AUTOBIOGRAPHY
        by Thomas Jefferson

 
 
 
        AUTOBIOGRAPHY
 
        1743 -- 1790
 
        _With the Declaration of Independence_
 
        January 6, 1821

        At the age of 77, I begin to make some memoranda and state some
recollections of dates & facts concerning myself, for my own more
ready reference & for the information of my family.

        The tradition in my father's family was that their ancestor
came to this country from Wales, and from near the mountain of
Snowdon, the highest in Gr. Br. I noted once a case from Wales in the
law reports where a person of our name was either pl. or def. and one
of the same name was Secretary to the Virginia company.  These are
the only instances in which I have met with the name in that country.