From Thomas Jefferson to George Jefferson, 13 June 1803
To George Jefferson
Washington June 13. 03
Th: Jefferson to mr George Jefferson
Will you be so good as to procure for me from the clerk of the high court of Chancery a copy of the decree of Jefferson v. Henderson which was given by mr Wythe three or four years ago, and inclose it to me? as I have occasion immediately for an authentic copy. I am in hopes your business will permit you to come and pass some time with us at Monticello in August or September, where we shall all be very happy to see you. affectionate salutations.
PrC (MHi); endorsed by TJ in ink on verso. Recorded in SJL with notation “decree v. Henderson.”
For the decree, see Vol. 31:208. TJ’s need for an authentic copy derived from the application he and Craven Peyton filed with the county court for permission to develop a mill seat that would have rendered useless the mill seat still controlled by John Henderson (Robert Haggard, “Thomas Jefferson v. The Heirs of Bennett Henderson, 1795–1818: A Case Study in Caveat Emptor,” Magazine of Albemarle County History, 63 [2005], 9–12; TJ to Craven Peyton, 2 May; Thomas Mann Randolph to TJ, 30 May; TJ to Thomas Mann Randolph, 8 June).