1To Thomas Jefferson from John Taylor, 5 December 1780 (Jefferson Papers)
It gives me great uneasyness that the Militia of this County By their riotous behavour have prevented my making a proper return to you. On the day appointed for the Draft they assembled in a Mob, and disarm’d the Officers as they came to the field, and took from me the papers relative to the draft which prevented my carrying it on. I had a Court Martial held according to Law, and many were...
2To Thomas Jefferson from John Taylor, 15 April 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
Lancaster County, 15 Apr. 1781 . Encloses “a list of the number of Men raised in this County for recruiting this States quota of Troops to serve in the Continental Army, likewise a particular number of each Division, and a return of the Militia but not so full as your last instructions required, as I have not recieved any returns from the Different Captains since.” The return of ammunition...
3To Thomas Jefferson from John Taylor, with Jefferson’s Opinion on Mary Wayland, [16 August 1782] (Jefferson Papers)
Your most Curious Council is required on the following Cases. Case the 1st. Adam Wayland of Culpeper County in the Virga. State, after 1st. Lawful Marriage had 6 Children by his wife and She pregnant with the 7th.—Made a Will by which will he bequeath’d his wife one full Third part of his Estate, his wife in time of her pregnancy was Taken with the Small pox and Died—after remaining a widower...
4To Thomas Jefferson from John Taylor, 1 June 1794 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letter dated one month past, was delivered to me, as I was about to leave philadelphia, and this circumstance defered my answer hitherto. It was my purpose previously to have seen Mr: Martin, who is the inventor of the drilling machine , the simplicity of which is its best recommendation; but a succession of heavy rains have swept off our mills and bridges, and left a gulf between Mr:...
5To Thomas Jefferson from John Taylor, 15 August 1794 (Jefferson Papers)
Some time past, I inclosed you the pamphlet you wrote for—accepted of your commission to procure the drill plow—and requested to know to whom at Richmond I should forward it. The plow has been ready for some time and delayed for want of an answer. Concluding at length, that my letter, or your reply has failed, I have forwarded it herewith to the care of Mr: John Harvie at Richmond, and...
6To Thomas Jefferson from John Taylor, 5 March 1795 (Jefferson Papers)
There is a spice of fanaticism in my nature upon two subjects—agriculture and republicanism, which all who set it in motion, are sure to suffer by. Tho’ there is no comfort, there is a warning in the confession, enabling you at this moment to escape from its effect. For I am about to go farther into the means which I have practised for the recovery of worn out lands, the experiments I have...
7To Thomas Jefferson from John Taylor, 14 October 1797 (Jefferson Papers)
A model of Martin’s machine for seperating the grain of wheat from the straw, is now before me, and yet simple as it is, I have no hopes that my mechanical knowledge is equal to a description so perspicuous, as to enable you to erect one. For it probably bears a very distant analogy to the Scotch machine or to Booker’s, neither of which had ever been seen by Mr: Martin, when he invented his....
8To Thomas Jefferson from John Taylor, 19 November 1797 (Jefferson Papers)
Herewith I have forwarded to you the drill you requested, packed into a crate basket, in a secure manner. This machine is an improvement upon that heretofore sent you, in having cups cut into iron rollers, instead of being fixed to bands. The effect, is perfect regularity in the sheding of the grain, because no change will be produced by the quantity in the box—because these cups must fill...
9To Thomas Jefferson from John Taylor, 25 March 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
Mr: Martin, for whom I solicited you to obtain a patent for a thrashing machine, has made several important improvements upon the model forwarded to you, and therefore wishes the taking out of a patent may be postponed, until his application can be so amended, as that it may include these improvements. For this End I will very shortly take the liberty of inclosing you the proper papers,...
10To Thomas Jefferson from John Taylor, 4 April 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
I now take the liberty of inclosing you the papers accompanied with a drawing to obtain Mr: Martin’s patent , having by a reference to the law, discovered the error in having before omited this drawing. Mr: Martin wishes the former papers to be withdrawn or to remain unnoticed, not only on account of this error, but also because several essential improvements have been added by him, since the...