John Wayles Eppes
| John Wayles Eppes | |
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United States Senator from Virginia |
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In office March 4, 1817 – December 4, 1819 |
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| Preceded by | Armistead T. Mason |
| Succeeded by | James Pleasants |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia's 14th district |
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In office March 4, 1803 – March 3, 1811 |
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| Preceded by | Anthony New |
| Succeeded by | James Pleasants |
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In office March 4, 1813 – March 3, 1815 |
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| Preceded by | James Pleasants |
| Succeeded by | John Randolph |
| Member of the Virginia House of Delegates | |
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In office 1801–1803 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
April 19, 1773 Chesterfield County, Virginia |
| Died | September 13, 1823 (aged 50) Buckingham County, Virginia |
| Political party | Democratic-Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Mary Jefferson Eppes, Martha Burke Jones |
| Alma mater | Hampden–Sydney College |
| Profession | Lawyer, planter, politician |
John Wayles Eppes (April 19, 1773 – September 13, 1823) was an attorney, a United States Representative and a US Senator from Virginia. One of the wealthy planter class, he married his first cousin Maria Jefferson, the youngest surviving daughter of Martha Wayles Skelton and Thomas Jefferson. After his wife's early death following the birth of their third child, Eppes was a widower for five years before marrying Martha "Patsy" Burke Jones from North Carolina.
Descendants of his slave Betsy Hemmings, who was with his household from the age of 14, say that Eppes as a widower took her as a concubine when she was about 21. The oral tradition among her descendants is that their relationship continued through his second marriage, and she had several children with him. Hemmings was buried next to Eppes in the planter's family cemetery at Millbrook plantation, and her grave is marked by a fine tombstone. His second wife Martha "Patsy" Jones Eppes chose to be buried at her daughter's plantation.
Eppes was born at Eppington in Chesterfield County, Virginia, the only son and youngest of six children of Francis Eppes VI and Elizabeth (née Wayles) on April 19, 1773. His father was a first cousin and his mother was a half-sister to Martha Wayles, who married Thomas Jefferson and lived at Monticello.
After being taught by tutors, Eppes attended the University of Pennsylvania at Philadelphia, and graduated from Hampden–Sydney College in Virginia in 1786. He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1794, commencing practice in the state capital, Richmond.
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