From Thomas Jefferson to John McDowell, 22 October 1798
To John McDowell
Monticello Oct. 22. 98.
Dear Sir
Your favor of Sep. 27. was duly recieved, and having [now] to make a paiment, I send the bearer, Jupiter, a trusty servant express, to recieve and bring any sum you may have in readiness for me. be so good as to let it be in hard cash, as no […] is recieved here. I will hereafter ask of you only quarterly settlements & paiments if you please, fixing them in the months of March, June, Septemb. & December, because these falling in with our docket & district courts give a chance of conveying the money without my sending express for it. the manager of my nailery has been sick upwards of a month, & is but just getting about. this has occasioned less work to be done, and not well enough done to trust it to a distant market, where the cause not being known to be temporary might give a permanent discredit to our work. as soon as he can attend to business you shall be furnished with the kinds of nails you desire. I am Sir
Your most obedt. servt
Th: Jefferson
PrC (DLC); faint; at foot of text: “Mr. John Mc. Dowell”; endorsed by TJ in ink on verso.
Manager of my nailery: on 25 Nov. TJ paid Sam, a black doctor, $ 10 for his care of the slave known as smith George or Little George ( , 2:992).