Thomas Jefferson Papers

To Thomas Jefferson from John Armstrong, 4 June 1803

From John Armstrong

Cincinnati June 4th. 1803

Sir/

your letter thro Madam L. F. Felix was answered some time since, and in compliance with her request I beg leave to forward the inclosed for your perusal and consideration, if the Land Located by me for your friend does not meet the approbation of that Lady, it is no fault of mine as a Locator—the lines of those small tracts not being run at the time the Locations were made, it was imposible for me to give a correct description of those perticular Lots—I hazard nothing in saying, my information as to the fraction or quarter in which they lie is correct speaking of the quarter Township Generally, and if the inclosed Plat made by actual survey does not correspond with the one handed by your Excellency, the fault must lie with the Public surveyers and not with me—may I intrude on your time so far as to ask a line in answer to this and my former letter on the subject of this Land, Perhaps Mr Smith the Surveyor expects his fees paid thro me—

I have the honer to be with due consideration your Excellencys most Obt. Servt.

John Armstrong

RC (MHi); at head of text: “To the President of the United States”; endorsed by TJ as received 28 June and so recorded in SJL. Enclosures: (1) Samuel Smith to Armstrong, Franklin County, Ohio, 29 Apr. 1803, sending a draft of the land he surveyed for Louise Françoise Felix, which does not agree with her plat; Felix complains that the land is only second rate in quality, that a hill and two surrounding springs marked on her plat cannot be found, and that a “run” marked on her plat was found to be a “fine spring which arises fifteen or twenty poles below her line”; Smith has provided Felix and her agent, Philippe Reibelt (“Mr. Rible”), a copy of his survey, “which they are determined to send to the President”; Felix and Reibelt want Armstrong to write the president regarding the business, “& if he says they may take it for the Land they will rest secure”; they also request that Armstrong send TJ the bill for surveying, “as he is to replace the Money to them as agent for Col. Kosciuszko”; Smith suggested to Felix and Reibelt that they purchase 300 acres from Armstrong and “Mr Milzes,” which they intend to do as well as an additional 400 adjoining acres; in a postscript, Smith adds that Felix and Reibelt request that Armstrong send the draft as well as the bill to TJ (same; addressed: “John Armstrong Esq. Columbia Cincinnati Post office”; postmarked Chillicothe, 26 May; notation by TJ on address sheet: “T.K. guarantees the existence, the situation, the title, contents, & possession”). (2) Plat of 500 acres of land, dated Franklin County, Ohio, 28 Apr. 1803, surveyed by Smith for Felix, “being Lots No. 4, 7, 10, 18, & 19, of Fractional section No. 2 in Township No 2 & Range 19,” which were located for Tadeusz Kosciuszko (MS in same).

your letter: TJ to Armstrong, 21 Dec. 1802, which related to land in Ohio sold by Tadeusz Kosciuszko to Louise Françoise Felix (see Philippe Reibelt to TJ, 30 Nov. 1802). The answer to it was probably Armstrong to TJ, 23 Apr. 1803, recorded in SJL as received 10 May from Cincinnati, but not found.

your friend: Tadeusz Kosciuszko (Vol. 31:560–1).

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