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Meet the People
: The Randolphs
: Betty Randolph
- Birth date unknown
- Parents: Ann Carter Harrison and Benjamin Harrison
- Formal education unknown; able to read and write
- Baptism unknown
- Married Peyton Randolph March 8, 1745/6 at about 21 years of age
- Wife of Attorney General of Virginia and Speaker of the House of Burgesses
- No children
- Died January 31, 1783
Listen to an Independence Day Interview: Carolyn Wilson on Betty Randolph and Independence. In the pursuit of American independence, Betty Randolph played the role of lady and wife, enabling husband Peyton to fight for freedom.
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Listen to a Behind the Scenes Interview: Interpreting an American Lady. Carolyn Wilson talks about her passion for what it means to be an American citizen and her love for interpreting Betty Randolph in Colonial Williamsburg's Historic Area.
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OCCURRENCES, PUBLICK AND PRIVATE:
13 March 45/6 Virginia Gazette:
"Peyton Randolph Esq, his majesty's atto. Genl of this colony was marry'd
to Bettye Harrison daughter of the late Col. Benjamin Harrison of Berkley in
Charles City County, deceased."
7 July 1751 John Blair Diary
"Sun p.m. Mrs. Bride, Mrs. Grimes, Mrs. Burwell, Mrs. Atto. &c., visited
Mrs. Blair who could not go to church."
25 Nov. 1751 John Blair Diary
"The Govr, his lady and Mrs. Dinwiddie, Mr. Attorney and his lady, the
Councilr and his lady dined and supped with us this day [Monday]"
"17 March 1755 Daughter Ann to be kept by Mrs. Dinwiddie, Mrs. Attorney,
Mrs. Chiswell. or one of them. Will of Kenneth McKenzie, Surgeon of Williamsburg,
decd."
"16 Feb. 1769 Wife of the Speaker owns slave attending the Bray School
in Wmsburg"
- Peyton Randolph died 23 October 1775
Last Will and Testament of Peyton Randolph
IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN. I Peyton Randolph do make this
my last will & testament. I give & devise to my beloved wife my dwelling
house, lots & all the outhouses thereto belonging in the city of Williamsburg,
with the furniture of the same, & also my chariot & horses & all
her wearing apparel rings & jewels, all which estates real & personal
I give to her heirs, exrs, & adrs. I give to my sd wife also Little Aggy
& her children, Great Aggy & her children, Eve & her children
Lucy & her children to her & her heirs forever. I give to my wife
also the use & enjoyment of my whole estate real & personal, not hereafter
given away during her natural life. I give to Harrison Randolph a negro boy
called Caesar, the son of Sue to him & his heirs forever. I give to my
brother John Randolph the two negro boys such as he shall choose out of my
estate which have not been particularly disposed of to him & his heirs,
after the death of my wife I give to my sd brother all my estate both real
& personal to hold the same during his life except my man Johnny whom
in that case I give to my nephew Edmund Randolph to him & his heirs &
after the death of my brother John I give all the estate devised to him for
life to the sd Edmund Randolph his heirs exrs & admrs, subject nevertheless
to the payment of £500 each to his sisters Susanna & Arrianna Randolph
for the payment of which sums I allow him four years after the estate shall
come into his hands, he paying them interest yearly for such sums as remain
unpaid. I do hereby empower my exrs. to sell my books & presses to pay
my debts & if that is not sufficient to sell so many of the negroes as
they think can be best shared from the use of the plantations to answer that
purpose. I do appoint my wife, my brother John Randolph & Mr. James Cocke
exrs. of this my will. IN WITNESS whereof I have set my hand & seal this
18th day of August in the year of our Lord 1774
Peyton Randolph L.S.
Signed sealed published & declared by the sd Peyton
Randolph as & for his last will (he being present at the [signing ?] of
this attestation in presence of
Thomas Mason
Samuel Henley
John Pope
3 Jan. 1776 All persons who have any Demands against
the Estate of Peyton Randolph, Esq.; deceased, are desired to bring their
Accounts properly proved. Those indebted to the said estate are requested
to make immediate Payment.
Betty Randolph
James Cocke
Those Gentlemen who have borrowed any Books of the late
speaker are desired to return them immediately
- 21 August 1780 Ordered that . . . Betty Randolphs Nineteen Tiths be added
to Bruton list
- 1782 Wmsbg Land Tax: Betty Randolph 3 lots
- 17 Feb. 1783 Estate auction
Last Will and Testament of Betty Randolph
IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN. I Betty Randolph do make her my last Will
and Testament June 1st 1780 I give to Edmund Randolph Esqr nephew of my dear
departed Husband the Family Picture the Silver Chafing Dishes the four New
Silver Salt Cellars the Silver Cup and two Silver Waiters I also give him
the Suit of Yellow printed Cotton Curtains, the Bed, Bedstead, and Blankets
thereunto belonging the Clock, and his uncles Seal which I wear to my Watch.
I give to my nephew Harrison Randolph the silver cruet frame Table Spoons,
Sout ditto, Punch Strainer ladle the four old silver Candlesticks two old
Silver Salt cellars the Cross the China Bowls the Tea set of India China all
the House Linnen and half the Beds with Blankets &c. I give to my niece
Elizabeth Harrison who lives with me the new Tea spoons four Silver Saucers
all my w/earing Cloths my miniature Picture of my dear Husband my Watch and
the Treasury Bond of the United States for Ninety Pounds now in the House
I give to my Niece Lucy Burwell the set of Chelsea Tea China, as a token she
is not forgot. I give to my Nephew Peyton Randolph the Silver coffee Pot for
the same reason. I give to my Nephew Benjamin Harrison of Berkley four Silver
Candlesticks called the new ones which were given me by my grandmother Harrison
I also give him a mulatto Woman called little Aggy, her Daughter Betsy and
her son Nathan to him and his heirs forever. I also give him the other half
of the Beds Blankets and Curtains. I give to my Nephew Carter Harrison of
Berkley a Molatto Boy named Wat, to him and his Heirs forever. I give to my
niece Ann Coupland a Negro woman named Eve and her son George to her use and
after her death to her Heirs. I give to my niece Elizabeth Rickman a Negro
woman called great Aggy and her son Henry to her use and after her death to
her Heirs. I give to my Niece Lucy Randolph Daughter of my sister Necks a
molatto girl named Charlotte to her use and after her death to her Heirs.
I give to my Nephew Harrison Randolph a negro woman named Lucy and her Children
to him and his Heirs forever. I have in the loan office of this Commonwealth
the sum of nine hundred pounds which I dispose of in the following manner,
five hundred pounds I give and bequeath to my niece Elizabeth Harrison who
lives with me. One hundred to her sister Ann Harrison, One hundred to Sarah
Harrison, daughter of my Brother Benjamin Harrison, One hundred to Ann Harrison
daughter of my Br Charles Harrison, and One hundred to his daughter Betty
Randolph Harrison My Will and desire is that the House and all the lots in
Williamsburg given me by my dear Husband together with the furniture not particularly
given away, Chariot, Waggon & Horses in town, and all the Estate I shall
die possessed of not particularly disposed of may be sold, and after paying
any debts (which I design shall be very few) the money arising from the sale
thereof may be divided into two equal parts, the one half I give and bequeath
to my Nephew Harrison Randolph, out of the other half I desire forty Pounds
may be divided among the servants that shall attend me in my illness as they
shall deserve, the remainder to be divided into six equal parts to be given
to six persons hereafter mentioned Viz, Peyton Harrison, son of my Br Carter
Harrison, William Harrison son of my Br Benjamin, the youngest son of my br
Nat. the youngest son of my Br Charles and the two sons of my Br Robert Harrison.
If either of my Brother Roberts sons should die before the age of twenty one
the survivor to take both his own and his brothers part. My Will & desire
is that the Heirs of my dear & honoured Husband (by whose bounty I have
been enabled to make these bequests) may be put to no inconveniency by my
heirs for which reason I desire the Carts Waggons & work Horses on the
Plantation & tools for the use of the Plantation tho purchased by me may
not be looked on as part of my Estate. I also desire a sufficient quantity
of Corn and fodder may be left on the Plantations for the use of the Negroes
& Stocks. I also direct that whatever Cloths, or materials for making
Cloths for the Negroes, that shall be found in the House shall be given up
for that purpose. If I should have any money in the House or Treasury not
already given away I give it to Harrison Randolph I have lent the Estate money
as Mr Cocks receipt & Books will shew to the amount of One hundred &
thirty pounds which I designed should be laid out in a monument to the memory
of my dear and blessed husband. My Will & desire is that the above Sum
of One hundred & thirty pounds due from the Estate be paid to Edmund Randolph
esqr he giving bond to my Executors to put up a monument in the Chapel of
Wm and Mary College opposite to that of his grandfather Sir John Randolph
(which I have been informed cost about that sum) as soon as possible. he is
to pay no Interest for the money. only to lay out the sum of One hundred &
thirty pounds. My Body which I had almost forgot. I desire may be put in the
Vault in the College Chapel in which the remains of my blessed Husband are
deposited with as little ceremony & expense as possible, as being there
is the summitt of all my wishes with regards to this world & that the
expenses of the funeral may be paid before the division is made. My share
in the Wmburg factory I give & devise to Harrison Randolph my Books to
his sister Lucy Randolph I do appoint my Brother Benjm Harrison my Nephew
Benjm Harrison my Nephew Harrison Randolph Exors or this my last Will &
Testament In witness whereof I have set my hand & seal this 23d day of
October in the Year of our Lord 1780
Signed Sealed & declared by the said Betty Randolph LS
Betty Randolph to be her last Will in presence of us Rachel Whitaker,
Sally Singleton
20 July 1782 A Codicil to the above Will
Whereas Eve's bad behaviour laid me under the necessity of selling
her. I order and direct the money she sold for may be laid out in purchasing
two negroes Viz, a Boy & Girl, the Girl I give to my niece Ann Copland
in lieu of Eve, in the same manner that I had given Eve. The Boy I give to
Peyton Harrison son of my Brother Carter Harrison, to him & his heirs
forever. I have lent Charlotte to my nephew Harrison Randolph during my life.
As he will perhaps be at some expense in raising & maintaining other children
she may have as a gratuity I give to him & his Heirs forever her Son called
Thomas Prouce. I have given in my Will forty Pounds paper Currency to be divided
amongst the Servants, instead of which I order Ten Pounds of the money found
in the House to be divided as afore directed. I also Order Twenty Pounds out
of the same money to be given to my Niece E Harrison if she should be living
with me at the time of my death in order to enable her to pay her Expenses
to some friendly roof. I think I have express myself with regard to Thomas
Pruse in a manner that may leave room for a dispute to prevent which I declare
my Will is that Harrison Randolph is to have the said Thomas Pruse at all
events. I give to my Niece Eliza Harrison my dressing Table and Glass that
stands in my Chamber and the Cabinet on the Top of the Desk.
Betty Randolph
This Codicil was Signed, Published and declared to be part of the last
Will of the said Betty Randolph in presence of us
John Blair
James Madison
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