James was the eighth child of Martha Jefferson Randolph and Thomas Mann Randolph. He was Thomas Jefferson’s only grandchild to be born in the President’s House (White House) during Jefferson’s presidency. He was born in Washington D.C. in 1806 during Martha’s second visit to see her father. He was named for James Madison, Jefferson’s friend and a future president.

            James graduated from the University of Virginia. He had a gentle nature and lived alone at one of the smaller family farms. He died after an illness at the age of twenty-eight.