1To Alexander Hamilton from David Rittenhouse, 20 June 1794 (Hamilton Papers)
On receiving yours of the 16th containing some french Coins I immediately put them into the hands of the assayer, directing him to ascertain their fineness. As I happened to be out of town when he called to communicate the result he thought it his duty to wait on you with it (as he informs me) it being 740 oz of Standard Silver equal to 660.39 of fine silver or 1000 oz of the Coins. I am Sir,...
2Enclosure: David Rittenhouse to Edmund Randolph, 22 May 1794 (Washington Papers)
An opportunity now offers of purchasing for the Mint about one Ton of wrought Copper, at the moderate price of 16 pence, Pennsylvania money. It is said to be of good quality and sufficient thickness, so that it need not be melted, but only cut & rolled down to the Cent size. Though we have still a considerable quantity of Copper at the Mint, yet as the above price is much lower than it can be...
3To Thomas Jefferson from David Rittenhouse, 3 June 1793 (Jefferson Papers)
I was unwilling to ask a further Sum of money on account of the Mint until the Treasurer had obtained a Settlement of his Accounts at the Comptrollers Office, which is now done, to the 1st. of April last. This has obliged me to advance considerably for the Expenditures of the Mint, and I must request you to apply to the President for his Warrant for 5000 Dollars, in favour of the Mint. In...
4To Thomas Jefferson from David Rittenhouse, [10 April 1793] (Jefferson Papers)
Mr. Misho called on me Yesterday, he wishes to know whether he is to prepare for his journey, and that instructions be prepared for him if he goes. This I hope you will do. Will it be proper to call a meeting of the Society , or shall we have a meeting of a few individuals who are interested in this business? He says 3 or 4 Hundred dollars put into his hands at present will be sufficient....
5To Thomas Jefferson from David Rittenhouse, 25 March 1793 (Jefferson Papers)
I am again obliged to request you to make application to the President for a further Sum of money to defray the Expences of the Mint (5000 Dolls. if he shall think proper) and have enclosed a concise Statement of the expenditure of sums heretofore granted, which you will be pleased to communicate to him. The accounts, as preparing by the Treasurer of the Mint for settlement to the end of this...
6Enclosure: Account of Expenditures for the Mint, [25 March 1793] (Jefferson Papers)
Account of Expenditures for the Purposes of The Mint of the United States Dolls. Cents For purchasing two Lots of Ground together with a Dwelling House, Still House, with two large Copper Stills &ca. 4266.67 Dolls Cts For erecting two New brick buildings, Furnaces, a Frame Mill House & Stable &c. Vizt. Scantling, Boards, plank, Shingles 775.44 Stone 106 56 Lime &ca. 184 22...
7To Thomas Jefferson from David Rittenhouse, 11 January 179[3] (Jefferson Papers)
Mrs. Rittenhouse is greatly obliged to you for your Valuable present. To me it is more acceptable than any other thing of its kind in existence, but the pleasure it wou’d otherwise afford is greatly abated by an expression in the note accompanying it, That you are packing up your useless furniture: by which I suppose I am to understand that you are going to take your flight to the summit of...
8To Thomas Jefferson from David Rittenhouse, 7 January 1793 (Jefferson Papers)
I have herewith enclosed the result of our Assays &c. of the Coins of France, England, Spain, and Portugal. In the course of the Experiments a very small source of Error was detected, too late for the present occasion, but which will be carefully guarded against in future. I am with the most perfect esteem, Your most obedient humble servant Tr ( DNA : RG 59, MLR ); in the hand of George...
9Enclosure: Assay of Foreign Coins, 7 January 1793 (Jefferson Papers)
In 24 Grains specific gravity In 24 Grains specific gravity Fine Gold Alloy Fine Gold Alloy Date Grs. 32d Parts grs. 32d parts Date Grs. 32d parts Grs. 32d parts French Guineas }
10To Thomas Jefferson from David Rittenhouse, 29 December 1792 (Jefferson Papers)
I have inclosed four copies of a bill drawn by the Treasurer of the U.S. on Messrs. W. and J. Willink and Nicho. and Jac. Van Staphorst & Hubbard of Amsterdam for 24,750 current guilders equal to 10,000 Dollars, which you will please to transmit to Mr. Pinckney at London for the purpose of obtaining copper for the mint of the U.S. either from Sweden or elsewhere. The copper to be in sheets not...
11David Rittenhouse to Tobias Lear, 27 December 1792 (Washington Papers)
We have begun to Assay some of the European Coins, and shall proceed tomorrow, at the Mint, if it will be convenient for the President to attend about 12 oClock. Should any accident happen before that time to occasion delay, I will give you notice. I am, Sir, your most obedient humble Servant ALS , DNA : RG 59, Miscellaneous Letters. For the resolution directing GW to have the gold and silver...
12To Thomas Jefferson from David Rittenhouse, 28 November 1792 (Jefferson Papers)
By Act of Congress the Copper Coinage is limited to 150 Tons. This, counting the Ton to be 20 Hundreds, neat Weight, will produce near 8 Millions of Cents, making no allowance for waste in Coining; and supposing the number of families in the United States to be 400,000 will be near 20 Cents to a family. This appears to me to be too great a proportion by more than one half, especially if we...
13To Thomas Jefferson from David Rittenhouse, 27 November 1792 (Jefferson Papers)
The money granted by his Excellency the Presidents Warrant in July last being appropriated for paying for the House and Lot for the Mint and for purchasing Copper, except 900 Dollars, And Considerable Expences having since arisen for Additional Buildings, Furnaces Horse-Mill and Machines of various kinds I find it necessary to apply for another warrant for the Sum of Five Thousand Dollars,...
14To Thomas Jefferson from David Rittenhouse, 16 June 1792 (Jefferson Papers)
I have bargained with the owner for the House and Lot on Seventh Street, between Arch and Market Streets, of which you saw the Draught for the Use of the Mint. The price £1600. in Cash, Pennsylvania Currency, Subject to a Ground-rent of 21 Dollars ⅌ An. payable to the Friends Alms-House. If his Excellency the President approves of this purchase the Conveyance shall be made in such manner as he...
15To Thomas Jefferson from David Rittenhouse, 11 June 1792 (Jefferson Papers)
I have read over Mr. Keiths paper carefully, and endeavoured to make out his meaning. He has indeed expressed himself so very loosely that it is not easy to say what he intended. One thing however is clear, that he meant to depreciate the Rod-pendulum; and this he has done in a manner that does no credit to his Candour or Abilities. We have only his assertion, unsupported by any thing that can...
16To Thomas Jefferson from David Rittenhouse, [ca. 20 August 1791] (Jefferson Papers)
If we consider the same thing in the manner following we shall immediately perceive that the proposition is not new. Since the hole in the vessel may be of any size it may be equal to the intire bottom. The vessel then becomes a Cylinder and the problem is reduced to this, To find the lenghth of a perpendicular Cylinder in which a fluid will descend from the top to the bottom in a given...
17To Thomas Jefferson from David Rittenhouse, 8 May 1791 (Jefferson Papers)
I thank you for a Sight of Mr. Randolph’s Letter. I must Confess I was pleased with Mr. Neville’s account of the Opossum, because it seemed to remove every difficulty on the Subject and at the same time more nearly to connect the Vegitable and animal economy. But I well know with what caution we ought to recive the testimony of any individual. Mr. Randolph’s observations however does not shew...
18To Thomas Jefferson from David Rittenhouse, 4 January 1791 (Jefferson Papers)
Under the Building lately erected by the Philosophical Society there are very large and deep Cellars. Suppose in the midst of one of them, another of 12 or 15 feet deep and 16 feet square was dug and walled and arched over would it not answer the purpose of which we were speaking. A considerable part of the Expence would be saved, and whatever reasonable compensation should be made to the...
19To Thomas Jefferson from David Rittenhouse, 2 July 1790 (Jefferson Papers)
I should not have troubled you with my Algebraical Calculations but for your present inconvenient situation. I am however pleased to find your results, tho’ obtained a different way, the same with mine, having never that I remember turned to any Book on the Subject.—The rod used as a Pendulum does indeed require no correction, if it be no thicker than you propose, which will perhaps have...
20To Thomas Jefferson from David Rittenhouse, 25 June 1790 (Jefferson Papers)
Since my last letter (and not before) I have read Mr. Whitehursts Book on the Subject of Measures. Amongst the many different ways of obtaining the Same End, the Method proposed by him seems to be a very good one. I see no reason to object to the lenghth he has assigned from experiments, to a pendulum vibrating seconds in the Latitude of London Vizt. 39.1196 inches. You Suppose (page 4.) the...
21To Thomas Jefferson from David Rittenhouse, 21 June 1790 (Jefferson Papers)
I received yours of the 12th. 14th. and 17th. together with the several papers mentioned, to which I shall give as much attention, and as soon as my health will permit. In the mean time I thought it not amiss to transmit to you such observations as occurred to me on first reading them. I am not quite satisfied with the reasons given (page 1.) for having recourse to motion for a Standard of...
22To James Madison from David Rittenhouse, 19 January 1790 (Madison Papers)
I beg leave to recommend to your favorable notice Mr. Francis Bailey, printer, of this City, as a Gentleman of abilities in his profession and an amiable Character. I understand he intends to apply for something in the way of his business, either to the Treasury or elswhere. His mechanical Genius must in some respects give him advantages superior to any other printer of my Acquaintance. He...
23To James Madison from David Rittenhouse, 10 July 1789 (Madison Papers)
Engaged as you are in business of the greatest importance as well as difficulty, and harrass’d by a thousand importunate applications, I am fully sensible of the impropriety of troubling any of my friends in Your situation, even with a letter, unless I had either some useful information or matter of amusement to communicate. Permit me nevertheless, by this method, to recommend to your notice...
24To Thomas Jefferson from David Rittenhouse, 8 November 1788 (Jefferson Papers)
About two Months ago I received your very valuable present of Books, mentioned in the last letter I had the pleasure to receive from you, for which I am greatly obliged to you. M. Cassini has sent me a Copy of the Observations made at the Royal Observatory at Paris in the Year 1786. I am at a loss to direct to him, will it be convenient for you to return my sincere thanks to him for this...
25To Thomas Jefferson from David Rittenhouse, 14 April 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
About the latter end of June last I sent you the 2d. Vol. of our Transactions, directed to Mr. Adams at London. I afterwards found that Mr. Adams was at that time Absent; it is therefore probable that you have not yet recived it. Should it still come to hand it may give you an Opportunity of gratifying some freind. I have some hopes that the Society will publish a Small Volume next winter. I...
26To Thomas Jefferson from David Rittenhouse, 26 June 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favour of Jan. 25th. I received some time ago, and likewise all the Nautical Almanacs you mention, except that for 1790. As a small return for all your favours, I beg you will accept a Copy of the second Volume of the Transactions of our Philosophical Society, which I have sent to Mr. Adams at London requesting him to transmit it to you. Shou’d you be furnished with the publication before...
27To Thomas Jefferson from David Rittenhouse, 28 September 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
That I have so long delayed acknowledging your favours has been owing to my absence from home. Two Summers past I have been employed in determining the Boundary of Pennsylvania. In 1784. Observations were continued for near 3 months on the Eclipses of Jupiters Satellites, on the Banks of the Delaware and near the Ohio. The result gave 53,225 Miles to a degree of Longitude in Latitude 39.° 43.’...
28To Benjamin Franklin from David Rittenhouse, 31 December 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Amidst that Hurry of Business and want of Leisure, which is so Generally felt amongst at apresent, I snatch a moment to trouble you with a hasty scrawl. I need not repeat what you are well assured of, that you wou’d make me happy by communicating any discovery, of importance or curiosity, in the Philosophical world, on your side of the water. Such as occur...
29To Benjamin Franklin from David Rittenhouse, 29 April 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Amidst the many important objects of your attention I doubt not but you sometimes unbend your mind by an Excursion thro’ the fields of Philosophy, I shall therefore make no apology for communicating to you a freak of Nature which seems to be new, at least it is so to us. On the 19th. of August last during a heavy Shower of Rain, not attended by any Thunder...
30Proceedings of Commissioners to Settle the Pennsylvania-Virginia Boundary, 27–31 August 1779 (Jefferson Papers)
Baltimore, 27–31 Aug. 1779 . After presenting their respective powers, the commissioners for Virginia (Rev. James Madison and Rev. Robert Andrews; the third commissioner, Thomas Lewis, was absent) exchanged on the following days with the commissioners for Pennsylvania (George Bryan, Rev. John Ewing, and David Rittenhouse) a series of letters proposing and rejecting various lines as the...