61Thomas Jefferson to Bernard Peyton, 3 November 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
An abundant rain having given us a plentiful tide I wish to avail myself of it in bringing up a part of 7. tons of plaister which I ask the favor of you to procure & forward to me as often as W m Johnson , shall call for it. he starts this evening. I will further request you to procure & send me by him 100. ℔ of good coffee, that is to say Bourbon if to be had, if not then Java or other...
62Thomas Jefferson to Joel Yancey, 3 November 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
When I left you I counted with certainty on being at Poplar Forest during the last week at the latest; but the decision on my road here which comes on in our court to-day or tomorrow has detained me. to that is now added the difficulty of keeping our workmen at the College together so as to ensure the finishing it. this depends on their diligence for one fortnight more within which time the...
63Thomas Jefferson to Peter S. Du Ponceau, 6 November 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
The long delay of the MS. of Col o Byrd which you were so kind as to send me , needs apology. on the 26 th of June I wrote to mr Benjamin Harrison of Berkley from whom the other had been borrowed, to ask permission to send it to the Philosophical society with a view to it’s publication. the following is an extract from his answer of July 11.
64Thomas Jefferson to Francis Brooke, 7 November 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
It has been mentioned to the Visitors of the Central College established by act of assembly near Charlottesville that the society of Cincinnati in this state had in contemplation to apply their funds to the foundation of a school for the military arts of Gunnery and fortification, and that some of the members had intimated a disposition to incorporate it with the Central College . a...
65Thomas Jefferson to Peter S. Du Ponceau, 7 November 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
A part of the information of which the expedition of Lewis and Clarke was the object has been communicated to the world by the publication of their journal; but much & valuable matter remains yet uncommunicated. the correction of the longitudes of their map is essential to it’s value; to which purpose their observations of the Lunar distances are to be calculated & applied. the new subjects...
66Thomas Jefferson to Peter S. Du Ponceau, 7 November 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
Th: Jefferson presents his compliments to M r Duponceau , & his thanks for his pamphlet on Phonology. he supposes, with him, that all sud d en reformation of our orthography is as desperate as it would be inconvenient. he presumes the slow process of amendment will continue, which has been going on for ages; that this may in time reduce the power of the letters to greater uniformity, as has...
67Thomas Jefferson to John Gardiner, 7 November 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
Th: Jefferson presents his compliments to mr Gardiner and his thanks for the copy of his map of the Military bounty Lands which he has been so kind as to send him. he has no doubt of it’s great utility to the military claimants and it’s execution is in a very handsome stile. PoC ( MHi ); on verso of a reused address cover from Thomas Cooper to TJ; dateline at foot of text; endorsed by TJ.
68Thomas Jefferson to James H. McCulloh, 7 November 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
Th: Jefferson presents his compliments & his thanks to Doctor M c Culloch for the copy of his Researches on America which he has been so kind as to send him. the question he treats has long excited the enquiries of the Ingenious. some have been contented with accounting for the origin of the Man of the new continent s some with that of it’s animals generally: Doct r M’Culloch ’s hypothesis...
69Thomas Jefferson to Nelson Barksdale, 11 November 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
M r Harrison of Lynchburg was authorised to make an agreement for us with mr Knight , which I now inclose to you, and pray you to settle with him, when he is done, and give him an order on mr Garrett . I think he arrived here about Oct. the 8 7 th or 8 th RC (
70Enclosure: Agreement between David Knight and Central College, 11 October 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
The Subscriber agrees with m r Jefferson to go Immediately to Charlottsville , & there to work faithfully, upon the Central College at the Rate of five Dollars ⅌ Day & his Diet, found, Knight finds his own Lodging. m r Jefferson to pay Knight , five Dollars ⅌ Day, for Two days going, & Two days Returning, & Two Dollars ⅌ Day, for the four Days—for Travelling expences. David Knight Oct 11. 1817
71Thomas Jefferson to William Lee, 12 November 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
It would be as useless as long to explain the delay of sending on our apprentice for stocking weaving according to the offer you were so kind as to make us. the it has been partly owing to my long absences from home, but chiefly to disappointment in the first object we proposed. we now send on a young man in whom we have great confidence; of the name of Stuart . his father lived with me many...
72Thomas Jefferson to Edmund Bacon, [15 November 1817] (Jefferson Papers)
I have made it a point thro’ life never to recieve or pay compound interest nor any thing more than what is legal. nor do I think compound interest just, because had the law intended to permit it, it would have been fixed at 3. per cent or 3 ½ which is as much as men in general make of their money in the ordinary & honest vocations of life. more may be made, by possibility, at the gaming table...
73Thomas Jefferson to Patrick Gibson, 15 November 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
Johnson having called on me the morning he was loading and assuring me he should load two boats occasioned my letter of the 3 d . I learnt afterwards that one of his boats got broke into in two , which occasioned the disappointment. his boat is returned and is now at the mill and will take in a load for me tomorrow morning. I set out for Bedford in the morning to be absent 2. or 3. weeks. I...
74Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 15 November 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
We are sadly at a loss here for a Palladio . I had three different editions, but they are at Washington , and nobody in this part of the country has one unless you have. if you have you will greatly aid us by letting us have the use of it for a year to come. it will come safely by the stage, and may be left at the stage office of either Milton or Charlottesville , & either postmaster will pay...
75Thomas Jefferson to Bernard Peyton, 15 November 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
Your’s of the 10 th is recieved, & Johnson ’s boat is expected to-day, by which I shall recieve the coffee. I observe you have cotton yarn for sale. will you be so good as to send me 80. ℔s of N o 5. Johnson ’s boat returns to Richmond immediately & is the safest to send it by. Gilmer when with his boat is also safe. PoC ( MHi ); on verso of reused address cover of José Corrêa da Serra to TJ,...
76Thomas Jefferson to Edmund Bacon, 22 November 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
I find I shall be able to get from here from Saturday this day fortnight to Saturday this three weeks. it is necessary therefore that Cretia ’s Johnny should set off with the cart on Thursday morning the 3 d of December
77Thomas Jefferson to Martha Jefferson Randolph, 22 November 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
I arrived here, my dear daughter after a disagreeable journey, one day shut up at Warren by steady rain, the next travelling thro a good deal of drizzle & rain, and the last excessive cold, the road being full of ice. but all well in the end. Johnny Hemings had made great progress in his work. his calculation is that he may possibly finish by this day fortnight, but possibly & almost probably...
78Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Cooper, 25 November 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
My long and frequent visits to this place make me a very inexact correspondent. your letter of Oct. 24. was 11. days on it’s passage, instead of 5. or 6. the ordinary time, and it found me on the eve of my departure from Monticello . It is impossible for me to regret the prospects you have of being satisfactorily fixed at Philadelphia , because I sincerely wish you whatever you think best...
79Thomas Jefferson to José Corrêa da Serra, 25 November 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
I am highly gratified by the interest you take in our Central college , and the more so as it may possibly become an inducement to pass more of your time with us. it is even said you had thought of engaging a house in it’s neighborhood. but why another house? is not one enough? and especially one whose inhabitants are made so happy by your becoming their inmate? when you shall have a wife and...
80Thomas Jefferson to George W. Erving, 25 November 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
This will be delivered to you by mr George Ticknor a young gentleman of high respectability and connexions from Massachusets & among the first in our country in point of erudition. he has been in Europe several years, first at Gottingen to fill up the measure of his education, thence he has travelled thro’ France , is now probably in Italy , & expects to be at Madrid , with the same constant...
81Thomas Jefferson’s Notes on Roads to Poplar Forest, 25 November 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
1817. Nov. 25 from the house to the bridge at the meadow 1100 yds along the branch to 1 st x g place 137 along d o to 2 d d o 173 Strait line to ∠
82Thomas Jefferson to Elisha Ticknor, 25 November 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
I have lately recieved from your much valued son, a letter of Aug. 14. dated from Paris , in which he asks me for one of introduction to mr Erving , our Minister at Madrid . bound in duty, as well as inclination to render him every service in my power, I inclose to him such a letter as will ensure him every good office mr Erving can render: and by his particular direction, I put it under cover...
83Thomas Jefferson to George Ticknor, 25 November 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of Aug. 14. was delivered to me as I was setting out for the distant possession, from which I now write, & to which I pay frequent & long visits. on my arrival here I make it my first duty to write the letter you request to mr Erving , and to inclose it in this under cover to your father, that you may get it in time. my letters are always letters of thanks because you are always...
84Thomas Jefferson to John Wood, 26 November 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
I recieved your favor of the 10 th as I was preparing to set out for this place, which will explain the delay, as well as the place, of it’s acknolegement. the suggestion in my letter of the last summer (for I cannot here quote it’s date) was from myself purely, and intended to enable me to say to the Visitors of the Central college , whether you would be willing to accept of the Classical...
85Thomas Jefferson to Noah Worcester, 26 November 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
You have not been mistaken in supposing my views and feelings to be in favor of the abolition of war. of my disposition to maintain peace until it’s condition shall be made less tolerable than that of war itself, the world has had proofs, and more perhaps than it has approved. I hope it is practicable, by improving the mind & morals of society, to lessen the disposition to war; but of it’s...
86Thomas Jefferson’s Notes on Poplar Forest Survey, 6 December 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
Beg g at the ∠ over New London road. ✓ S. 52. E. S. 40. E. S. 50 E . 99. po to w.o. stump in Cobb’s field near his yard fore & aft. ✓ S. 50. E. 22 ¼ to w.o. stump in y
87Thomas Jefferson’s Notes on Poplar Forest Survey, 9 December 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
✓ 1817. Dec. 9. Beg g in the S. 50. E. line at 12 ½ po. from the fore & aft. white oak, and 111 ½ po. from the corner near the N. London road. ✓ N. 70. E. at 54. po. the spring is 1. po. on N. side; at 68. po. his corner in the field as suppos d in all 110.88 po. to
88Thomas Jefferson’s Notes on Poplar Forest Survey, 12 December 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
Begun at Clarke & Cobb ’s red oak corner N. 62. E 72. po. along a full marked line to his & my corner chesnut in Cobb ’s side line from this Chesnut the f. & a. post oak bears S. 52. E. 23. po. which makes that line 148. po. in all from the pointers to the chesnut then sa. co. contin
89Thomas Jefferson’s Plats of Poplar Forest Boundaries, 14 December 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
scale 50. po. to the inch. platted Dec. 14 17. Course pursued in making this plat. Dec. 14 17. Began at the white (or Span. o. as sometimes called) corner S. 88. W. 85. po. a marked line N. 52. W. 148. po. a marked line to Clarke ’s ∠ chesnut. then from the Chesnut, platted his full marked line N. 62. E that line continued to the Poplar Forest is mine & the same, stopping at Cobb
90Thomas Jefferson’s Notes on Plats of Poplar Forest Boundaries, 14 December 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
1817. Dec. 14. Observations on the lines in this plat. Beginning at a corner white oak, sometimes called a Spanish oak, well known on Callaway ’s road. S. 88. W. 85. po. fully marked to pointers, & so found by Maj r Organ Nov. 27. 1817 . N. 52. W. 125. po. full marked to a post oak fore & aft found by Maj r Organ . 23. po. more without another marked tree terminates it at Clarke