Thomas Jefferson to John Patterson, 31 January 1819
To John Patterson
Monticello Jan. 31. 19.
Dear Sir
Your favor of the 6th was recd in due time, with Dr Potter’s pamphlet, for which I thank you, and have read it with satisfaction. I join with you in joy on the passage of our University bill, and the majorities of 143. to 28. in one house, and of 22. to 1. in the other, give hopes of a liberal patronage hereafter, of which there will be need, and the funds in hand. not doubting the interest you take in this institution, of which your subscription was so honorable proof, I inclose you a letter with a request to enquire for us into the character and qualifications of the writer. from it’s style and contents I should conjecture him respectable; but an ounce of fact is worth a pound of conjecture. his drawing,1 dancing, music, would suit us. his Italian and French may be useful for a while: but I propose to write to Professor Pictet of Geneva for a professor of modern languages, where French, Italian & German are almost natively spoken. as I shall not answer mr Milon’s letter until I hear from you, I pray you to make the enquiry as promptly, but as thoroughly also as your convenience will permit, and with your information to return me his letter.—Your friends in our neighborhood are well. Jane & Jefferson lately presented us their 3d daughter. we are preparing a house for them to remove to at the place called Tufton, about a mile from us, and with which we shall be glad to be made your joint head quarters in future visits to those who jointly & severally regret their loss by your removal. of one of these accept the affectionate & respectful salutations.
Th: Jefferson
P.S. now dayly & hourly expecting our Italian Stonecutters to arrive at Baltimore I hope mr Hollins will be on the watch not to let them stay there a day, and I join you in commission with him. a water passage to Richmd addressed to Capt Peyton would be a good conveyance.
RC (NjP: Andre deCoppet Collection). PoC (DLC); on verso of reused address cover of John Forsyth to TJ, 16 Jan. 1819; mutilated at seal; at foot of text: “John Patterson esq.”; endorsed by TJ. Enclosure: Solidor Milon to TJ, 5 Jan. [1819].
Mary Buchanan Randolph, the 3d daughter of Jane H. Nicholas Randolph and TJ’s grandson Thomas Jefferson Randolph, was born on 23 Nov. 1818 (, 1:214).
1. Omitted comma at right margin editorially supplied.
Index Entries
- A Memoir on Contagion, more especially as it respects the Yellow Fever (N. Potter) search
- Central College; subscription for search
- dancing; instructors for University of Virginia search
- drawing; instructors for University of Virginia search
- French language; applicants to teach at University of Virginia search
- Hollins, John; and stonecutters search
- Italian language; applicants to teach at University of Virginia search
- Italy; stonecutters from search
- Jefferson, Thomas; Books & Library; receives works search
- Jefferson, Thomas; Writings; Bill to Establish a University search
- Milon, Solidor Pierre; seeks position at University of Virginia search
- music; instructors of for University of Virginia search
- Patterson, John; and Central College–University of Virginia subscription search
- Patterson, John; and University of Virginia search
- Patterson, John; letters to search
- Patterson, John; sends works to TJ search
- Peyton, Bernard; as merchant search
- Pictet, Marc Auguste; and University of Virginia faculty search
- Potter, Nathaniel; A Memoir on Contagion, more especially as it respects the Yellow Fever search
- Randolph, Jane Hollins Nicholas (Thomas Jefferson Randolph’s wife; Wilson Cary Nicholas’s daughter); family of search
- Randolph, Jane Hollins Nicholas (Thomas Jefferson Randolph’s wife; Wilson Cary Nicholas’s daughter); resides at Tufton search
- Randolph, Mary Buchanan (TJ’s great-granddaughter; Thomas Jefferson Randolph’s daughter); birth of search
- Randolph, Thomas Jefferson (TJ’s grandson; Jane Hollins Nicholas Randolph’s husband); family of search
- Randolph, Thomas Jefferson (TJ’s grandson; Jane Hollins Nicholas Randolph’s husband); resides at Tufton search
- subscriptions, nonpublication; for Central College–University of Virginia search
- Tufton (TJ’s Albemarle Co. estate); T. J. Randolph resides at search
- Virginia, University of; Construction and Grounds; stonecutters for search
- Virginia, University of; Establishment; and General Assembly search
- Virginia, University of; Establishment; Bill to Establish a University search
- Virginia, University of; Faculty and Curriculum; faculty applicants search
- Virginia, University of; Faculty and Curriculum; modern languages professorship search
- Virginia; House of Delegates search
- Virginia; Senate search
- yellow fever; works on search