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VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY
both fired, and Mason fell dead. This was
at Bladensburg, Maryland, February 6,
1819.
Eppes» John Wayles, son of Colonel Fran- cis Eppes and Elizabeth Wayles, his wife, daughter of John Wayles. was born in Chesterfield county. \'irginia. and attained prominence in his profession in Richmond, \ irginia. In 1803 he was elected as a Re- publican to Congress, and served until March 3. 181 1, and from May 24, 1813, to March 2, 181 5. He was an able supporter of the administration of James Madison. Two years later he became a member of the United States senate, but resigned in 1819 on account of ill health. He retired to his estate in Buckingham county, where the remaining years of his life were spent. He married (first) Maria, daughter of Presi- dent Thomas Jefferson, and (second) Mar- tha, daughter of Willie Jones, member of Congress from North Carolina. His death occurred September 20, 1823.
Pleasants, James (q. v.).
Tazewell, Littleton Waller (q. v.).
Randolph, John, was born at "Cawsons," Prince George county, Virginia, June 2, I773i son of Richard, of "Curies,*' and Fran- ces (Bland) Randolph, grandson of Richard Randolph (1691-1748), great-grandson of Colonel William, the immigrant, and Mary (Isham) Randolph, of Turkey Island. Wil- liam Randolph, the immigrant, came from Warwickshire, England, in 1674. John Ran- dolph was instructed by his mother and stepfather ; attended Walker Maury's school in Orange county; the grammar school of the same teacher in Williamsburg; the Col- lege of New Jersey, i'787-88 ; Columbia Col-
lege, 1788-89; was present in New York,
April 30, 1789. at the inauguration of Presi-
dent Washington, and studied law with his
second cousin, Edmund Randolph, in Phila-
delphia, also attending lectures on antomy
and physiology. In 1795 he returned to Vir-
ginia and made his home at "Bizarre," the
family mansion occupied hy his brother
Richard, and where Richard died in 1796.
He thus became the head of the household,
but does not appear to have practiced law
except to the extent of defending in the
Federal courts his rights to the portion of
the Randolph estate. He opposed Patrick
Henry as a candidate for representative in
the Sixth Congress, but was defeated.
When Henry died, June 6. 1799, without
taking his seat. Randolph was elected and
was a representative from \'irginia in the
Sixth to Twelfth Congresses, 1799-18 13,
serving as chairman of the committee on
ways and means and being a leader of the
Republicans. He favored the reduction of
the army and spoke of the men making it
up as "mercenaries and hirelings," which
resulted in his being insulted and jostled by
two marine officers at the theatre. In a note
addressed to the President, asking for pro-
tection against such insults, he addressed
him as ** President of the United States,"
and signed himself "With respect, your fel-
low-citizen, John Randolph." President
Adams presented the note to the house for
its consideration as "a breach of representa-
tive privilege." A deadlock resulted, and
the question was undecided. Randolph
was a powerful orator, and opposed every
public wrong, the Yazoo fraud being passed
in his absence. He defended Jefferson in
the purchase of Louisiana; and advocated
an embargo, but soon changed his opinion
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