Thomas Jefferson Papers

Thomas Jefferson’s Notes on the Peacock Plow, October 1814

Notes on the Peacock Plow

Smallest Peacock plough.

beam.  4 f–5.I long, breadth vertical 3.I ¼
thickness horizontal 2½
height of beam from  ground behind 12¼
 before 15½ I.

length of handles 4.f.

their opening at top 21.I.1

angle of their elevation from the horizontal line 33°

thickness of iron mould board ⅜ + 1/16

share & bar
mould board 

the mould board as it sets on the share leaves a cutting margin of 3.I. behind, i.e. at the tip of the wing and 2½ I. broad at the toe of the mould board of course the block of which it is formed is but 6¾ wide at bottom. it is 2 f long & 10.I. high. and must be 11 I. wide at top. the heel of the mould board is 8¾ from the left side of the bar, it’s hinder and upper tip is 13 I. from the perpend. of the left side of the bar. it’s cast therefore is 4¼


1814. Oct. these mould boards cast for me at Richmond weigh 18℔ 2.oz.

MS (ICN: Thomas Jefferson Letters); entirely in TJ’s hand; written on a scrap in two sittings, with the first entry undated and the second partially dated.

For the twenty-four moldboards cast for TJ at richmond, see TJ to John Staples, 4 May 1814, and note to TJ to Patrick Gibson, 15 Aug. 1814.

1Line interlined.

Index Entries

  • Jefferson, Thomas; Writings; Notes on the Peacock Plow search
  • moldboards; cast for TJ search
  • Peacock, David; plows of search
  • plows; Peacock search