This page provides links to information about descendants of the Ishams hailing from the Southern United States, particularly Virginia. For information about other Isham descendants, click on the following links:
In the mid-17th century, in Tidewater Virginia–an area bounded today by Richmond and Williamsburg–Capt. Henry Isham of Bermuda Hundred married Katherine Banks, widow of Joseph Royall of Dogham Farm. The Ishams had three children together: Henry, Jr., Mary, and Anne. Henry Isham, Jr., died young, unmarried, and without issue, having fallen ill during a return sea voyage from England, where he had gone to collect an inheritance.
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From Isham to Randolph & Eppes
With this lone son’s death, the Isham name passed no further than Capt. Henry. His and Katherine’s only descendants are through their daughters, Mary Isham Randolph (pictured) and Anne Isham Eppes. Notably, while these daughters could not pass on the Isham surname, Isham recurs frequently as a given or middle name among their numerous descendants.
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A Complex Web of Kinship
These two women left many celebrated descendants, many of whom have intermarried repeatedly, creating a complex web of kinship among the Randolphs, the Eppeses, and Virginia’s other First Families. Most of the genealogical charts listed below trace the ancestry of these descendants back to Capt. Henry Isham of Bermuda Hundred and untangle the multiple relationships of some of these individuals with one another.
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Many Celebrated Descendants
The descendants of Capt. Henry’s daughters played critical roles in the founding of the American republic, its survival of the American Civil War (or War Between the States), and the evolution of U.S. politics well into the 20th century. They include a President, a First Lady, generals, academic leaders, and public officials at local, state, and national levels. Through marriage, Mary’s and Anne’s descendants allied themselves with captains of industry whose heirs today continue to shape our commerce and our use of technology.
Three quotes about the Randolphs illustrate the extent to which these two women and their descendants helped to shape the Colonial era aristocracy–and hint at the extent to which the resulting family relationships continue to influence American life today.
William and Mary (Isham) Randolph are “the Adam and Eve of Virginia society”.
“The Randolphs are like a snarl of fishhooks.”
“Nobody is good enough for a Randolph … except another Randolph.”
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S01 Links Between the Isham Baronets of Lamport and the Randolph and Eppes Families of Virginia and Their Descendants by Keith Curry Lance, founding Director (retired) of the Library Research Service, Colorado State Library
S02 The Ishams of Lamport and the Randolphs and Eppeses of Virginia
S03 Lady Godiva
S04 Three Henrys Isham
S05 Founders of the United States of America
S06 The Thomas Jefferson Family
S07 The Randolph Family in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia
S08 Presidents of the College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia
S09 Nancy Randolph and John Randolph of Roanoke
S10 Robert E. Lee, his wife Mary Custis, and J.E.B. Stuart
S11 Edith Wilson, First Lady of the United States
S12 The Langhorne Sisters of Virginia
S13 The Randolphs of Chicago
S14 Governors and First Ladies of Virginia
S15 Lucia Talcott, Mrs Herman Hollerith, Wife of Founder of IBM
S16 Virginia Fowler, Mrs Jack Isidor Straus, Wife of Owner of Macy’s Department Store
S17 Francis Eppes VII, Mayor of Tallahassee and Founder of Florida State University
S18 The Harrison Mayors of Chicago
S19 Mary Anne Harrison, Wife of Mayor John V. Lindsay of New York City
S20 Supreme Court Justice Byron White
S21 James River Plantation Families
S22 Dogham Farm Families
S23 The Mitchells of Dogham Farm
S24 Sir Norman Isham, Bart., OBE and Keith Curry Lance
S25 Grace Van Cutsem, Royal Bridesmaid