Thomas Jefferson Papers
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https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/03-09-02-0330

Thomas Jefferson to Joel Yancey, 20 February 1816

To Joel Yancey

Monticello Feb. 20. 16.

Dear Sir

A letter of the 14th from mr Gibson informs me my tobo was not then down. this occasions me to send the bearer express, our cross mail being too dilatory to be depended on. my anxiety on this subject is occasioned by my having money engagements due at our last and next court which depend for fulfilment on the tobo getting to mr Gibson’s hands, until which I cannot draw on him. I imagine the delay is occasioned by the high demands probably of the boatmen. but these we must yield to, and give what others do. we may lose more by a fall of price than the difference of transportation. I wish it therefore to be hurried down. if by delaying the bearer a day or two you can get it’s departure engaged for a fixed day so as to inform me of that by his return, it will enable me to speak with precision to those with whom I am under engagements. mr Gibson will pay the Boatage on your order & delivery of the tobo with respect to the flour, it’s transportation may wait more reasonable prices; but it should be down in all March. I learn from Richmond that the Lynchburg boatmen refuse to take up plaister under 22½ D the ton1 this puts the use of it there with us out of question for the present year: I have not bought therefore for that place. if there should be danger of this exorbitance continuing, we must adopt other means for carrying it up hereafter either by people of our own, or the Milton boatmen who bring it here for 8.D. but of this we will talk when I see you which will probably be about mid-April. I am in hopes you have got clover seed. I have given 12.D. for what we use here. I shall be glad to learn how Lovilo is, and how likely to be. I have some thought of sending up a waggon about the close of the month with some trees & necessaries for my use there: but this is uncertain. I should be much pleased should there be a prospect of Lovilo’s being able to return in it. I salute you with great [es]teem and friendship.

PoC (MHi); on verso of a reused address cover from the “B.A.S.” (probably the Berkshire Agricultural Society) to TJ; torn, with some text rewritten by TJ; at foot of text: “Mr Joel Yancey”; endorsed by TJ.

Patrick Gibson’s letter of the 14th, not found, is recorded in SJL as received 16 Feb. 1816 from Richmond.

Missing letters from Yancey dated 14 Oct. and 31 Dec. 1815 are listed in SJL as received from Bedford on 24 Oct. 1815 and 5 Jan. 1816, respectively.

1Preceding two words interlined.

Index Entries

  • agriculture; use of gypsum in search
  • boatmen; rates for transport search
  • clover; at Poplar Forest search
  • clover; seed search
  • crops; clover search
  • flour; from Poplar Forest search
  • Gibson, Patrick; and TJ’s tobacco search
  • Gibson, Patrick; letters from accounted for search
  • gypsum (plaster of paris); at Poplar Forest search
  • gypsum (plaster of paris); price of search
  • gypsum (plaster of paris); used as fertilizer search
  • health; of slaves search
  • Hern, Lovilo (TJ’s slave; b.1801); health of search
  • James River; boatmen on search
  • Poplar Forest (TJ’s Bedford Co. estate); clover grown at search
  • Poplar Forest (TJ’s Bedford Co. estate); flour from search
  • Poplar Forest (TJ’s Bedford Co. estate); slaves at search
  • Poplar Forest (TJ’s Bedford Co. estate); superintendent of search
  • Poplar Forest (TJ’s Bedford Co. estate); tobacco grown at search
  • Richmond, Va.; tobacco shipped to search
  • Rivanna River; boatmen on search
  • seeds; clover search
  • slaves; health of search
  • slaves; travels of search
  • tobacco; grown at Poplar Forest search
  • Yancey, Joel (d.1833); as superintendent of Poplar Forest search
  • Yancey, Joel (d.1833); letters from accounted for search
  • Yancey, Joel (d.1833); letters to search