E. Johnston and Longstreet. Of these, four were the products of
Virginia, while none came from New England, nor did she produce a real,
military leader throughout the civil war, though she poured out treasure
like water and sent as brave soldiers to the field as ever kept step
to the drum beat, while in oratory, statesmanship and humanitarian
achievement, her sons have been leaders from the foundation of the
Republic.
Thomas Jefferson was born in Shadwell, Albemarle County, Va., April
2,1743. His father was the owner of thirty slaves and of a wheat and
tobacco farm of nearly two thousand acres. There were ten children,
Thomas being the third. His father was considered the strongest man
physically in the county, and the son grew to be like him in that
respect, but the elder died while the younger was a boy.
Entering William and Mary College, Thomas was shy, but his ability
quickly drew attention to him. He was an irrestrainable student,
sometimes studying twelve and fourteen hours out of the twenty-four. He
acquired the strength to stand this terrific strain by his exercise
of body. His father warned his wife just before his death not to allow
their son to neglect this necessity, but the warning was superfluous.
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