21To Thomas Jefferson from Charles Willson Peale, [after 3 December 1791] (Jefferson Papers)
Was I under a mistake in expecting the favor of your sitting at One O’clock this day? You will oblige me in appointing the time that will be most convenient, to yourself. I have a great desire to exert my abilities in this portrait, and your indulgence will grately obligate Honored Sir your very Humble Servt., FC ( PPAP : Peale Letter Book); in Peale’s hand; undated, but the letter immediately...
22To Thomas Jefferson from Charles Willson Peale, 15 October 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
I have received one hundred Dollars inclosed in your favor of the 12th. Instant, and with pleasure will exercise a parental care for your Grandson Mr. Th. Jefferson Randolph— Mrs. Peale will be prepaired to receive him at the expected time— I am at a loss to know which Poligraph has the fault of bad wrighing at the top, but suspect it is a small one. that for writing on foolscap paper I...
23To Thomas Jefferson from Charles Willson Peale, 21 February 1809 (Jefferson Papers)
It was my intention in my last letter to have mentioned to you my equiescence in your retaining the Polygraph last sent you instead of yours sent to be repaired. There is convenience of having those Machines of a small size for traveling, but the use of a larger kind is more pleasant to write with. I now send you a Picture by this Stage as a small pledge of my esteem, it will I hope be long in...
24To Thomas Jefferson from Charles Willson Peale, 4 March 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
Mr. Philip DePeyster writes me that John Lyle Esqr. is dead; that two Vessels, one in 24 days and the other in 28, have arrived at New York, with that News and that Captn. Jones of the Schooner Franklin was at his funeral. It is therefore that Mr. DePeyster requests me to write again to you, he says that he has wrote to the Secretary of State, Doctr Mitchel and Mr. Rumford. I am not acquainted...
25To George Washington from Charles Willson Peale, 27 September 1787 (Washington Papers)
By this Post I take the liberty of sending a few Prints for your acceptance. I have not been able to Execute a greater number of Plates as yet, but am prepairing some others, which I hope will be published some time in the ensuing fall and Winter. Since you did me the favor of Visiting my Room, several natural Productions have been added, but the most Valuable are a pair of Panthers, male &...
26To Thomas Jefferson from Charles Willson Peale, 8 March 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
I have only time to inform you that the Polyh. is sent by this Mail Stage—that the Boxes for paper & Pens &c was made, but on tryal found a little too large, and we could not in time make others—my desire to give all possible Room for paper was cause of the mistake of ⅛ of an Inch in length. I did not attemp making lines on the Cloath, for that will be best done on your tryal of the machine &...
27To Thomas Jefferson from Charles Willson Peale, 22 October 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
I have just returned from the Country, where my young family was during the late fever, and found with my Son Rubens here your favors of the 6th and 9th Instant with latter he received the Fox Skins and the living Marmotte, it is a handsome little Animal, smaller and much more gentle than our Monax & I expect like it will not eat during the Winter, for this eats but little at present. It...
28To Thomas Jefferson from Charles Willson Peale, 28 November 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
I send you a pr. of Pen-arms with Screws for the Movement of the Pen-tubes, and also springs about equal to the additional weight of these arms. I have sent these things, under the Idea that you would not have much difficulty in taking off the old arms of you r Polygraph and placing these, should you like them—However if you prefer sending me the Polygraph and the new arms, I will fit them,...
29To Thomas Jefferson from Charles Willson Peale, 8 February 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
The enclosed profiles I hope will be acceptable, the names were repeated to me by one of the Interpretors & may not be correctly spelt. No. 1 Sagessaga , Great Chief of the Osages. 2. Verygran , Chief of Auc. 3 Waconsca, Counsel of Nations. 4 Tahawarra , Nation Souric. 5 Macassaba , Ditto. 6 Potaenga of the Osage Nation. 7 Pageogatse , Poine Nation. 8 Shegagahega , Nation Poine. 9 Quosquame ,...
30To Thomas Jefferson from Charles Willson Peale, 18 March 1804 (Jefferson Papers)
A french-man; an Indian trader from new Orleans, brought here in the sickly season last summer a Grisley- bear to exhibit. enclosed is one of his Bills—he expected to make a fortune by the Animal, but he was disappointed, altho’ it differed considerably from the common, yet nevertheless it was a Bear, & as such did not excite much curiosity. I bought his Bear, and intended keeping him untill...
31To James Madison from Charles Willson Peale, 9 January 1803 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
9 January 1803, Museum. At the request of his friend John I. Hawkins, writes to inform JM of Hawkins’s invention of a machine to multiply copies of writing or music. Hawkins “some time past pondered whether he ought to take a Patent, as one had already been granted for similar purposes,” but inquiry showed “his invention is totally different, being a simple movement of paralell Rulers with...
32To Thomas Jefferson from Charles Willson Peale, 13 June 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
The Polygraph intended for your Secretary and that for Mr. Volney were shippd yesterday, and the other which you are pleased to order is now in hand; having one ready made of the same board of which your Polygraph top is made, with a black and white string on the edge, it has a neat look, but not so rich as those with a variety of strings of different colours—it is about ¾ of an Inch longer...
33To Thomas Jefferson from Charles Willson Peale, 11 April 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
The bearer Mr. James Chalmers is desireous to enter into the Army. he is of a very respectable family, and he is I believe a discreet young man, with amiable manners; has been breed to the mercantile business but at this time prefers a military life, yet does not ask for a higher office than that of Lieutenancy, I have no doubt that he will merrit promotion when he has been due time in...
34To Thomas Jefferson from Charles Willson Peale, 25 June 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
By tomorrows mail-stage I mean to send in one packing-case, two Polygraphs; one that you ordered for your friend, and the other in exchange for the 8vo. Size. If, on tryal, you should like the larger better than the other, be so obliging as to inform me, and I will have one made, send it to you & take the other back. I beg you not to be afraid of giving me trouble in the exchange of the...
35To Thomas Jefferson from Charles Willson Peale, 17 February 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
It is my hope that I shall never do any thing, which will be disagreable to you. My father was a good and learned Man, and knew well the advantages of a good education, and he intended that I should have liberal one, but alass poor man he died before I had reached my 9th year of age, my mother had 5 Children to provide for (I was the oldest of them) and this was to be done by her industry; my...
36To Thomas Jefferson from Charles Willson Peale, 26 November 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
your Polygraph I received this afternoon, and it is now in the hands of the Workman, who will make it as perfect as He possibly can. I expected to write this evening to inform you that the Box had not come forward, I am glad to write otherwise. The Profile, if you enclose it to me shall be taken care off, and if we can improve by shading the drawing of it, I mean with the aid of my son...
37To George Washington from Charles Willson Peale, 31 December 1786 (Washington Papers)
I have lately undertaken to form a Museum and have acquired the means of preserving in the natural forms, Birds, Beasts and Fish, my Intention is to collect every thing that is curious of this Country, and to arange them in the best manner I am able, to make the Collection amusing and Intructive, thereby hoping to retain with us many things realy curious which would other wise be sent to...
38To George Washington from Charles Willson Peale, June 1787 (Washington Papers)
Your obliging consent to set is confering a most singular favor on me, for which I hope I shall always be found grateful, on the success of this undertaking depends much of my happiness. if I am so fortunate as to make a good, and faithful Portrait, I shall be enabled to gratifie many of your warm friends by excuting a good Print and the practice I lately had in this line is only bringing in...
39To Thomas Jefferson from Charles Willson Peale, 18 June 1804 (Jefferson Papers)
Making use of a Polygraph which is placed in the Room of my Sons Exhibition of the Skeleton of the Mammoth, that had one of the steel pens broke (a case which may often occur by philipping them against a table to free them of Ink) and a quill pen having been substituted, it appears to me an improvement. The advantages are, that from the quill which hold more, the ink flows more readily; the...
40To George Washington from Charles Willson Peale, 6 August 1787 (Washington Papers)
Some Ladies & Gentlemen from Virginia having desired an Exhibition at ½ past 4 oclock in the afternoon of tomorrow gives me an opportunity of requesting the favour of your Company to partake of such Amusement as some of my labours may afford. I am with the highest respect Dr Sir your Obl[i]ged Hbe Servt LB , PPAmP : Charles Willson Peale Papers. GW does not record in his diary attending Peak’s...
41To Thomas Jefferson from Charles Willson Peale, 12 December 1802 (Jefferson Papers)
Mr. Hunter is returned from Kentucky and tells me that the account of the upper part of the Skull of the Mammoth being found at Barry’s Salt lick in Kentucky, is altogather a fabrication, no such bone found there—A New Englander detailed to me the same account except the difference of 2 pounds of the weight, as was afterwards published in a Virginia paper. I am infinitely obliged to you for...
42To Thomas Jefferson from Charles Willson Peale, 30 September 1825 (Jefferson Papers)
When I received your Polygraph, I repaired the springs, then made an essay to write with it, found it stiff—but on putting oil to all the joints, it preformed much better. so that my conclusion was that you neglected to give it oil occasionally. My next opperation was to take the parralells apart in order to examine all the joints—and it does not appear to have worn the pin-holes, indeed I...
43To Thomas Jefferson from Charles Willson Peale, 2 October 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
It is evident that many Persons who has had what is termed a classical Education, have so little of the dead languages remaining with them a few years after they have left School, as to be of very little use to them. It is like reading the suppliment of Book, wanting the details, leaves no impression on the readers mind. a small part of Mr. Ogilvie’s Rhetoric would be sufficient I doubt not to...
44To Thomas Jefferson from Charles Willson Peale, 7 November 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
It will be very interesting to see the Grisley-Bear brought to his full growth, one of the Skins which Govr. Lewis had appeared to me enormously large, should these bears preserve their health in confinement, which ought not to be in a small Cage, there is a good chance of their giving produce, and thereby making them happy in their situation, especially if well fed. this charge I will...
45To Thomas Jefferson from Charles Willson Peale, 24 July 1804 (Jefferson Papers)
The enclosed pen-cases I flatter myself will be found very convenient, the slits are made longer for the stay-pin to moove a greater distance, & therefore will require less attention to the length of the quill. on reconsidering the last paragraph of my letter of the 22d, I have thought that a sketch in addition would have better illustrated Mr. Latrobes improvement of the cover of the...
46To George Washington from Charles Willson Peale, December 1784 (Washington Papers)
since my writing by the last Post I have recd the Twenty five Guineas which you sent by Monsr Loyetta. your Manner of Spelling the Name led me into a difficulty of finding out the Gentleman and I am under some obligation to Mr Marboye the Minister’s Secy, for his assistance in the affair. I am Dear Sir your most obedient humble Servt ADf , PPAmP : Charles Willson Peale Papers. Loyetta...
47To Thomas Jefferson from Charles Willson Peale, 24 July 1801 (Jefferson Papers)
Believing you would be pleased in knowing my success in a trip up the north river, by the purchase of the Bones in the possession of Mr. Mastens. Although an object of great importance to me, in undertaking the journey I had very faint prospects of the issue. On my return to New York elated with the hopes of seeing the Skeleton of the Mamoth put togather, I hastily wrote to inform you of my...
48To Thomas Jefferson from Charles Willson Peale, 10 January 1809 (Jefferson Papers)
I was desirous to made enquiry of the Merchant about the Packet which carried your Lamp & Bridle-bit before I wrote, I cannot be certain of the Captns. Name and the Bill of lading is mislaid or I should have had recouse to it, I hope to be able to find it by a general search amongst my different deposits within a few days. I have received your favor of the 7th. instant enclosing fifty Dollars...
49To Thomas Jefferson from Charles Willson Peale, 14 September 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 12th. ult. enclosing the payment of Sixty Dollars for your small polygraph, received in a time of great hurry, I posponed answering as I ought to have done, but by this delay I can answer it to better effect, and the failling to write correctly in the first 4 or 5 lines of the Machine we think we can account for. My Sons having examined the machine for making the Pivot holes...
50To John Adams from Charles Willson Peale, 13 December 1796 (Adams Papers)
The American Philosophical Society, desirous of expressing due Regard for Preeminence in Science and Virtue, have directed an Eulogium to be prepared to the Memory of their late President Dr. David Rittenhouse ; which is to be pronounced before the Society on Saturday next, the 17th instant, in the Presbyterian Church, in Market Street, at 12 o’clock. With the highest Deference, it is...