Thomas Jefferson to Archibald Stuart, 9 April 1819
To Archibald Stuart
Monticello Apr. 9. 19.
Dear Sir
Mr Cosby was so well recommended, & by friends I so much esteem, that I was anxious he should be engaged in some of the work for the University. but his terms compared with those of the very best workmen, rendered it impossible. he asked 2. D 50 C the thousand for place-brick work & 5.D. the thousand for oil stock, more than we have been enabled to get the whole work engaged for by others.
Not knowing how to address the inclosed letter I give it the benefit of your cover, in hopes you will do us the favor of having it delivered. I salute you affectionately
Th: Jefferson
RC (ViHi: Stuart Papers); addressed: “The honble Judge Stuart Staunton”; franked; postmarked Charlottesville, 11 Apr. PoC (MoSHi: TJC-BC); on verso of reused address cover to TJ; endorsed by TJ. Enclosure: TJ to Peter Bolinger, 9 Apr. 1819.
Dabney Cosby laid down his terms for “Making & Laying from 2 to 3 Hundred Thousand Bricks” in a letter to University of Virginia proctor Nelson Barksdale, dated Charlottesville, 29 Mar. 1819. Therein he stipulated $14 per thousand place bricks, $20 per thousand sand-stock bricks, and $25 per thousand oil-stock bricks (RC in ViU: TJP; at foot of text: “Nelson Barksdale Esqr”; endorsed by TJ: “Bricklayer. Cosby Dabney to N. Barksdale”).
Index Entries
- Barksdale, Nelson; as University of Virginia proctor search
- brickmaking; for University of Virginia search
- building materials; bricks search
- Cosby, Dabney; as brick-mason for University of Virginia search
- Stuart, Archibald; and brick-masons for University of Virginia search
- Stuart, Archibald; letters to search
- Virginia, University of; Construction and Grounds; brickmakers and brick-masons for search