The Abusive Marriage of Thomas Jefferson’s Granddaughter Anne

“Mr. Randolph and the children arriv’d here last tuesday all in perfect health Ann and Jeff grown so much as to amaze us, Ann seems to promise more every day of resembling her mother. Her disposition is the same already she will no doubt be worthy of her…I have formed a different judgment of both Anne & Jeff from what you do; of Anne positively, of Jefferson possibly. I think her apt, intelligent, good humored & of soft & affectionate dispositions, & that she will make a pleasant, amiable and respectable woman.”

I’m currently reading a very fascinating historical novel on the life of Martha “Patsy” Jefferson. The remarkable daughter of America’s third president. A book I plan on reviewing once I’ve finished reading it all. Honestly, I’m in the last couple of chapters and I can’t wait to share a review because there are simply no words. The book is that amazing! Meanwhile, In today’s post, I want to address an important topic: the abusive marriage of Thomas Jefferson’s granddaughter. A surprisingly dark and rarely discussed aspect of the Jefferson family history.

EDITORS NOTE: I have finished and posted the book review titled America’s first daughter by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie. The book was stunning! I have definitely found a new favorite author in the historical fiction genre. The writing, accuracy, and vivid storytelling is not only impressive but top tier. Click the link above if you would like to read my full review. Now back to the regularly scheduled history at hand.…

Anne Cary Randolph was a sweet, young, and innocent woman whose life took an unexpected turn for the worse after leaving the Jefferson home to marry her husband, Charles Lewis Bankhead. A marriage that turned out to be awful. Bankhead was an abusive drunk who brought nothing but strife to the Jefferson household. There are many personal correspondence and letters that document his violent tendencies.

The relationship issues and domestic abuse that Anne faced are just the starting off point to a very short and tragic life. One filled with more difficulty than I thought possible, especially for someone of her status. Anne was the eldest daughter of Patsy Jefferson. She should have had a life filled with all the luxury that came with being born into one of the nation’s most influential families. How wrong that assumption is!

The most notable lesson I learned from this novel as I noted in my book review is that the Jefferson family faced hardships at every turn. I find that interesting because when I think of a president, particularly one who owned a prominent plantation that included slaves, I don’t think of a struggling family. I imagine wealth, privilege, and power. Yet, it was jarring to read about the persistent domestic violence, endless debt, poverty, illness, and death that plagued the Jefferson household. The string of tragedies they endured is nothing short of shocking. 

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The Wedding of Anne Cary Randolph and Charles Bankhead at Monticello

Anne Cary Randolph didn’t have the wealthy lifestyle one would have expected as the grandchild of Thomas Jefferson. She grew up on her grandfather’s plantation, Monticello, for most of her life because her father Thomas wasn’t able to support his large family. Thomas Jefferson invited his daughter Patsy, her husband, and their eleven children to live in his home frequently to keep them from poverty. He kept the family fed, clothed, and housed while also providing an education for his grandsons and dowries for all his granddaughters.

Jefferson insisted on strong values and a sense of duty that only honor could dictate. Traits deeply valued and rooted in the family’s history. He ensured that all of his grandchildren were prepared to navigate high society. Anne grew up to be an intelligent and beautiful lady. One that was very well-liked among the Virginian social circles. She was the perfect example of a Southern Belle basking in the Antebellum era.

The courtship between Anne and her husband was brief and filled with excitement. Charles Bankhead was an attractive, charming, and confident man who held a prominent place in Virginian society as the son of Dr. John Bankhead. The two met at a series of social events where Charles quickly became captivated by Anne’s poise and beauty. He needed to find himself an established wife with good standing.

Anne felt drawn to the promise of stability and the prospect of a partnership that aligned with her aspirations. Both families approved of the engagement, as Charles presented himself as a devoted suitor to Anne. The pair married on September 19th, 1808, at Monticello in quite a grand affair that celebrated the newlyweds. However, the complexities of her husband’s character soon overshadowed this joy, something Anne’s perceptiveness couldn’t have anticipated. She never planned on being in an abusive marriage that would alter the course of her life.

The beginning of the couple’s marriage truly did seem to have such a promising start. Charles and Anne were given a property called Carlton, just west of Monticello, to make a new home for themselves. The main house would have been small yet comfortable. The property included various outhouses, slave quarters, and a barn for livestock. Tobacco and wheat were the likely crops that were grown in the surrounding fields. The land around Carlton was part of the picturesque Piedmont region, with views of the nearby Blue Ridge Mountains. 

The Abusive Marriage of Thomas Jefferson’s Granddaughter Anne

With a small and modest estate to run, Anne usually had her days filled with work while also raising their three kids. The first arriving just a year after the wedding with two more back to back in a row. They had two sons and their youngest was a daughter. Due to the closeness of Carlton to Monticello, Anne and her children were able to visit the extended family every week, often for family dinners and celebrations.

Charles was busy in those early days pursuing a career in law performing duties such as drafting documents, writing letters, establishing contracts, and finalizing legal agreements between clients; however, he wasn’t flourishing. The path he had taken wasn’t quite working out due to his increasingly erratic behavior due to his drinking. Charles’s alcoholism severely hindered his ability to be a successful lawyer.

Unfortunately, he eventually gave up the pursuit of law in order to focus on their property at Carlton and agriculture instead. Charles’s issue with alcohol only continued to ramp up as his planting business failed. The once affectionate and attentive husband began to show signs of a temper that was exacerbated by his drinking, leaving Anne increasingly isolated in her distress. Crack in the marriage began to show.

The inability to effectively manage the lands took a toll on Charles. He couldn’t utilize the available resources creating a chaotic mess of the estate. He lacked the discipline to enact modern planting methods and instead clung to outdated methods which resulted in most crops not yielding a harvest. These failures only made his already violent nature all the much worse. Anne would be the one to pay the price.

In a letter to Charles’s father, John Bankhead, Thomas Jefferson described how the situation worsened as Charles’s addiction to alcohol grew. Jefferson explained to Mr. Bankhead that Charles had allowed his plantation to fall into ruins and frequently remained drunk, spending days in bed or disappearing altogether. The original letter can be found on the Monticello Museum website and The Library of Congress.

Dear Sir, It is most painful to me to be always addressing on a distressing subject one whom I so highly esteem, and who merits so much to be spared every possible pain. but your request, my promise, and the happiness of us all require it. mr Bankhead stood his ground firmly until Monday last (the 8^th) our district court day, when he went to Charlottesville, and all his resolution gave way. when the spell was once broke he went into full indulgence. on Thursday he engaged a Fredericksburg hack, returning empty, to carry him to that place: but the driver stopping at Milton to feed, he got so overpowered with liquor that the driver percieving he could never get him to Fredericksburg, brought him here. he went to bed immediately & kept it chiefly for two days during which we succeeded in keeping liquor from him in the hope that he might cool and recover his resolution. but in the mean time he was trying every means of procuring whisk[ey] & on Saturday succeeded. this stimulus raised him from his languer; he went to Charlottesville (as we suppose) returned here at night, and has been ever since in a state of strong intoxication, and the consequent aberration of mind which you have probably witnessed.

Oct. 16. a glimmering of hope that mr Bankhead would consent to pay you a visit, on our offer to send him down, suspended the closing my letter. that however has vanished, and he has continued in the same state. In the mean time mr Randolph says the plantation is going to ruin, no wheat sowing or other preparation making for another year. on these facts your affections and knolege of the case will dictate what is best to be done. with sentiments of sincere esteem & respect for mrs Bankhead and yourself I am D^r Sir – Th: Jefferson

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The Violent Stabbing of Thomas Randolph by Charles Bankhead

The events leading up to the ultimate boiling point of Anne and Charles’s marriage were a dramatic episode fueled by abuse, frustration, and long-standing animosities. Much to the embarrassment of both the Jefferson and Randolph households, the family didn’t seem able to offer any solid help towards Anne’s situation. She rebuffed their distress at every turn remaining loyal to Charles and her marriage until the end. Thomas Jefferson himself did everything possible to secure the Bankhead’s future, but Charles wouldn’t stop his antics.

Nothing seemed to quiet the anger and the need to drink in Bankhead’s soul. As time went on, the domestic violence towards Anne would only increase, and much to the worry of Patsy and Thomas, it seemed their daughter wasn’t in good health. There wasn’t much that could be done because Anne refused to return to Monticello and leave her husband. The resentment and abuse continued for years…

The charm that Charles possessed seemed to have little effect on Anne’s older brother who had been named after his grandfather but was called Jeff. The discord and animosity that brewed between Charles Bankhead and Jeff Randolph simmered right to the very end. Jeff viewed his brother-in-law’s behavior as abhorrent and a stain on their family name. He was a man of principle who was fiercely loyal to family and deeply protective of his sister. Jeff couldn’t hold his tongue about the hatred he felt for Charles over his sister’s treatment.

“Through all the trials that have befallen our family, whether they be in times of financial ruin, personal loss, or the weight of public scrutiny, we have remained steadfast. Our strength comes not merely from the blood that ties us, but from the memory of the man who led us with wisdom, whose actions and ideals shaped our every path. My grandfather taught us that adversity, though harsh, could not sever the bonds of family. In his absence, we find solace in the example he set. For it is not just the land or the wealth that endures; it is the strength of character and the integrity of the Jefferson name that will sustain us through all things.”

Jeff was well-acquainted with the turmoil Anne endured in her marriage, and his resentment toward Charles Bankhead simmered over the years as reports of Anne’s suffering continued to surface. As stated above, he finally had enough of Charles. The two were reportedley involved in several physical altercations over Anne during visits to Monticello which ended in the Bankhead’s estrangement from the family.

The day of reckoning that forever changed the family occurred in 1825 when an unhappy Jeff accidentally crossed paths with Charles Bankhead in a local tavern that lay between Monticello and the Bankhead family home at Carlton. The details and reports of the ensuing argument between the two in-laws aren’t very clear; the ending result was tragic. Accounts suggest that the dispute grew heated, and the verbal exchange quickly turned physical. Charles Bankhead, known for his violent temper, attacked Jeff Randolph in a fit of rage.

Charles, at some point in the verbal dispute, decided to attack Anne’s brother with a knife. It is said that Charles either had a knife or managed to grab one during the confrontation, and in a swift and unprovoked attack, he stabbed Randolph in the side. The blow was deep enough to cause serious injury, and Jeff Randolph was left bleeding and in need of immediate medical attention.

“It came as some shock when Jefferson received word that Jeff had been stabbed in the streets by his grandson-in-law, Charles Lewis-Bankhead – who, like his father-in-law, Thomas Randolph, was known to abuse both alcohol and his family. Virtually estranged from the family himself, and having already been involved in a drunken altercation with Thomas Randolph at Monticello sometime before, tensions had been high between him and Jeff for some time.When Jefferson received word of Jeff’s condition that same evening, he disregarded the pleas of Martha and the grandchildren and raced via horseback to the bedside of his grandson. Once there, and seeing his feverish condition, Jefferson broke down and wept. His family, like his grandson in the bed before him, lay riven and bleeding in ways that would never fully heal. Jeff would ultimately recover; Bankhead would skip bail and abscond with his wife to a neighboring county.”

The Tragic Conclusion: Anne Cary Randolph’s Death

Jeff Randolph recovered from the injuries he had sustained at the hands of Charles Bankhead, but the families involved would never truly be the same again. The gap that had already existed turned into an ocean after that day. The incident further damaged the bankhead’s relationship with Charles’s in-laws. The physical violence at the tavern cemented the belief within the Randolph family that Charles was a dangerous man, and his abusive behavior toward Anne could no longer be ignored. The family rallied themselves around Anne.

They demanded that Charles be arrested for the assault and legal action be taken against him; however, despite being arrested initially for the attack, he was shortly released due to his status and that of the Bankhead family. He would escape justice for the tavern brawl, but these events furthered the disdain his in-laws had for him. Anne herself would even distance herself from the man she had married.

Anne took her small family back to the home of her grandfather at Monticello and separated herself from Charles, but before she initiated any permanent separation or divorce, she learned she was once again pregnant. Unfortunately, the legal and social structures of the time didn’t necessarily allow for a clean break. The emotional toll this took on Anne, already battered by years of mistreatment, was immense. She had grown more isolated as a result of Charles’s violent tendencies and now faced a pregnancy while not in good health.

At some point, it’s noted, that Anne stayed with her family to wait out the birth of her fourth child at Monticello.The pregnancy and subsequent birth was a disaster. Cornelia Randolph wrote to her siblings that “you had better come down this morning for you will never see sister Ann again if you do not, there is no hope for her. Virginia ought to be told for she must know the worst soon, and grandpapa.”

Anne’s pregnancy was a difficult and dangerous time for her. It was only five months prior to Thomas Jefferson’s death that Anne went into labor. While historical accounts don’t give exact details of her final days, it is understood that Anne died in the early stages of childbirth, possibly due to complications such as hemorrhaging or infection, both of which were common causes of death in childbirth at the time. The stress and trauma she had endured during her marriage to Charles Bankhead may have also played a role in her physical deterioration.

“On the last day of the fatal illness of his granddaughter, who had married a most unworthy person of the name of Bankhead, a man of the most intemperate habits, and, so far as I know, possessed of no redeeming virtues, Mr. Jefferson was present in the adjoining apartment, and when the announcement was made by me, that little hope remained,—that she was, indeed, moribund, it is impossible to imagine more poignant distress than was exhibited. He shed tears; and abandoned himself to every evidence of intense grief.”

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