Thomas Jefferson is one of the key figures in the history of the United States. He was the country's third president, author of the Declaration of Independence and has his mug carved into Mount Rushmore, along with the likes of Honest Abe and George Washington, who'd be known as G-Wash today.

Under Washington, Jefferson was the nation's first Secretary of State. Jefferson's likeness is featured on nickels, $2 bills and first adorned postage stamps in 1904. He also founded the University of Virginia, a top-flight institution of higher learning. Here in San Diego, a law school bears his name, as well as Thomas Jefferson Elementary School in North Park and two other schools.

Despite all this, Jefferson's birthday, April 13 -- he was born 268 years ago --- isn't a national holiday. No day off for Federal and State workers, no Thomas Jefferson doorbusting sales at big-box stores. In fact, other than in his home state of Virginia --- Founder's Day is held annually in his honor --- his birthday goes unnoticed throughout much of the country.

However, it should be duly noted that at the Jefferson Hotel in Washington, DC, drink specials will be offered in Jefferson's honor. He was quite the wine connoisseur, apparently, and had a wine cellar in his estate, Monticello, which he designed. It so happened that he eliminated the tax on whiskey after becoming president.

Born in Shadwell, VA, as the third of 10 offspring of Peter Jefferson and Jane Randolph, Thomas Jefferson's life was filled will high accomplishment, head-scratching contradictions and personal tragedy. His existence was interesting, to say the least.

One thing for sure: Jefferson was highly intelligent. He was studying Greek, Latin and French at age 9, finished the equivalent of high school at 16, then enrolled in the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, VA. Concentrating on mathematics, philosophy and metaphysics, he graduated with highest honors in 1762. Jefferson was admitted to the Virginia bar five years later.

Jefferson married distant cousin Martha Wayles Skelton on January 1, 1772. They had six children, but only two lived to adulthood, and only their oldest daughter, Martha, lived past 25.

Undeterred by these family tragedies, Jefferson moved up the political ladder, serving as Virginia's governor from 1779-81. He was vice president under John Adams from 1797-1801 before settling into the presidency, serving two terms. One of his first notable acts was negotiating the Louisiana Purchase.

Jefferson emerged as one of the most quotable politicians of the era, and his offerings would make people take notice even to this day. And some of the fare is mind-boggling.

Jefferson was well-known as a voracious reader; "I cannot live without books" is one of better-known quotes. Yet, of newspapers, he said, "I do not take a single newspaper, nor read one a month, and I feel myself infinitely the happier for it.''

And don't forget, "The man who reads nothing at all is better educated than the man who reads nothing but newspapers.''

Ouch. Even back then, it was the media's fault.

He said that banking institutions "are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies," "Never spend your money before you have it" and "It is neither wealth nor splendor, but tranquility and occupation which give you happiness.''

That's nice, but Jefferson's finances were a train wreck much of his life --- including during his presidency --- and he was said to be about $100,000 in debt when he died. Apparently, he spent lavishly on appointing Monticello, with no sense of budget.

And speaking of contradictions, we bring you Jefferson's attitude toward black people.

Jefferson was known to espouse views against slavery, writing an ordinance banning slavery in 1784 and calling for a law making it illegal to import and export slaves. But he inherited slaves as a child and had about 70 in his lifetime. One historian said Jefferson "regarded Negroes (sic) as inferior, childlike, untrustworthy and, of course, property.''

The most prominent of Jefferson's slaves was Sally Hemings, a woman of "mixed" race. No known portraits of Hemings have ever been published, but she wasn't obviously dark-skinned enough to pass for white, thus, she was a slave. Hemings was said to have had a very fair complexion and was extremely attractive.

All sorts of theories, confirmations and denials have been kicked around for decades, but it's virtually agreed by most historians that Jefferson, whose wife died in 1782, fathered six children with Hemings, four of whom lived to adulthood.

One of the Hemings-Jefferson children, Beverly is said to have been allowed to leave the Jefferson plantation in either 1821 or 1822, moving to Washington, DC and passing for white. Two Hemings men were also eventually freed, and in later years they were adamant that Thomas Jefferson was their father.

Sally Hemings, however, was never freed, though she may have been given "unofficial" freedom. Hemings reportedly lived in Charlottesville until her death in 1835.

In 1873, Madison Hemings wrote in a memoir dealing with his days in Monticello confirming that Jefferson and Sally Hemings had several children together, he being one of them. His brother, Eston, made similar statements. Another former Monticello slave repeated the confirmation in his own memoir.

Eleven years ago, the Thomas Jefferson Foundation, which operates Monticello, conceded that Jefferson most likely fathered all of Hemings' children. Even more than 200 years later, this is the hot-button topic when Thomas Jefferson is discussed. Perhaps coincidentally, he died on July 4.