Thomas Jefferson Papers

Thomas Jefferson’s Account with James Leitch, 16 March 1816

Account with James Leitch

Thomas Jefferson
Bot of James Leitch
2 yd Mixed Cloth  $8 } 16–
¼ 〃 Drab Cloth 〃1–25 31
9 Skanes Silk 9d 1– 12
1 Double Stick twist 1/6 25
1212 Doz Best plated Buttons  4/6 87½
1 〃 Common  Do 2/ 33
812 〃 Vest Do 3/ 34
yd Bro Holland 3/9 2– 81
〃 Bennetts Cord 21/ 8– 75
 
1 Vest pattern Toilenett 10/6 1– 75
yd Shirting Cambrick 3/9 2– 17
3 Skanes fine thread 4d 16
1 fine Hatt $7–50 7– 50
$42– 261

E Ex

Charlottesville } James Leitch
 March 16th 16 Charles Stewart

MS (MHi); entirely in Stewart’s hand; endorsed by TJ: “Leitch James.”

Charles Stewart (ca. 1791–1835) was the son of William Stewart, who had worked as a blacksmith and run the nailery at Monticello from 1801 until his dismissal for drunkenness in 1807. Late in 1817 the younger Stewart was selected by TJ, Leitch, and Alexander Garrett to be apprenticed to a group of Swiss stocking weavers whom William Lee had brought to Washington, D.C., with the intention of Stewart engaging in that trade in Charlottesville. TJ then described him as “deformed by sickness” in his youth but “intelligent, correct in his habits and entirely worthy.” Stewart’s poverty induced Leitch to support him in this new endeavor. A series of misunderstandings regarding the length and cost of Stewart’s training and board, however, culminated in his early return to Charlottesville. In 1830 James Dinsmore bequeathed the interest on $500 to the “trusty & well beloved Charles Stewart in consideration of his fidelity and helpless situation” (MB description begins James A. Bear Jr. and Lucia C. Stanton, eds., Jefferson’s Memorandum Books: Accounts, with Legal Records and Miscellany, 1767–1826, 1997, The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Second Series description ends , 2:1052, 1341; PTJ description begins Julian P. Boyd, Charles T. Cullen, John Catanzariti, Barbara B. Oberg, and others, eds., The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, 1950– , 38 vols. description ends , 34:104; Lee to TJ, 16 June 1817; TJ to Lee, 12 Nov. 1817; Leitch to TJ, 12 Nov., 25 Dec. 1817; Jonas Keller to TJ, 14 Dec. 1817; TJ to Keller, 24 Jan. 1818; Albemarle Co. Will Book, 10:109; Fay V. Early and Constance C. Harris, eds., Record of Cemeteries in Albemarle County, Virginia, including Charlottesville [1971–ca. 1982], 3:152).

Brown Holland (bro holland) is an unbleached linen fabric (OED description begins James A. H. Murray, J. A. Simpson, E. S. C. Weiner, and others, eds., The Oxford English Dictionary, 2d ed., 1989, 20 vols. description ends ). e ex: “Errors excepted.”

1The correct sum is $42.36½.

Index Entries

  • buttons search
  • cambric search
  • clothing; buttons search
  • clothing; hats search
  • clothing; vests search
  • hats; TJ orders search
  • holland (textile) search
  • household articles; buttons search
  • household articles; cloth search
  • household articles; thread search
  • Jefferson, Thomas; Business & Financial Affairs; account with J. Leitch search
  • Leitch, James; account with TJ search
  • Leitch, James; TJ orders clothes from search
  • Leitch, James; TJ orders goods from search
  • shirting (textile) search
  • silk; TJ orders search
  • Stewart, Charles; identified search
  • Stewart, Charles; prepares accounts for J. Leitch search
  • textiles; Bennetts cord search
  • textiles; cambric search
  • textiles; holland search
  • textiles; shirting search
  • textiles; silk search
  • thread search