Thomas Jefferson Papers
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Thomas Jefferson to John Wayles Eppes, 9 July 1819

To John Wayles Eppes

Monticello July 9. 19.

Dear Sir

Your favor of June 28. came duly to hand, as did also the coat-pattern for Francis. he is now closely engaged with mr Stack, whose style of instruction he finds very superior to any he ever met with before. I do not believe so solid & critical a one has ever been before in this state, if in the US. his fatherly demeanor too towards his pupils engages their affections and their obedience. they begin to be able to ask in French for all their wants, and Laporte is rigorous in preventing them from speaking a word of English. he has 9 boarders & mr Stack 15. pupils. we have been very fortunate in having an excellent set of youths to begin with. it suffices to signify a wish as to their diet, conduct and general deportment [to] secure an immediate and punctual conformity. the consequence I hope will be that they will assimilate new comers to themselves as they arrive, and thus fix the character of our school. I shall set out on the 12th for Bedford & leave this letter at Flood’s. my stay there will be of 2. months. ever & affectionately yours.

Th: Jefferson

PoC (MHi); on verso of a reused address cover from Eppes to TJ; mutilated at seal, with one word rewritten by TJ; at foot of text: “J. W. Eppes esq.”; endorsed by TJ.

Eppes’s favor of june 28, the address cover only of which has been found, is recorded in SJL as received 2 July 1819 from Mill Brook (RC in CSmH: JF; with PoC of TJ to George Jones [ca. 1781–1843], 30 Dec. 1820, on verso; addressed: “Thomas Jefferson Esqr Monticello near milton Virginia”; franked; postmarked Richmond, 29 June). Eppes had also written to his son francis that day, explaining that “I have determined to venture sending the coat by the mail to your Grand pa—It is not as handsome as I could wish it but will I think make you a very genteel and at the same time pleasant summer coat—You can have it made at charlottesville and to prevent its being a present subjecting you to expence I enclose five dollars which will purchase the necessary trimings and pay the Taylor” (NcD: John Wayles Eppes Papers).

A missing letter from Francis Eppes to TJ, 27 Aug. 1819, is recorded in SJL as received at Poplar Forest on 30 Aug. 1819 from Charlottesville (RC of address cover only in DLC; with final page of PoC of TJ to Destutt de Tracy, 26 Dec. 1820, on verso; addressed: “Thomas Jefferson Esqr Poplar-Forest near Lynchburg”; stamp canceled; franked; postmarked Charlottesville, 29 Aug.).

Index Entries

  • Charlottesville Academy; and G. E. Stack search
  • clothing; coats search
  • coats; patterns for search
  • education; French language search
  • Eppes, Francis Wayles (TJ’s grandson); clothing for search
  • Eppes, Francis Wayles (TJ’s grandson); education of, in Charlottesville search
  • Eppes, Francis Wayles (TJ’s grandson); letters from accounted for search
  • Eppes, John Wayles (TJ’s son-in-law); letters from accounted for search
  • Eppes, John Wayles (TJ’s son-in-law); letters to search
  • Eppes, John Wayles (TJ’s son-in-law); relationship with son search
  • Flood’s Ordinary (Buckingham Co.; proprietor Henry Flood) search
  • French language; spoken in boardinghouses search
  • French language; study of search
  • Laporte’s boardinghouse (Charlottesville); boarders at search
  • Laporte’s boardinghouse (Charlottesville); French language spoken at search
  • Poplar Forest (TJ’s Bedford Co. estate); TJ plans visits to search
  • Stack, Gerard E.; and Charlottesville Academy search
  • Virginia, University of; Students; academic preparation for search