To Thomas Jefferson from William Blount, 27 July 1791
From William Blount
[“Territory of the United States of America South of the River Ohio”], 27 July 1791. Enclosing all information he has on Territorial boundaries and private claims to be excepted from right of Congress to dispose of lands ceded by North Carolina. The bearer, Major Mountflorence, a Nashville lawyer, is well informed, conversant with laws of his state, and would be happy to serve TJ. [P.S.] Reports of entries in Washington and Sullivan counties, being too bulky to be enclosed, are “committed to the Bearer.”
RC (DNA: RG 59, SWT, M-471/1); endorsed by TJ as received 15 Aug. 1791 and so recorded in SJL. The enclosures, which have not been found, were acknowledged in TJ to Blount, 17 Aug. 1791, and were used in preparing TJ’s Report on Public Lands, 8 Nov. 1791.
James Cole Mountflorence, born in France of Irish parents, emigrated to North Carolina in 1778. An officer during the Revolution, he later practiced law in Nashville. At this time he was returning to France, where he remained (see , iv, 71–2).