Thomas Jefferson Papers

Thomas Eston Randolph to Thomas Jefferson, 20 June 1816

From Thomas Eston Randolph

Ashton 20th June 1816

Dear Sir

I am much obliged to you for your kind attention in sending Mr Crowninshields letterMann received his warrant by the last Mail—and immediately wrote to the Secty of the Navy soliciting to be order’d into active service—of which there appears no prospect.

From the date of his acceptance his pay (half pay) commences, and could he be order’d on duty as a supernumery, he would be willing to serve without additional pay—Will you have the goodness to inform me if there will be any impropriety in making an application to that effect he is anxious to gain experience in his profession and from my knowledge of the service, I am aware that he has no time to lose—your advice will be received with many thanks—

With respect to the application which I made to you to give me additional time to pay the first quarters Rent in Flour—for the Mill, it was made in consequence of my fears that a sufficiency of Wheat would not be sent into the Mill to enable me to pay the customers their dues and leave a surplus equal to the discharge of the Rent—which is payable the 1st of Octr—the profits of 2000 bushels with very good grinding will leave a small deficiency—all that I wanted to guard against, was, that I should not be obliged to buy Flour at an extravagant price to pay a Rent which the Mill cannot make at that early period—I hope you will do me the justice to believe that I do not wish to derive any undue advantage or to make difficulties where none exist—I lament that the payments of Rent have lately been made with much irregularity, and have been fearful that you have suffer’d some inconvenience therefrom—but I confidently hope such will not be the case hereafter—for which reason I have taken a Miller into partnership with me—who is fully competent to his business, and disposed to do justice and be accomodating to the customers—

claser

With this explanation suffer me to add, that I do not mean to be troublesome, but on the contrary that I wish to avoid it by a perfect understanding in the outset—after which I trust every thing will go on smoothlyvery Affectionately Yours

Thos Eston Randolph

RC (MHi); dateline beneath signature; addressed: “Thomas Jefferson Esqe Monticello”; endorsed by TJ as received 20 June 1816 and so recorded in SJL.

mann: Thomas Mann Randolph (1798–1835), Thomas Eston Randolph’s son. The miller was Daniel Colclaser.

Index Entries

  • Colclaser, Daniel; as miller search
  • flour; as rent search
  • flour; milling of search
  • Jefferson, Thomas; Business & Financial Affairs; rent due TJ search
  • Navy Department, U.S.; appointments to search
  • Randolph, Thomas Eston (TJ’s cousin); and naval appointment for son search
  • Randolph, Thomas Eston (TJ’s cousin); and Shadwell mills search
  • Randolph, Thomas Eston (TJ’s cousin); letters from search
  • Randolph, Thomas Mann (1798–1835) (son of TJ’s cousin Thomas Eston Randolph); naval appointment for search
  • rent; from Shadwell mills search
  • Shadwell mills; and T. E. Randolph search
  • Shadwell mills; flour from search
  • Shadwell mills; rent for search