William Dickson to Thomas Jefferson, 20 February 1810

From William Dickson

Nashville Feby 20th 1810

Dear Sir

I herewith enclose the Miniature1 &c of the late Govr Lewis, which has been put into my hands by Majr Anderson for that purpose.

It seems when an inventory was taken at this place of the property of the deceased this article being wrapped up with a small parcel of medecines, was overlooked, and not discovered until some time after the Inventory had been sent on.

It was matter of doubt with me whether to enclose it to his mother or to you, as the safest mode of conveyance. I have prefered the latter.—

Please to accept assurances of respect and regard from

Dear Sir Your most Obt servant

Wm Dickson

RC (DLC); at foot of text: “Mr Jefferson”; endorsed by TJ as received 18 Mar. 1810 and so recorded in SJL.

William Dickson (1770–1816), a native of Duplin County, North Carolina, moved to Tennessee in 1795. After studying medicine and setting up a medical practice in Nashville, he served as speaker of the state house of representatives, 1799–1801, and held a seat as a Republican in the United States House of Representatives, 1801–07. Allegations that Dickson harbored aristocratic tendencies surfaced during his 1801 congressional campaign, prompting Andrew Jackson to obtain and have printed a letter in which Dickson emphasized his steadfast republicanism (Biog. Dir. Cong. description begins Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1774–1989, 1989 description ends ; Jackson, Papers description begins Sam B. Smith, Harold D. Moser, Daniel Feller, and others, eds., The Papers of Andrew Jackson, 1980– , 6 vols. description ends , 1:256–9; Nashville Whig, 20 Feb. 1816).

Personal effects belonging to Meriwether Lewis had been left for a time near Nashville in the care of William C. anderson. For the inventory of these items compiled ca. 23 Nov. 1809, see Jackson, Letters of Lewis and Clark description begins Donald Jackson, ed., Letters of the Lewis and Clark Expedition with Related Documents, 1783–1854, 2d ed., 1978, 2 vols. description ends , 2:470–4.

1. Manuscript: “Minature.”

Index Entries

Anderson, William C. search
Dickson, William; and M. Lewis’s effects search
Dickson, William; identified search
Dickson, William; letters from search
Lewis, Lucy Meriwether search
Lewis, Meriwether; personal belongings of search

You Are Looking At

Source Project: Jefferson Papers
Title: William Dickson to Thomas Jefferson, 20 February 1810
Author: Dickson, William
Recipient: Jefferson, Thomas
Date: 20 February 1810

Reference

Cite as: “William Dickson to Thomas Jefferson, 20 February 1810,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/03-02-02-0199. [Original source: The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Retirement Series, vol. 2, 16 November 1809 to 11 August 1810, ed. J. Jefferson Looney. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2005, pp. 241–242.]

More between these correspondents