John (Jack) Shorter, livery servant and hostler, worked at the President’s House in Washington, D.C., from November 1801 until the end of TJ’s term in office, and he accompanied TJ during his return to Monticello in March 1809. President James Madison and his family later employed him for a time. Although born a slave, Shorter was apparently freed late in 1810, twelve years after his master’s death and in accordance with the provisions of his will (PTJ description begins Julian P. Boyd, Charles T. Cullen, John Catanzariti, Barbara B. Oberg, James P. McClure, and others, eds., The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, 1950– , 42 vols. description ends , 40:59; MB description begins James A. Bear Jr. and Lucia C. Stanton, eds., Jefferson’s Memorandum Books: Accounts, with Legal Records and Miscellany, 1767–1826, 1997, The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Second Series description ends ; Lucia Stanton, “Those Who Labor for My Happiness”: Slavery at Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello [2012], 44, 54, 150; TJ’s Account with Dougherty, [4–10 Mar. 1809]; Étienne Lemaire to TJ, 17 Mar. 1809; Madison, Papers, Retirement Ser., 1:418).

Dougherty wrote a similar letter on 4 Feb. 1819 to Madison, who, twelve days later, sent him $20 to defray some of the costs associated with Shorter’s care (Madison, Papers, Retirement Ser., 1:408–9, 418, 421).