Synopses & Reviews
Phillip Hamilton has written a concise, gripping study that depicts how the American Revolution affected an elite southern family, largely for the worse. -- Journal of Southern History
This excellent study is both eminently readable and educational, and it is an important contribution to understanding the dynamics of leadership and of family life in Virginia following the American Revolution. -- Virginia Libraries
Much more than a family history, this volume adds to our knowledge of the social, economic, and political landscapes of the Old Dominion from the late colonial era through the antebellum period. This book is recommended for those interested in the history of Virginia, the early republic, the South, and family history. -- North Carolina Historical Review
In 1814, John Randolph of Roanoke brooded over his family's decline since the American Revolution. The once-sumptuous world of the Virginia gentry was vanishing, its kinship ties crumbling along with its mansions. Looking back in an effort to grasp the changes around him, Randolph fixated on his stepfather and one-time guardian, the jurist St. George Tucker. Although Tucker had fought during the Revolution, he grasped the significant changes the war had brought to the Old Dominion. Thus he sold his plantations and urged his children to pursue careers in learned professions. Tucker's stepson John Randolph bitterly disagreed, precipitating a painful break between the two men.
Drawing upon an extraordinary archive of manuscript materials, Phillip Hamilton illustrates how two generations of a colorful and influential family adapted to social upheaval. He finds that the Tuckers eventually rejected widerfamily connections and turned instead to nuclear kin. They also abandoned the liberal principles and enlightened rationalism of the Revolution for a romanticism girded by deep social conservatism. The Making and Unmaking of a Revolutionary Family reveals the complex process by which the world of Washington and Jefferson evolved into the antebellum society of Edmund Ruffin and Thomas Dew.
Phillip Hamilton is Associate Professor of History at Christopher Newport University.
Jeffersonian America
Synopsis
In 1814, John Randolph of Roanoke brooded over his family'sdecline since the American Revolution. The once-sumptuous world of the Virginiagentry was vanishing, its kinship ties crumbling along with its mansions. Lookingback in an effort to grasp the changes around him, Randolph fixated on hisstepfather and one-time guardian, the jurist St. George Tucker. Although Tucker hadfought during the Revolution, he grasped the significant changes the war had broughtto the Old Dominion. Thus he sold his plantations and urged his children to pursuecareers in learned professions. Tucker's stepson John Randolph bitterly disagreed, precipitating a painful break between the twomen.
Drawing upon an extraordinary archive ofmanuscript materials, Phillip Hamilton illustrates how two generations of a colorfuland influential family adapted to social upheaval. He finds that the Tuckerseventually rejected wider family connections and turned instead to nuclear kin. Theyalso abandoned the liberal principles and enlightened rationalism of the Revolutionfor a romanticism girded by deep social conservatism. The Makingand Unmaking of a Revolutionary Family reveals the complex processby which the world of Washington and Jefferson evolved into the antebellum societyof Edmund Ruffin and Thomas Dew.
Synopsis
In mid-April 1814, the Virginia congressman John Randolph of Roanoke had reason to brood over his family's decline since the American Revolution. The once-sumptuous world of the Virginia gentry was vanishing, its kinship ties crumbling along with its mansions, crushed by democratic leveling at home and a strong federal government in Washington, D.C. Looking back in an effort to grasp the changes around him, Randolph fixated on his stepfather and onetime guardian, St. George Tucker.
The son of a wealthy Bermuda merchant, Tucker had studied law at the College of William and Mary, married well, and smuggled weapons and fought in the Virginia militia during the Revolution. Quickly grasping the significant changes--political democratization, market change, and westward expansion--that the War for Independence had brought, changes that undermined the power of the gentry, Tucker took the atypical step of selling his plantations and urging his children to pursue careers in learned professions such as law. Tucker's stepson John Randolph bitterly disagreed, precipitating a painful break between the two men that illuminates the transformations that swept Virginia in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries.
Drawing upon an extraordinary archive of private letters, journals, and other manuscript materials, Phillip Hamilton illustrates how two generations of a colorful and influential family adapted to social upheaval. He finds that the Tuckers eventually rejected wider family connections and turned instead to nuclear kin. They also abandoned the liberal principles and enlightened rationalism of the Revolution for a romanticism girded by deep social conservatism. The Making and Unmaking of a Revolutionary Family reveals the complex process by which the world of Washington and Jefferson evolved into the antebellum society of Edmund Ruffin and Thomas Dew.
Synopsis
In mid-April 1814, the Virginia congressman John Randolph ofRoanoke had reason to brood over his family's decline since the American Revolution.The once-sumptuous world of the Virginia gentry was vanishing, its kinship tiescrumbling along with its mansions, crushed by democratic leveling at home and astrong federal government in Washington, D.C. Looking back in an effort to grasp thechanges around him, Randolph fixated on his stepfather and onetime guardian, St.George Tucker.
The son of a wealthy Bermudamerchant, Tucker had studied law at the College of William and Mary, married well, and smuggled weapons and fought in the Virginia militia during the Revolution.Quickly grasping the significant changes -- political democratization, marketchange, and westward expansion -- that the War for Independence had brought, changesthat undermined the power of the gentry, Tucker took the atypical step of sellinghis plantations and urging his children to pursue careers in learned professionssuch as law. Tucker's stepson John Randolph bitterly disagreed, precipitating apainful break between the two men that illuminates the transformations that sweptVirginia in the late eighteenth and early nineteenthcenturies.
Drawing upon an extraordinary archiveof private letters, journals, and other manuscript materials, Phillip Hamiltonillustrates how two generations of a colorful and influential family adapted tosocial upheaval. He finds that the Tuckers eventually rejected wider familyconnections and turned instead to nuclear kin. They also abandoned the liberalprinciples and enlightened rationalism of the Revolution for a romanticism girded bydeep social conservatism. The Making and Unmaking of a Revolutionary Family revealsthe complex process by which the world of Washington and Jefferson evolved into theantebellum society of Edmund Ruffin and Thomas Dew.