Thomas Jefferson Papers
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Samuel Carr to Thomas Jefferson, 1 February 1819

From Samuel Carr

Richmond Febry 1st 1819.

My Dear Sir

Mr. Francis Gilmer has informed me that he had taken the liberty of mentioning Dr George Watson of this place to you as a candidate for the Professorship of Anatomy in the University of Pensylvania. Should you feel disposed to aid Dr Watson’s views I have enclosed you a list of the Trustees of that university.1 From my long acquaintance with Dr Watson & his family and from the high character he has always maintained as a gentleman a man of Talents and an anatomist I feel some solicitude2 for his success. For further information touching the Doctors qualifications for the office to which he aspires I beg leave to refer you to Col. Randolph who is well acquainted with him. If upon that enquiry you should be disposed to aid him, a line from you to some of the Trustees, best calculated to promote his election would be acceptable. I congratulate you upon the success of the University Bill. I think the Legislature might be induced to make a further appropriation towards the completion & endowment of it. Some part of the money appropriated to the primary schools might be more usefully employed in the attainment of that object. Genl Boyer has mentioned mr Cosby in high terms as a mechanic. I have taken the liberty of enclosing his letter to you. The friends of the university found it necessary to conciliate the friends of the Primary Schools by appropriating twenty thousand dollars to them, which would be much better employed in the erection & completion of the Buildings of the University.—I am very anxious to be in Albemarle by the middle of this month3 not to return.—I expect we shall be able to get thro’ the Revised Bills by the first of March—With best wishes for your health & happiness I remain

Dr Sir yr. friend & sert

Samuel Carr

RC (ViU: TJP-CC); endorsed by TJ as received 7 Feb. 1819 and so recorded in SJL. Enclosure: List of University of Pennsylvania Trustees, [ca. 1 Feb. 1819], including, among its twenty-four names, seven of TJ’s retirement-era correspondents: Nicholas Biddle, Edward Burd, Thomas Cadwalader, Peter S. Du Ponceau, Joseph Hopkinson, William Meredith, and William Tilghman (MS in ViU: TJP-CC; in an unidentified hand; undated). Other enclosure not found.

Writing from Staunton on 28 Jan. 1819, Dabney Cosby asked John Bowyer (genl boyer) to direct a “satisfactory testimony of my Qualifications as a Man & Workman” to any member of the Central College Board of Visitors, adding that “I believe you was satisfied with the work I did for you and to such as have tried me, I shall only Apply” (RC in ViU: TJP; addressed: “John Boyer Esquire now at Richmond” by “Mr Smith”; endorsed by TJ: “Cosby Dabney to Genl Bowyer”).

revised bills: the Virginia General Assembly authorized the creation of “a new edition of the laws of this Commonwealth” on 15 Feb. 1817 (Acts of Assembly description begins Acts of the General Assembly of Virginia (cited by session; title varies over time) description ends [1816–17 sess.], 23–4). Work on the compilation proceeded steadily over the next two legislative sessions. For the two-volume digest that resulted later in 1819, see note to Francis W. Gilmer to TJ, 23 June 1819.

1Manuscript: “univerity.”

2Manuscript: “lolicitude.”

3Reworked from “of march.”

Index Entries

  • An act for the establishment of an University (1819) search
  • anatomy; chair of, at University of Pennsylvania search
  • Biddle, Nicholas; as University of Pennsylvania trustee search
  • Bowyer, John; and D. Cosby search
  • Burd, Edward; as University of Pennsylvania trustee search
  • Cadwalader, Thomas; as University of Pennsylvania trustee search
  • Carr, Samuel (TJ’s nephew); and establishment of University of Virginia search
  • Carr, Samuel (TJ’s nephew); and laws of Va. search
  • Carr, Samuel (TJ’s nephew); letters from search
  • Carr, Samuel (TJ’s nephew); recommends G. Watson search
  • Central College Board of Visitors; members of search
  • Cosby, Dabney; as brick-mason for University of Virginia search
  • Cosby, Dabney; recommendations of search
  • Du Ponceau, Peter Stephen; as University of Pennsylvania trustee search
  • education; elementary search
  • education; in Va. search
  • Gilmer, Francis Walker; recommends G. Watson search
  • Hopkinson, Joseph; as University of Pennsylvania trustee search
  • Jefferson, Thomas; Writings; Bill to Establish a University search
  • Meredith, William (of Pennsylvania); as University of Pennsylvania trustee search
  • Pennsylvania, University of search
  • Randolph, Thomas Mann (1768–1828) (TJ’s son-in-law; Martha Jefferson Randolph’s husband); and G. Watson’s professorial candidacy search
  • schools and colleges; University of Pennsylvania search
  • Smith, Mr.; delivers letter search
  • The Revised Code of the Laws of Virginia: being a collection of all such acts of the General Assembly, of a public and permanent nature, as are now in force search
  • Tilghman, William; as University of Pennsylvania trustee search
  • Virginia, University of; Administration and Financial Affairs; funding for search
  • Virginia, University of; Construction and Grounds; brickmakers and brick-masons for search
  • Virginia, University of; Establishment; and General Assembly search
  • Virginia, University of; Establishment; Bill to Establish a University search
  • Virginia; and education search
  • Virginia; General Assembly search
  • Virginia; laws of search
  • Watson, George (ca.1784–1853); seeks position at University of Pennsylvania search