James Maury to Thomas Jefferson, 30 March 1820
From James Maury
Liverpool 30th Mar 1820
Dear Sir,
I was truly concerned to hear of your having been so long ill; but, by a letter lately recieved from my sister Strahan, I have the satisfaction to know you had, in a great measure, recovered.
My Son Matthew speaks with delight of his visit at Montecello; accept my thanks for these attentions to him. My son William was so unfortunate as not to find you at home, when he called at your house in Bedford, but I hope he will have the pleasure of paying his respects to you before his return.
My friend Mr Hagarty, being about to revisit his native land & intending to wait on you as he goes up to Staunton, I have requested his care of this with a small packet containing a review, which, perhaps, may afford some amusement: to this friend I refer for political or other matters.
I now am in my seventy fifth year; & altho this is the fifty second since I engaged in trade, yet I stil continue in it: not, I assure you, because I am so fond of it, but because it appears necessary for the benefit of those, who probably will soon be qualified to succeed me.
I have great reason to be thankful for the singularly good health I am blessed with at this advanced Stage: the cold bath still agrees well with me, be it the coldest day in winter or hottest in summer; and I continue the practice invariably, unless prevented by indisposition.
I present you my best wishes & am
James Maury
RC (DLC); endorsed by TJ as received 10 June 1820 and so recorded (with additional notation: “by mr Haggarty”) in SJL. RC (MHi); address cover only; with PoC of TJ to Fernagus De Gelone, 7 July 1820, on verso; addressed in an unidentified hand: “Thomas Jefferson &c &c Monticello” to be delivered “Per Mr Hagarty.” Enclosure not found.
James Hagarty (ca. 1790–1844), merchant, was a native of Staunton. After receiving training in the store and countinghouse of Robert Gamble in Richmond, he worked in mercantile firms in Lisbon and Cádiz for several years before settling by 1818 in Liverpool. From at least 1823 until the firm’s failure some three years later, Hagarty was a partner in the Liverpool firm of Curwen & Hagarty. Between 1834 and 1839 he worked as a merchant in New York City. President John Tyler appointed him United States consul at Liverpool in 1842, and Hagarty held the position until his death (William Wirt to James Madison, 7 June 1815 [DLC: Madison Papers]; Wirt to Madison, 23 July 1815 [DLC: Madison Papers, Rives Collection]; Alexandria Gazette & Daily Advertiser, 11 May 1818; The Stranger in Liverpool [7th ed., Liverpool, 1823], 191; Francis Preston to Andrew Jackson, 22 Jan. 1825 [DLC: Jackson Papers]; Robert Porterfield to James Monroe, 8 Feb. 1825 [DNA: RG 59, LAR, 1817–25]; Independent Chronicle & Boston Patriot, 17 Aug. 1825; Baltimore Patriot & Mercantile Advertiser, 22 Mar. 1826; London Gazette, 20 Mar. 1827; Richmond Enquirer, 10 May 1831, 5 Nov. 1833; [1834]: 329; [1839]: 301; , 6:42, 46, 361 [21, 30 Mar. 1842, 18 Dec. 1844]; Gentleman’s Magazine, new ser., 22 [1844]: 443).
Index Entries
- Hagarty, James; identified search
- Hagarty, James; introduced to TJ search
- health; and bathing search
- Jefferson, Thomas; Correspondence; letters of introduction to search
- Jefferson, Thomas; Health; illness of search
- Maury, James (1746–1840); as merchant search
- Maury, James (1746–1840); family of search
- Maury, James (1746–1840); health of search
- Maury, James (1746–1840); introduces J. Hagarty to TJ search
- Maury, James (1746–1840); letters from search
- Maury, Matthew (1800–77); visits Monticello search
- Maury, William; visits Poplar Forest search
- Monticello (TJ’s Albemarle Co. estate); Visitors to; Maury, Matthew search
- Poplar Forest (TJ’s Bedford Co. estate); visitors to search
- Strahan, Mary Maury; and TJ’s health search