Thomas Jefferson Papers

Thomas Jefferson to John H. Cocke, 19 April 1814

To John H. Cocke

Monticello Apr. 19. 14.

Dear Sir

Mr Patterson, and my grandson T. J. Randolph inform me you have a dark bay horse which you are disposed to sell at the price of 50.£ and which, from their description would suit me. they speak of him as a steady carriage horse, and a tolerable riding horse. if their information as to your purposes of selling him be right, I shall be glad to recieve him by the bearer, with the privilege of returning him within a week, if he should not answer my purpose, particularly as to the carriage which is the principal object. I should have sent for him some time ago, but have been awaiting the sale of my crop of flour in Richmond, that I might at the same time send you an order on my correspondents there, Gibson & Jefferson, for the money. but they are holding it up for the effect of the repeal of the embargo; and as the horse would be useful to me on a journey I am about making to Bedford, I have concluded to ask an indulgence for the price until my flour is sold, when you shall recieve an order for the money. this may be a delay of a few weeks; but I shall have it all sold in May,1 be the price what it may. accept the assurance of my great esteem and respect.

Th: Jefferson

RC (ViU: TJP-Co); addressed: “General Cocke Bremo”; endorsed by Cocke, with his additional signed notation at foot of text: “The above paid a few months after the above mentioned time with interest.” PoC (DLC); endorsed by TJ.

The dark bay horse was Bremo. In recording his agreement to the purchase price of £50 on the following day, TJ described the animal as a “dark bay, star in forehead, by Knowesly, 8. y. old this present spring.” On 23 Oct. 1814 he paid Cocke $167 in settlement of this debt (MB description begins James A. Bear Jr. and Lucia C. Stanton, eds., Jefferson’s Memorandum Books: Accounts, with Legal Records and Miscellany, 1767–1826, 1997, The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Second Series description ends , 2:1299, 1304).

1Manuscript: “sold in all May.”

Index Entries

  • Bremo (TJ’s horse); purchased from J. H. Cocke search
  • Cocke, John Hartwell; letters to search
  • Cocke, John Hartwell; TJ purchases horse from search
  • Embargo Act (1813); and TJ’s flour search
  • Embargo Act (1813); repeal of search
  • Gibson, Patrick; and embargo search
  • Gibson & Jefferson (Richmond firm); flour sold for TJ search
  • horses; TJ purchases search
  • Patterson, Mr.; and J. H. Cocke’s horse search
  • Poplar Forest (TJ’s Bedford Co. estate); TJ plans visit to search
  • Randolph, Thomas Jefferson (TJ’s grandson; Jane Hollins Nicholas Randolph’s husband); and J. H. Cocke’s horse search