Early Years Thomas Jefferson was born on April 13, 1743 and grew up on the family plantation at Shadwell in Albermarle County, Virginia. His father, Peter Jefferson owned thirty slaves and a tobacco and wheat farm. Thomas was the third of ten children. He learned to speak French, Greek and Latin. He enjoyed politics, mathematics and practicing the violin. When Jefferson was fourteen his father died, leaving him their entire estate. After he graduated in 1762 from College …showed first 75 words of 1562 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1562 total…s wife died. There had been rumors though that Jefferson had a child with slave Sally Hemings, and this was backed up by DNA, but still remained controversial. Final Achievement and Death Jefferson retired to Monticello in 1809. He founded the University of Virginia He designed the buildings, chose the curriculum and educators for his college. Jefferson died on the fiftieth anniversary of the Declaration of Independence at twenty minutes to one p.m. on July 4, 1826.