Randolph, Peyton, 1721-1775

Peyton Randolph (September 10, 1721 – October 22, 1775) was a planter and public official from the Colony of Virginia. He served as Speaker of the Virginia House of Burgesses, president of Virginia Conventions, and the first and third President of the Continental Congress. Randolph was technically the first leader of the United States of America as the first president of the Continental Congress, which led the nation during the American Revolutionary War.

Born in Tazewell Hall, Williamsburg, Virginia, Randolph received his early education under private tutors before attending the College of William & Mary. He later studied law at Middle Temple at the Inns of Court in London, becoming a member of the bar in 1743. Randolph returned to Williamsburg and was appointed Attorney General of the Colony of Virginia. He served several terms in the Virginia House of Burgesses, beginning in 1748. Randolph resigned as king's attorney (attorney general) in 1766, as fellow Burgesses elected him as their Speaker upon the death of his relative, the powerful Speaker John Robinson. As friction between Britain and the colonies progressed, Randolph grew to favor independence. After the dissolution of the House of Burgesses, Randolph chaired meetings of the first of five Virginia Conventions of former House members, principally at a Williamsburg tavern, which worked toward responses to the unwelcome tax measures imposed by the British government. On March 21, 1775, he was president of the Second Virginia Convention in Richmond that debated independence.

Virginia selected Randolph as one of its delegates to the Continental Congress in Philadelphia in 1774 and 1775. Fellow delegates elected him their president (Speaker) of both the First Continental Congress (which requested that King George III repeal the Coercive Acts) as well as Second Continental Congress (which extended the Olive Branch Petition as a final attempt at reconciliation). However, Randolph fell ill during each term. Henry Middleton of South Carolina succeeded him as president from his resignation on October 22, 1774, until his return on May 10, 1775. He was again elected President of Congress, but Randolph left for Virginia four days later and was succeeded as President by John Hancock.

Randolph returned as a Virginia delegate but suffered a five-hour-long fit of apoplexy and died while dining with Thomas Jefferson in Philadelphia on October 22, 1775. His remains were returned to Williamsburg and were interred at the chapel of the College of William and Mary.