Thomas Jefferson Papers
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John Fowler to Thomas Jefferson, 27 May 1815

From John Fowler

State of Kentucky Lexington 27. May 1815

Dear sir,

Mr Thomas Smith now a resident (and has been for many years) of this place intends to visit the neighbourhood of Richmond (Virginia) some time this summer and wish’s to pay his respects to you on his way thither. I beg leave to introduce him to your Acquaintance, He is an amiable intelligent Gentleman, Has been Uniformly a warm supporter of the Rights of our excellent Government, and will be proud to Acknowledge your civilities and attentions paid him

I have the Honor to be respectfully

Your Obt servant

John Fowler

RC (MHi); endorsed by TJ as received 23 June 1815 and so recorded in SJL.

Thomas Smith (ca. 1792–1865), printer and merchant, was the publisher and editor of the Lexington Kentucky Gazette, 1809–12, and, after service in the War of 1812, of the Lexington Kentucky Reporter, 1816–32. He was a director in 1824 of the Transylvania Botanic Garden Company, and he served in 1836 both as a trustee of the Newcastle Female Academy and as a director of the Lexington Fire, Life and Marine Insurance Company. He married a niece of Henry Clay, and the latter entrusted Smith with the publication of his speeches, oversight of some of his financial concerns, and promotion of his political career. By 1845 Smith moved to Louisville, where he was a partner in Kennedy, Smith & Company, an agency for selling rope and hemp bagging (George W. Ranck, History of Lexington Kentucky: Its Early Annals and Recent Progress [1872], 233–4, 247; Brigham, American Newspapers description begins Clarence S. Brigham, History and Bibliography of American Newspapers, 1690–1820, 1947, 2 vols. description ends , 1:163, 166; Cincinnati Literary Gazette, 13 Mar. 1824; Acts Passed at the First Session of the Forty-Fourth General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky [1836], 463, 601; Clay, Papers description begins James F. Hopkins and others, eds., The Papers of Henry Clay, 1959–1992, 11 vols. description ends , esp. 2:723–5, 6:1, 397, 1073, 8:206, 10:200–1; gravestone inscription, Lexington Cemetery).

Index Entries

  • Fowler, John; introduces T. Smith (ca.1792–1865) search
  • Fowler, John; letters from search
  • Jefferson, Thomas; Correspondence; letters of introduction to search
  • Monticello (TJ’s estate); Visitors to; Smith, Thomas search
  • Smith, Thomas (ca.1792–1865); identified search
  • Smith, Thomas (ca.1792–1865); introduced to TJ search
  • Smith, Thomas (ca.1792–1865); visits Monticello search