Thomas Jefferson Papers

Thomas Jefferson to James Baker, 9 February 1817

To James Baker

Monticello Feb. 9.

Sir

Understanding that you keep supplies of Codfish and of Tongues and sounds, I have to ask the favor of you to furnish me with a Kental of good dumbfish, and a keg of tongues and sounds. mr Gibson my correspondent in Richmond, will be so good as to recieve & forward them and to pay you the amount on presenting him this letter Accept the tender of my respect

Th: Jefferson

PoC (MHi); on verso of portion of reused address cover to TJ; partially dated, but endorsed by TJ as a letter of 9 Feb. 1817 and so recorded in SJL; at foot of text: “Mr James Baker.”

kental: quintal. dumbfish: dunfish, salted New England cod that turns a dun or brownish gray color when cured (OED description begins James A. H. Murray, J. A. Simpson, E. S. C. Weiner, and others, eds., The Oxford English Dictionary, 2d ed., 1989, 20 vols. description ends ).

Index Entries

  • Baker, James; and fish for TJ search
  • Baker, James; letters to search
  • cod; New England search
  • cod; tongues and sounds search
  • fish; cod search
  • fish; salted search
  • fish; TJ purchases search
  • fish; tongues and sounds search
  • food; cod tongues and sounds search
  • food; fish search
  • Gibson, Patrick; payments made for TJ search
  • Monticello (TJ’s Albemarle Co. estate); fish for search