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Reference question: For whom is Carolina Ramsay Randolph (Thomas Jefferson's great-granddaughter, daughter of his oldest grandson, Thomas Jefferson Randolph) named? Search strategy:

  1. Search the Family Letters Project for nice letter saying "Today we had a baby girl and named her Carolina Ramsay Randolph, because we love vacationing in the Outer Banks and that guy on 'Hell's Kitchen'."  (Or something like that.)
  2. If #1 doesn't work...well...hmmm.  #1 better work.

Search log: Searched Family Letters for word ramsay.  First letter in search results read thusly (in part): “In a note I lately received from Judge Cooper, he desires his remembrance to mother & suggests the propriety of writing to Dr Ramsay, thanking him for his efforts so zealously & successfully exerted… Tell mother from me, & do you join me, dear Ellen, & see my degree executed, that she must write a few lines to Dr Ramsay Member of the South Carolina legislature… we have determined to call the first daughter that is born in the family Carolina, & Jane says she will call her son Ramsay.” Holy schmoly!  I've hit the Research Jackpot!  Looks like Jane actually hogged both names, but whatever - close enough!  Who's Dr. Ramsay, and why did everybody think he was so awesome they had to name 2 kids after him?  Details, details...I can't be bothered with that stuff right now - I intend to bask in the glow of my Research Triumph for the next several days. And maybe I'll bake a cake for my colleagues upstairs who put that Nice Letter online.