Thomas Jefferson Papers

William Henry Harrison to Thomas Jefferson, 3 October 1809

From William Henry Harrison

Fort Wayne 3rd Oct. 1809.

Dear Sir

Mr John Johnston the U.S. Factor & Indian Agent at this place designing to pass through your neighbourhood on his way to the Seat of Government & having expressed a wish to pay his respects to you—I take great pleasure in the opportunity it gives me of making him personally known to you as a Gentleman of Amiable private Character & a highly zealous & usefull public Officer—Knowing the interest you take in the affairs of this Country particularly in those that relate to the Aborigines I refer you to Mr Johnston as a person well able to Satisfy your enquiries

wishing that you may long enjoy in private that happiness to which your eminent public Services so justly intitle you—

I remain my dear Sir with the cincerest respect your ever faithful friend & Servt

William Henry Harrison

FC (MiU-C: Letterbook of Indian Agency at Fort Wayne); in John Johnston’s hand; at foot of text: “Thomas Jefferson Monticello.” Probably never received by TJ.

William Henry Harrison (1773–1841), later the ninth president of the United States, was born in Charles City County and educated at Hampden-Sydney College. He rose from ensign to captain in the United States Army, 1791–98, served successively as secretary of and congressional delegate for the Northwest Territory, 1798–1800, and was governor of Indiana Territory, 1800–13 (with concurrent service as its Indian commissioner from 1803). Harrison won engagements with the Indians at Tippecanoe Creek in 1811 and, as a major general during the War of 1812, at the Thames River in 1813. He represented Ohio in the United States House of Representatives, 1816–19, and the Senate, 1825–28, and he held the post of envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary to Colombia from 1828–29 (ANB description begins John A. Garraty and Mark C. Carnes, eds., American National Biography, 1999, 24 vols. description ends ; DAB description begins Allen Johnson and Dumas Malone, eds., Dictionary of American Biography, 1928–36, 20 vols. description ends ; Dorothy Goebel, William Henry Harrison: A Political Biography [1926]; Logan Esarey, ed., The Messages and Letters of William Henry Harrison, 2 vols. [1922]).

Index Entries

  • Harrison, William Henry; identified search
  • Harrison, William Henry; introduces J. Johnston search
  • Harrison, William Henry; letters from search
  • Indiana Territory; Indian agent for search
  • Indians; Indiana Territory agent for search
  • Jefferson, Thomas; Correspondence; letters of introduction to search
  • Johnston, John; Indian agent at Indiana Territory search