Enclosure: Power of Attorney from Philip Mazzei to Thomas Jefferson, 4 February 1811
Enclosure
Power of Attorney from Philip Mazzei
Sigr Tommaso Jefferson,
Vi costituisco colla presente mio Procuratore, e mandatario ad oggetto, che in mio nome e vece, e per mio interesse procediate a vendere la casa e appezzamenti di terra, che io possiedo in proprietà in Richmond a chi più vi sembrerà e piacerà, per quel prezzo e condizioni che vorrete stabilire, ed all’oggetto che ritiriate detto prezzo, e possiate in nome di me costituente qualunque atto autentico o privato che occorrer possa, con far ricevuta e discarico al compratore, e generalmente facciate ed operiate intorno al mio patrimonio in America tutto quello che crederete opportuno per il mio interesse, dandovi a questo effetto ogni più generale ed ampio mandato che occorrer possa, promettendo di aver per accettato e confermato tutto quello che farete per mio interesse ed in mio nome.
Filippo Mazzei
Qo alla Mairie di Pisa y Legalizzasione della firma di sudo Sige Filippo Mazzei—Questo di 4 Febbraio 1811.
| Il Maire |
| Ruschi |
Editors’ Translation
Mr. Thomas Jefferson,
I hereby appoint you my attorney-in-fact and agent according to the subject matter of this contract, in my name and stead to sell the house and lands owned by me in Richmond, to such person as you deem proper, for such price and on such terms and conditions as you deem fit. I authorize you to collect said price, and in my name to execute whatever notarized deed or private contract may be necessary to effect such conveyance, and to issue a receipt and invoice to the buyer. I grant you authority to perform all acts to be done in and about my patrimony in America as you deem proper, and promise to accept and confirm all said acts performed in my name and interest.
Philip Mazzei
To wit at the Townhall of Pisa there authenticated the signature of Mr. Philip Mazzei—this day 4 February 1811.
| The Mayor |
| Ruschi |
MS (ViHi: Thomas Branch Scott Collection); in Mazzei’s hand, with attestation by Ruschi ; on stamped paper used in French possessions beyond the Alps; with fragmentary certification by Albemarle County Court at head of text: “[. . .]was produced into court and acknowledged by Thomas Jefferson, one of the parties thereto and ordered to be certified to the County court of Henrico for record teste John Nicholas Cl.”
In the summer of 1813 TJ used this power of attorney to effect the sale of Mazzei’s house and land in richmond. In connection with the sale he worked with Edmund Randolph (Randoph to TJ, 8 May 1813; TJ to Randolph, 17 May 1813; TJ to Mazzei, 29 Dec. 1813). On 27 Sept. 1784, as he prepared to embark for Europe, Mazzei had given Randolph and John Blair (later a justice of the United States Supreme Court and deceased by 1813) a general power of attorney “to transact for me and in my name during my absence every kind of business, I may be concerned in, whether in the collection of money due to me, in commencing Suits in my name for enforcing payment, in giving proper acquittantances [acquittances] for the same, or in anything else which I myself might Lawfully do, if personally present, in relation thereto, moreover to make sale of my seat in the County of Albemarle called Colle, and of every property I possess or am intitled to in the State of Virginia whether real or personal, and to give in my name good and sufficient deeds, with warranty obligatory upon me and my heirs: hereby ratifying and confirming whatsoever my said attornies, or either of them may lawfully do in the premises” (Tr in ViHi: Thomas Branch Scott Collection; recorded in General Court of Virginia, 2 Oct. 1784, as attested by clerk John Brown; copy attested by clerk Peyton Drew; Tr in Henrico Co. Deed Book, 13:318–9, recorded 15 Aug. 1816 by Henrico County clerk Izard B. Whitlocke, with variant reading of “paper acquittances,” subjoined to Tr of Conveyance of Lots in Richmond from Philip Mazzei to Thomas Taylor, 17 May 1813).
Index Entries
- Blair, John search
- Colle (P. Mazzei’s Albemarle Co. estate) search
- Italian language; documents in, by; P. Mazzei search
- Jefferson, Thomas; Business & Financial Affairs; and P. Mazzei’s property search
- Mazzei, Philip; power of attorney from search
- Mazzei, Philip; Richmond property of search
- Randolph, Edmund; and P. Mazzei’s property search
- Richmond, Va.; P. Mazzei’s property in search
- Ruschi, Mr. search