1Thomas Jefferson to John Wayles Eppes, 6 March 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
I have detained Martin a little longer than you intended because my waggons were to set off this day for Bedford and I concluded to send him with the work he had done by one of them. it was but one day’s journey of their way, and saves your waggon a trip of 5. days to come for them. by Martin ’s count there are 129. knobs. their tops will require to be kept well painted, as they present the...
2Thomas Jefferson to John Wayles Eppes, 31 March 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
Francis will set out tomorrow for Mill-brook . he has his constant health, and has applied himself assiduously & solely to Spanish. he now possesses this so well that reading a little in it every day, he will be in no danger of losing it. in the French he is well established; and the possession of these two languages is well worth the little check he has recieved in his Latin, I think he...
3Thomas Jefferson to John Wayles Eppes, 7 April [1819] (Jefferson Papers)
The adoption of our College as an University much delays the opening our schools here, as needing much greater preparation & the Visitors having concluded that accomodations must be provided before Professors, they have fixed on April next for recieving professors. in the of our D r Cooper was to have brought on a mr Slack , as Usher to our Grammar school & whom he had pressed as our...
4John Wayles Eppes to Thomas Jefferson, 28 April 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
I regret that I was not at home when your servant returned with Francis — It was so late when my servant returned from North Carolina with the grape slips that I thought it best to set them out at once and put the part designed for you into a very rich bed in my garden— Martha sent part of them to you—The others still remain and shall be particularly attended to—By sending down at the proper...
5Thomas Jefferson to John Wayles Eppes, 1 May 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
I have recieved a letter from mr Burton , informing me he had purchased for me a barrel of Scuppernon wine. I had before informed him that I would desire mr Gibson of Richmond to pay his draught for it, and I had accordingly so done, but mr Burton prefers settling it with you. I therefore now inclose you a draught on Gibson , the most convenient channel of remittance to myself, and I am in...
6Thomas Jefferson to John Wayles Eppes, 6 June 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
By a letter from mr Wood recieved a few days ago, I learned with great regret that he was obliged to suspend his school for four months (till the last of September) in order to compleat the public survey he had undertaken. regret being unavailing, the question is how Francis may best employ those 4. months. I observe he has made no progress in Arithmetic, and think therefore he could not do...
7Thomas Jefferson’s Circular to Prospective Donors to Central College, 4 August 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
You have probably seen mentioned in the public papers that it is in contemplation to establish near Charlottesville a seminary of learning which shall embrace all the sciences deemed materially useful in the present age. towards this object the legislature has passed an act giving us a constitution nearly of our own choice, under the name of the Central College , making the Governor patron of...
8Thomas Jefferson to John Wayles Eppes, 6 August 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
I set out for Bedford tomorrow, and shall leave this at Flood ’s. you will know therefore by it’s receipt that we are passed on, to wit Ellen , Cornelia and myself. very soon after our arrival at Poplar Forest , perhaps a week, we shall go to the Nat l bridge and be a b sent 4. or 5. days: and shall hope to see you & Francis soon after as given us to hope in yours of
9John Wayles Eppes to Thomas Jefferson, 3 September 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letter of aug. the 6 th arrived here when my house was filled with my own and M rs Eppes ’s connections— M r Burton and his family left us on Saturday— my sister and M r Lane on Tuesday—I could not conveniently leave them here and the season is now so far advanced that you will I presume soon return to Monticello — We are begining to experience the inconveniences of the wet and cold & our...
10Thomas Jefferson to John Wayles Eppes, 26 October 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
I have procured from Leschot for mrs Eppes a very elegant watc h and of the very best construction being of the kind called à cylindre horizontal ; the only inconvenience of which is that they require being touched with oil a little oftener than the others. he had no watch of the common construction which was proper for a lady. he required 40.D. boot, allowing only 30.D. for the gold of the...
11John Wayles Eppes to Thomas Jefferson, 11 December 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
I forwarded to you at the commencement of the Session the Message of the President — In the house of Representatives Spanish affairs have served as a barrel to occupy the whale and various motions have been made on that subject—I have conversed with several of the gentlemen who have been most prominent and find the objection object to be a recognition on the part of the United States of the...
12Thomas Jefferson to John Wayles Eppes, 6 February 1818 (Jefferson Papers)
I recieved a letter of Dec. 28. from Francis to which I had deferred an answer until I could speak with more certainty of the prospects of our central college . he describes his situation as neither agreeable nor advantageous. Doct r Cooper had engaged with us as professor of the Physiological sciences, and had moreover offered to take charge of our classical school, until we can get for that...
13John Wayles Eppes to Thomas Jefferson, 14 February 1818 (Jefferson Papers)
I enclose a letter from Francis in answer to the one forwarded to me . A few days before my departure from Virginia I enclosed to M r Bolling the subscription paper for the central College . I had put down my name for 200 dollars. fifty dollars payable on the first of April next and fifty dollars on the first day of April afterwards for the three succeeding years. Some jealousy in relation to...
14Thomas Jefferson to John Wayles Eppes, 13 March 1818 (Jefferson Papers)
Your’s & Francis’s of Feb. 14. were recieved in due time. you have seen by the newspapers what our legislature has done on the subject of an University. the centrality & salubrity of Charlottesville excite strong expectations that the site of the Central College will be adopted for that. but this cannot be known until the next session of the legislature. in the mean while we shall go on with...
15John Wayles Eppes to Thomas Jefferson, 6 April 1818 (Jefferson Papers)
I have been unwell during the last eight or ten days and part of the time confined to my room—This must be my apology for leaving your last so long unanswered— I have determined to remove Francis from the Catholic school at the close of the Session of Congress . I would with pleasure send him on immediately and let him join you on your trip to Bedford , but the time is so nearly arrived for...
16Thomas Jefferson to John Wayles Eppes, 10 April 1818 (Jefferson Papers)
Yours of the 6 th is rec e ived. I set out the day after tomorrow for Poplar Forest , and shall be there till the 1 st of May . you say you will be at home the 25 th . I really think Francis had better come on diret direct
17Thomas Jefferson to John Wayles Eppes, 3 May 1818 (Jefferson Papers)
I set out from this place for Monticello tomorrow morning and shall leave this letter at Flood ’s. I have engaged Francis ’s board with mr Dashiell himself, who takes only three others. Francis will be much pleased with the family, which is a very genteel one, and they live well as I saw by going in upon them at their dinner unexpectedly. he is an excellent teacher as I judged, at his...
18John Wayles Eppes to Thomas Jefferson, 17 October 1818 (Jefferson Papers)
The various rumours which have reached us as to the state of your health have been such as to excite serious apprehension and alarm on the part of your friends—All the recent accounts concur in representing you as entirely well or so far recovered as no longer to cause anxiety on the part of your friends—accept my congratulations on an event which I am certain no human being can hale with more...
19John Wayles Eppes to Thomas Jefferson, 8 January 1819 (Jefferson Papers)
Tracy ’s Political Economy & your Report on the University (which you were so good as to forward) have been received. As tokens of your continued friendly remembrance I look on them with great pleasure. The treatise of Tracy I had previously purchased & read & the Report on the subject of the Unive r sity had been forwarded by a friend from Richmond . This continued devotion of your time and...
20John Wayles Eppes to Thomas Jefferson, 15 May 1819 (Jefferson Papers)
I forward to you the Whin seed—Its being in the pod caused me to make a considerable mistake in the quantity—It was gathered last october 12 month and may possibly from its age not come up well—During the present autumn I will have some seed gathered for you— I found the road from Canton very bad in consequence of the rain and being much cut by waggons. I was longer from Canton home than from...
21Thomas Jefferson to John Wayles Eppes, 9 July 1819 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of June 28 . came duly to hand, as did also the coat-pattern for Francis . he is now closely engaged with mr Stack , whose style of instruction he finds very superior to any he ever met with before. I do not believe so solid & critical a one has ever been before in this state, if in the US. his fatherly demeanor too towards his pupils engages their affections and their obedience....
22John Wayles Eppes to Thomas Jefferson, 6 February 1820 (Jefferson Papers)
While Francis was here I heard with considerable regret that his cousin Wayles and himself had quarreled and were not on speaking terms—From Francis ’s Representation of the circumstances I consider Wayles as the aggressor. I do not however consider this circumstance as important. Disputes between near connections reflect no credit on either. I take the liberty therefore of asking that you...
23John Wayles Eppes to Thomas Jefferson, 12 June 1820 (Jefferson Papers)
Since my visit to Monticello I have written to you frequently and although I do not know it I presume of course some of my letters have been received. My anxiety about Francis induces me again to write to you—He is now advancing to an age when the only controul which either of us can exercise over him must depend on his own feelings. From every thing I hear I conclude with certainty that the...
24Thomas Jefferson to John Wayles Eppes, 30 June 1820 (Jefferson Papers)
I am become quite delinquent in epistolary correspondence; my right wrist, from an antient dislocation, grows now so stiff, as to render writing a slow and painful operation, and has produced an aversion to the pen almost insuperable. I go therefore to the writing table under the spur of necessity alone. The delay in the opening of our seminary in this neighborhood has proceeded entirely...
25John Wayles Eppes to Thomas Jefferson, 8 July 1820 (Jefferson Papers)
I am happy to find that our opinions agree so well on the subject of Eastern Seminaries— Francis if he could have been educated at the Central Unive r sity would have had the advantage of being near you—At his period of life I consider this circumstance of great importance— If however contrary to our hopes and expectations this cannot be accomplished your selection of Columbia in preference to...
26Thomas Jefferson to John Wayles Eppes, 29 July 1820 (Jefferson Papers)
In my letter of June 30. I informed you I would write to D r Cooper for information as to the state and expences of education at Columbia S.C. I will quote his answer in his own words. ‘I am not fully prepared to answer your queries as to the expence of education at the C S. Carolina college . but I have always understood it was very cheap, not exceeding 250.D. for the session of nine months....
27John Wayles Eppes to Thomas Jefferson, 19 August 1820 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letter of the 29 th of July was received by the last mail— I am highly gratified at the prospect held out in it of our seeing you here— I shall feel great pleasure in accomodating you with a loan of 4000 dollars in the mode you propose— In the present uncertain condition of Bank stock it will be better for me to dispose of the stock and loan you the money—I would not wish a cent more or...
28Thomas Jefferson to John Wayles Eppes, 27 August 1820 (Jefferson Papers)
Yours of the 19 th was received on the 25 th . what it proposes on the subject of the stock is perfectly agreeable to me; but I shall be glad to recieve the proceeds as soon as they can be had, that I may the sooner relieve myself from the applications of those to whom it is destined, and them from the want of it. Our court is Monday sennight (Sep. 4.) and I see nothing to prevent my setting...
29John Wayles Eppes to Thomas Jefferson, 7 October 1820 (Jefferson Papers)
The unpromising appearance of the weather prevented my leaving home until the third instant — I have this day lodged with M r Peyton five hundred dollars for you— I have also sold my United States stock at 103— If therefore you will take my house on your way to Bedford I shall be ready to conclude our contract and give you a check for the balance of the 4000 dollars—
30Thomas Jefferson to John Wayles Eppes, 13 October 1820, with Eppes’s Note (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 7 th came to hand yesterday. my journey to Bedford is pos of necessity postponed indefinitely by the circumstance of 3. of my carriage horses being recently taken with the disease called the sore tongue, which I am told will require 10. days for cure and leave them so emaciated as not to be able to take the road for some time. this will bring on cold weather which will oblige...
31Enclosure: Receipt and Bond from Thomas Jefferson to John Wayles Eppes, 13 October 1820 (Jefferson Papers)
I Thomas Jefferson of Albemarle acknolege that I have recieved of John W. Eppes of Buckingham checks on the bank of for the sum of four thousand Dollars in consideration whereof I oblige myself to deliver to him, on or before the twenty fifth day of December eighteen hundred & twenty two such and so many of my slaves now residing on my lands in Bedford as shall be equal in value to the sd...
32Thomas Jefferson to John Wayles Eppes, 22 October 1820 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 16 th was safely recieved with the check on the bank of Virginia for 3500.D. inclosed. the expression in the reciept I sent you of 2 checks on the bank E t c for 4000.D. will I think comprehend with sufficient certainty the deposit of 500 D. as well as the check of 3500. I did not know at the time whether the 500.D. had been paid in cash, or by a check, but thought it...
33Thomas Jefferson to John Wayles Eppes, 19 January 1821 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 7 th has been recieved & I sincere ly congratulate you on the resolution of all your complaints into a regular & fixed gout. a severe fit now and then with clear intervals of health is certainly preferable to a perpetual half sickness. it will relieve you too from medecine, as we all know there is none for the gout but patience and flannel. I really think your allowance to...
34Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Cooper and John Wayles Eppes, 16 September 1821 (Jefferson Papers)
The shortness of the time now left to Francis for the pursuit of Academical studies, calls for extreme parcimony in the employment of the portion of it which still remains to him: and I am rendered more anxious for the economy of this remnant by information recieved from him, of which I was not before apprised. it seems there is a distinction in the College of Columbia between what are called...
35John Wayles Eppes to Thomas Jefferson, 15 October 1821 (Jefferson Papers)
Uncertain where a letter might find you I have delayed until the present time returning an answer to yours of the 16. of September by Francis . I have directed him on his return to Columbia to pursue the course marked out for him by you and to become an irregular instead of a regular student at the University — Your opinion as to the value of a Deploma corresponds with my own—My only reason...
36Thomas Jefferson to John Wayles Eppes, 23 October 1821 (Jefferson Papers)
I receive here your favor of the 15 th and am gl ad you approve of the course proposed for Francis to confine his pur s uits to the important sciences exclusively. he may in the present year make such progress in them as to be able to pursue them to ad v antage th ereafter by himself. and if he can, for 2. or 3. years avoid the common error of premature marriage, he has s t ill time to make...
37John Wayles Eppes to Thomas Jefferson, 27 November 1821 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letter arrived here while I was absent on a short visit to my sister Lane the management of whose affairs have devolved on me— Firmly persuaded as I am that such a view of the a eight years of your administration as would be presented by yourself would be the best antidote to the political poison circulating among us, I should consider myself as violating the duty I owe to my country...
38John Wayles Eppes to Thomas Jefferson, 8 December 1821 (Jefferson Papers)
I was just enjoying the pleasing prospect of a permanent return of health when a few days since viz on the 30 th ult. I was attacked in my sleep and entirely insensible until after being bled—I had certainly improved greatly in my strength as I was able since my return from the Springs to do what I have not done for years amuse myself on foot with a gun & walk for hours without more than...
39Thomas Jefferson to John Wayles Eppes, [by 17] January 1822 (Jefferson Papers)
I send a small cart and box for the books, state papers E t c you are so kind as to lend me. I possess the Journals of the old Congress ; and I have no need of the public accounts mentioned in your list. the information I need is generally from 1789. to 1809. and nothing at all after 1809. I will state specify at the end of my letter the particular titles of what I wish to recieve as they are...
40John Wayles Eppes to Thomas Jefferson, 22 January 1822 (Jefferson Papers)
We were much gratified in hearing of the health of yourself and all around you— You will receive by the return of the se r vant the public documents a list of which I annex at the end of my letter—With the single exception of my having no newspaper as far back as 1789: it appears to embrace every thing in your memorandom — I feel in regard to this work a solicitude which I cannot easily...
41Thomas Jefferson to John Wayles Eppes, 10 June 1822 (Jefferson Papers)
I have been so late in getting my tob o to market that I have not been able sooner to remit you the 1 st year’s interest. so dilatory are the means of the farmer & planter. Francis wrote me that you were willing I should import for him (with some books I am importing for myself from London ) Thomas ’s Coke Littleton & Bacon ’s abridgment. these are dear books and with the loss by exchange,
42John Wayles Eppes to Thomas Jefferson, 22 June 1822 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letter of the 10 th instant enclosing a draft on B. Peyton of Richmond for 163.20 cents was received by the mail on the 21 st —Being a farmer and planter myself I know from experience the uncertainty of their resources in point of time. I should feel much greater pleasure in furnishing Francis with the books necessary for his profession if I could induce myself to believe that he would...
43Thomas Jefferson to John Wayles Eppes, 28 July 1822 (Jefferson Papers)
I learn with sincere regret the continuance of your ill health, placing at the same time much reliance on the vis vitae at your time of life, which is quite sufficient to promise a restoration of order to the system. the benefit you recieved from the springs the last year encourages confidence in a repetition of the experiment. I think with you that it has been unlucky that Francis so early...
44To Thomas Jefferson from John Wayles Eppes, 4 September 1823 (Jefferson Papers)
I am sorrey to be obliged to claim payment of the small bala n ce due me for interest—you will obluge me by forwarding an order on your agent at Richmond believe me when I assre you that nothing, but an extraordyary pressure at the present moment would induce me to make application our best wshes attend all the familuuy ViU : Edgehill-Randolph Papers.
45From Thomas Jefferson to John Wayles Eppes, 9 September 1823 (Jefferson Papers)
I have been truly uneasy at the delay which has attended the remittances of the sum of interest due to you, but I had calls so pressing in the spring, and at the same time such disappointments in the reciept of monies due me & which would have enabled me to meet all my engagements, as put the remittance out of my power. We a- wait nothing now but a tide in our river to carry down my crop of...