Thomas Jefferson Papers

Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Jones, 4 March 1815

To Benjamin Jones

Monticello Mar. 4. 15.

Sir

The war has so long interrupted ordinary intercourse that it’s reestablishment is like a new work. I do not know whether you continue the same business of ironmongery, but presuming you do I take the liberty of addressing you, as I shall be glad to renew my dealings with you, not on so large a scale as I have given over manufacturing nails but for my self. I will thank you to send me by the first vessel from your port to Richmond the articles below written, to be addressed to Messrs Gibson and Jefferson there as formerly. favor me at the same time with a bill of the amount, and it shall be punctually remitted within our former usual term of 90. days. Accept the renewed assurances of my esteem and respect.

Th: Jefferson

  1. Cwt of 4d hoop iron
2.1 Cwt of 30d nail rod
7.2 Cwt of rods assorted in equal quantities for all sized nails from 6d to 20d
a quarter ton of bar iron, assorted of tire-bars, those proper for axes, mattocks, horseshoeing & some inch bars of the toughest quality

PoC (MHi); on verso of reused address cover to TJ; above postscript: “Mr Benjamin Jones”; endorsed by TJ.

your port: Philadelphia. tire-bars (tire-iron) were turned into the curved pieces of plate used to shoe cart and carriage wheels (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 ).

1Reworked from “1.”

2Reworked from “8.”

Index Entries

  • axes search
  • Gibson & Jefferson (Richmond firm); and nailrod and iron stock for TJ search
  • horses; horseshoes search
  • iron; bar (Swedish) search
  • iron; hoop search
  • iron; purchased by TJ search
  • Jones, Benjamin; and nailrod and iron stock for TJ search
  • Jones, Benjamin; letters to search
  • mattocks search
  • naileries; at Monticello search
  • naileries; nailrod and iron stock search
  • tools; axes search
  • tools; mattocks search