Thomas Jefferson Papers
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George Flower’s Account of a Visit to Poplar Forest and Natural Bridge, [25–28 November 1816]

George Flower’s Account of a Visit to Poplar Forest and Natural Bridge

Monday 24 [25 Nov. 1816]

Took a parting glass of Toddy with my travelling companions and rode to Poplar Forest Mr Jefferson was at home and two Miss Randolphs his grand’trs 

Tuesday 25[26 Nov. 1816]

A Quiet day of rest: spent in leisurely1 conversations with mr J & the Ladies.—   If the inhabitants had not spoken English I should have imagined myself in a french house2 I have often had occasion to remark, in houses of the higher classes in America, that the arrangment is more of french than English

 

Wednesday 26 [27 Nov. 1816]

Left Poplar Forest about Noon and assisted by the direction of Mr J. I went as far as Douglasses at3 the foot of the Mountain on my way to the Natural Bridge

 

Thursday 27— [28 Nov. 1816]

Rode over a mountainous road for 20 Miles—to Rock Bridge.4—This Singular piece of natural architecture is composed of limestone. It is an arch of Stone over a chasm in the mountains of immense height.5 A Stream of water flows6 below. The sensacions when standing on the arch are fearful—on approaching the side to look down apprehension increases and it seems impossible to avoid seizing hold upon the nearest7 tree or Stone to prevent the magical power of the giddy height8 from precipitating us to the bottom.—

Viewing it from below, all painful sensacions of fear vanish and we are reveled in admiration at the sight of an earthly arch set in the heavens.   This singular Scene—produces sensations as singular as itself.9

During the War a manufactory of shot was carried on here. Returnd to James River ferry to Sleep.10

a particular description of this Natural Bridge is to be found in mr Jeffersons Notes on Virginia—11

MS (ICHi: Flower Diary, vol. 3); in Flower’s hand; partially and incorrectly dated. MS (ICHi: Flower Diary, vol. 2); in Flower’s hand; partially and incorrectly dated.

In a manuscript he compiled in or before 1860, Flower wrote of his visit to the ex-president’s home in Bedford County: “I found Mr Jefferson at his ‘Poplar Forest’ estate, in the western part of the state of Virginia. His house was built after the fashion of a French Chateau. Octagon rooms, floors of polished oak, lofty ceilings, large Mirrors, betokened his French taste, acquired by his long residence in France.   Mr Jefferson’s figure was rather majestic; tall, (over six feet) thin, and rather high-shouldered—Manners simple, kind, and courteous. His dress in colour and form was quaint and old fashioned, plain and neat—a dark pepper-and-salt coat cut in the old quaker fashion, with a single row of large metal buttons, Knee-breeches, gray worsted stockings, shoes fastned by large metal buckles—such was the appearance of Jefferson when I first made his acquaintance, in 1816. His two GranddaughtersMiss Randolphs—well-educated and accomplished young ladies, were staying with him at the time” (MS in an unindentified hand, with corrections and emendations by Flower, in ICHi: Flower Family Papers; printed in Flower, History of the English Settlement in Edwards County Illinois, Founded in 1817 and 1818, by Morris Birkbeck and George Flower [1882], 43, with introductory material on p. 7).

The two miss randolphs who accompanied TJ to Poplar Forest were Cornelia J. Randolph and Ellen W. Randolph (Coolidge). For TJ’s description of this natural bridge in his Notes on the State of Virginia, see Peden, Notes, 24–5.

1Word not in vol. 2 MS.

2Remainder of entry not in vol. 2 MS.

3In vol. 2 MS, “to” is substituted for preceding five words.

4Sentence not in vol. 2 MS.

5Vol. 3 MS: “heigth.” Vol. 2 MS omits preceding two words and begins next sentence with “Trees grow upon the top, and.”

6Vol. 2 MS: “runs rapidly.”

7Remainder of paragraph in vol. 2 MS reads “object; Tho’ grasping it with all the force that a fearful apprehension will bestow it seems scarcely sufficient to prevent the magical influence of fear from precipitating one to the bottom.”

8Vol. 3 MS: “heigth.”

9Sentence not in vol. 2 MS.

10Sentence in vol. 2 MS reads “Pass’d the night at Green Lees ferry.”

11Sentence not in vol. 2 MS.

Index Entries

  • alcohol; toddies search
  • buttons search
  • clothing; buttons search
  • clothing; coats search
  • clothing; knee breeches search
  • clothing; shoes search
  • clothing; stockings search
  • coats; Quaker-style search
  • Coolidge, Ellen Wayles Randolph (TJ’s granddaughter); visits Poplar Forest search
  • Douglas, David; Bedford Co. innkeeper search
  • Flower, George; Account of a Visit to Poplar Forest and Natural Bridge search
  • Flower, George; visits Natural Bridge search
  • Flower, George; visits Poplar Forest search
  • Greenlee’s Ferry (Rockbridge Co.); on route to Natural Bridge search
  • household articles; mirrors search
  • Jefferson, Thomas; Descriptions of; appearance search
  • Jefferson, Thomas; Descriptions of; by G. Flower search
  • Jefferson, Thomas; Descriptions of; clothing search
  • Jefferson, Thomas; Writings; Notes on the State of Virginia search
  • manufacturing; shot towers search
  • mirrors; at Poplar Forest search
  • Natural Bridge, Va.; and shot manufactory search
  • Natural Bridge, Va.; TJ on search
  • Natural Bridge, Va.; visitors to search
  • Notes on the State of Virginia (Thomas Jefferson); description of Natural Bridge in search
  • Poplar Forest (TJ’s Bedford Co. estate); main house at search
  • Poplar Forest (TJ’s Bedford Co. estate); TJ visits search
  • Poplar Forest (TJ’s Bedford Co. estate); TJ’s grandchildren visit search
  • Poplar Forest (TJ’s Bedford Co. estate); visitors to search
  • Randolph, Cornelia Jefferson (TJ’s granddaughter); visits Poplar Forest search
  • shoes; TJ’s search
  • shot manufacture search
  • stockings search
  • Virginia; limestone in search