To Thomas Jefferson from Edward Lynch, 17 May 1803
From Edward Lynch
Philada. May 17th. 1803
Sir
Not having the honor of being personally known to you and being desirous to offer myself a Candidate for an Appointment in the Land Office established by an Act of Congress of the last Session “Regulating the grants of lands &ca. South of the State of Tennassee”
I beg leave to lay before you the inclosed letter of introduction from Andrew Gregg Esqr.—
Should this Application be in time and so fortunate as to be honor’d with your approbation, I flatter myself I can procure such corroborative Testimonials of Character as will be perfectly satisfactory, together with any security that may be required—For more particular information I take the liberty of referring to Albert Gallatine Esqr. and am most Respectfully
Sir Your Obedt. Servt.
Edwd. Lynch
RC (DNA: RG 59, LAR); at foot of text: “Thomas Jefferson Esqr. Presidt. of the United States”; endorsed by TJ as received 21 May and “to be empld under land law Missipi” and so recorded in SJL. Enclosure: Andrew Gregg to TJ, 7 May.
During the 1780s, Edward Lynch (d. 1818) worked as the chief clerk to Pennsylvania’s surveyor general. He remained a surveyor for a short time but eventually became a merchant. In 1797, he ran for a seat in Philadelphia’s Common Council. For about the last 10 years of his life, he was in the insurance business in Philadelphia (Philadelphia Gazette, 9 Oct. 1797, 6 Oct. 1800; Poulson’s American Daily Advertiser, 3 Mch. 1818; The Philadelphia Directory, by Francis White [Philadelphia, 1785], 45; Clement Biddle, The Philadelphia Directory [Philadelphia, 1791], 79; James Hardie, The Philadelphia Directory and Register [Philadelphia, 1794], 94; James Robinson, The Philadelphia Directory, for 1810 [Philadelphia, 1810], 175; John Adems Paxton, The Philadelphia Directory, for 1818 [Philadelphia, 1818]).
For the act of congress providing for the disposal of lands in Mississippi Territory, see , 2:229–35.