Polly.
Thomas Jefferson due to Martha's poor health was force to resign from the
Continental Congress to stay near her. Jefferson served in Virginia's House of
Delegates and as governor. On January 3rd 1781, a British invasion led by
Benedict Arnold forced Martha to flee the capital in Richmond her fourth child a
baby girl who died in April that same year. In June Martha was forced to flee
again from Monticello barely escaping an enemy raid. Martha birthed her
last child, a daughter, the in May 1782, and never remained ill throughout the
summer. On 6 September, 1782, Martha Jefferson died, to his unspeakable and
lasting sorrow, leaving three daughters, the youngest four months old. Jefferson
wrote "My dear wife died this day at 11:45 A.M."
