1American Philosophical Society’s Circular on the Hessian Fly, 17 April 1792 (Jefferson Papers)
At a meeting of the Committee appointed by the American Philosophical Society for the purpose of collecting and communicating to the Society materials for forming the Natural History of the insect called the Hessian-fly , as also information of the best means of preventing or destroying the Insect, and whatever else relative to the same may be interesting to Agriculture: Resolved that, for...
2To Thomas Jefferson from Caspar Wistar, 19 October 1800 (Jefferson Papers)
The unceasing calls of my profession have accasioned me to postpone my answer to your esteemed favour longer than I wished—You committed Chancellor Livingstons first paper on the Steam Engine to my care—it was read at the next meeting of the Society & referred to Messrs. Patterson & Latrobe. Those Gentlemen finding no references to the figure, in the descriptions which accompanied it, were...
3To Thomas Jefferson from Caspar Wistar, 8 December 1800 (Jefferson Papers)
I am not certain that you will have leisure to attend to the subject which follows, but the circumstances appear so interesting that I cannot refrain from communicating them to you, & if you are not able to devote any time to the subject you will still be much interested in the event— It appears by the Medical Repository (a periodical publication at New York) that there have lately been found,...
4To Thomas Jefferson from Caspar Wistar, 18 February 1801 (Jefferson Papers)
I should have replied sooner to your favour of Feby. 3d. but I did not wish to intrude upon you at a period so awfully important to our Country—the accounts we have received this day (from Washington on Sunday) are such as give us great reason to hope that some of the Gentlemen to whom accident has given the power to decide will have obeyed the dictates of reason & finished the dispute before...
5To Thomas Jefferson from Caspar Wistar, [before 9 April 1801] (Jefferson Papers)
Permit me to offer you my most sincere & affectionate congratulations on the recent election, which I hope will contribute to your individual happiness as much as I am certain it will to the benefit of our beloved Country—Sensible of the laborious task which is now imposed upon you, it is with great reluctance that I intrude upon your valuable time, & beg from your good nature an indulgence...
6To James Madison from Caspar Wistar, Jr., 15 October 1801 (Madison Papers)
Letter not found. 15 October 1801. Calendared as a three-page letter in the lists probably made by Peter Force (DLC, series 7, container 2). Wistar, professor of chemistry at the University of Pennsylvania, was a vice president of the American Philosophical Society at the time.
7To Thomas Jefferson from Caspar Wistar, 1 January 1802 (Jefferson Papers)
The fear of intruding upon you at a time when you had not leisure, & the belief that you seldom have leisure now, have prevented me so long from offering you my sincere thanks for your kindness in the appointment of Mr Dobell —I hope & believe that he will merit your confidence, and am certain that he will ever retain a grateful sense of it—Since my last I have been favoured with two notes...
8To Thomas Jefferson from Caspar Wistar, 10 April 1802 (Jefferson Papers)
I have delayed my reply to your favour of March 22d. in order to inform myself more fully respecting some of the heads of your inquiry— My acquaintance with Dr Barnwell commenced about a year & a half since, in consequence of a communication he made to the A.P.S., which was ordered to be published, but was lost by the Printer. He has since then sometimes visited me, & conversed respecting...
9To Thomas Jefferson from Caspar Wistar, 8 June 1802 (Jefferson Papers)
I feel a considerable degree of embarrassment on the present occasion, but trust to your good nature for excusing the liberty I take, & the trouble I give you—My object is to state to you that I have for a long time been acquainted with the character of Mr G. Latimer, * The Collector & have known him personally for some years, & that he has allways appeared to me to be a man of business & of...
10To Thomas Jefferson from Caspar Wistar, 15 October 1802 (Jefferson Papers)
I beg leave to recommend to you the Bearer, Mr. P. Kuhn Junr., a very amiable & worthy young gentleman who is about establishing a commercial house at Gibralter—He is the Son of a Gentleman of very high character for honour & integrity, who has been long & successfully engaged in the mediterranean trade—as he has been educated in his Father’s Compting House, & has acquired a knowledge of...
11To Thomas Jefferson from Caspar Wistar, 17 July 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
I received the two french works which accompany this—viz A Plan of Public Education, & a Treatise on the Intellectual Operations, from Mr Livingston the Minister at Paris I am afraid that I have detained them too long & crave therefore that Indulgence you have ever extended to your faithful friend RC ( DLC ); at foot of text: “His Excellency The President of the United States”; endorsed by TJ...
12To Thomas Jefferson from Caspar Wistar, 18 July 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
I beg leave to trouble you with the inclosed for Captain Lewis , they do not include many points, because his instructions have really anticipated every thing which occurred to me, & of course admitted of no additions but in detail. I have also avoided several subjects which I expected would be fully detailed by Dr Barton , as being particularly within those departments of Science to which he...
13To Thomas Jefferson from Caspar Wistar, 6 October 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
Since my last , which inclosed a letter to Major Lewis, I have been informed that Monsieur Pieroux, while Commandant near the mouth of the Missouri, had sent a party of Indians up the river on a voyage of discovery, & that they returned after an absence of two years—this was communicated to me by Col: OHara of Pittsburgh who saw Pieroux at Kaskaskias during the Revolution War—I believe that...
14To Thomas Jefferson from Caspar Wistar, 12 November 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
I beg leave to inform you that Mr Hulings of New Orleans formerly lived in this City & appeared to be a very promising young gentleman— He has resided a long time on the Missisippi I have often heard him mentioned & allways with respect as a man of business and a good citizen— With the highest esteem I have the honour to be your friend & servant RC ( DNA : RG 59, LAR ); at head of text: “To...
15To Thomas Jefferson from Caspar Wistar, 16 November 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
It has happened to me more than once, to feel great pain & regret while I was writing to you, on account of the trouble I occasioned you, & the liberty I was taking, in soliciting promotion &ca., for the persons in question. I assure you those sensations occur with unusual force on the present occasion, which is this—Dr. Bache has nearly concluded his tour [of] attendance on the Missisippi...
16To Thomas Jefferson from Caspar Wistar, 27 December 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
I sincerely regret the trouble I am obliged to give you, but the inclosed were directed by the Society to be forwarded to you with a request that they might be transmitted to Mr Levingston— With the warmest wishes for your health & happiness I am most respectfully your friend & servt RC ( DLC ); at foot of text: “His Excellency The President of the United States”; endorsed by TJ as received 7...
17To Thomas Jefferson from Caspar Wistar, 17 January 1804 (Jefferson Papers)
I beg leave to present to you Mr Thos. Benger a native of Newfoundland who has resided many years near this city & is greatly respected here—He will be interesting to you on account of his efforts to improve the mode of preparing our black oak bark for exportation as a dye stuff & he goes to Washington to apply for a patent for his improvement. As Mr Benger can give you more information than I...
18To Thomas Jefferson from Caspar Wistar, 22 March 1804 (Jefferson Papers)
I have the pleasure of informing you that I have received from Mr Livingston at Paris, the Natural History of Fishes, by the Celebrated La Cepede, which the Author delivered to him to be presented to you—it composes six Quarto Volumes—I ought not to trouble you with the enquiry how to send it, but as I know of none but the circuitous rout by Sea—I believe it will be best to wait for your...
19To Thomas Jefferson from Caspar Wistar, 29 May 1804 (Jefferson Papers)
I beg leave to present to you two very respectable travellers who are now on their way to the seat of Government for the purpose of offering their respects to you. It is most probable that you are already well acquainted with the name & great merits of each as Dr. Anthony Fothergill is the Physician of Bath in England who has distinguished himself by so many publications all of which are...
20To Thomas Jefferson from Caspar Wistar, 4 June 1804 (Jefferson Papers)
I have the pleasure of inclosing Capt. Hand’s Receipt for the box Containing La Cepede’s work upon Fishes—there was a loose paper which accompanied them inscribed for you but no other memorandum—I took the liberty of placing in this box Segur’s Account of Fk. William of Prussia which I believe you will read with great interest—I wish it was generally read, for no one can reflect without horror...
21To Thomas Jefferson from Caspar Wistar, 15 January 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
Permit me to make known to you my Brother, Thos. Wistar , who is one of a very worthy and respectable Committee of the Society of friends, deputed by that body, to solicit the attention of Congress to the subject of African Slavery, as it may be Connected with Louisiana & the other territories subject to their immediate Controll—This letter is not necessary, for I know that your attention...
22To Thomas Jefferson from Caspar Wistar, 20 May 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
I presented your letter respecting the Roman Coin to the Society, & was requested to assure you in the name of the members of that Institution, that they accept with particular Satisfaction this new proof of your regard, & shall allways consider it as entitled to particular care, not only on account of its intrinsic merit, but of the liberal and enlarged views with which it was originally...
23To Thomas Jefferson from Caspar Wistar, 20 January 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
I beg leave to inform you that the College of Physicians of Philada. have sent by the mail which carries this a Pamphlet containing “Additional Facts & Observations relative to the Pestilential Fever,” & that they request you to accept it as a mark of their respect—I believe it contains indisputable proofs of a Contagious quality in the yellow fever, in the instances there specified, & if this...
24To Thomas Jefferson from Caspar Wistar, 26 July 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
I sincerely regret my omission respecting the head of the Mammoth, not only an account of the delay which it has occasioned, but also because it has given you additional trouble—We want the intire Cranium or Scull, & also the external bones of the face—the Sockets of the tusks being very incomplete externally—I learn that there was part of a head among the bones lately at Pittsburgh, but have...
25To Thomas Jefferson from Caspar Wistar, 5 December 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
I beg leave to inclose a letter addressed to Dr Goforth, & to request that you would be pleased to direct it, & send it to the Post Office. We Cannot ascertain his residence with Certainty, as he formerly lived at Washington Kentucky, but has removed to Cincinnati, or some place in its vicinity, as you Can probably procure the necessary information, from some of the Members of Congress, we beg...
26To Thomas Jefferson from Caspar Wistar, 19 February 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
I fear that I am doing wrong by writing to you upon a subject with which I am not acquainted, but one of the friends of Mr Hensler a Swiss now in this City, extorted a promise from me that I would mention him to you with a view to his employment in surveying the Coast &c—I therefore beg leave to state to you that many circumstances which have occurred during his residence here, have made a...
27To Thomas Jefferson from Caspar Wistar, 2 March 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
Please to accept my Sincere thanks for your kind communication of Feby. 25 last. I assure you that I sincerely regret the part I have taken in proposing an appointment which was contrary to a principle that seems so very correct. I confidently hope that he will give you satisfaction for he appears to have excited very unusual sensations of concern in the minds of many of our mathematical...
28To James Madison from Caspar Wistar, 10 February 1808 (Madison Papers)
It is with great regret that I trespass upon your valuable time, but I cannot well avoid it in the present instance. Mr. Jacob Otto, a young gentleman of respectable Connections in this City, has embarked for England, for the purpose of arranging some very important Commercial affairs; his friends wish to procure for him a letter of introduction from you to Mr. Pinkney our Minister at London,...
29To Thomas Jefferson from Caspar Wistar, 12 March 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
I assure you that I did not wait for a second invitation from you—The pleasure of Complying with your wish will ever be a sufficient inducement to take me much further than Washington, if there were no other object, but the examination you propose is very interesting to me, & I am certain of deriving much pleasure from a view of Baltimore & the Federal City with its improvements. My delay has...
30To Thomas Jefferson from Caspar Wistar, 18 April 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
If Congress should adjourn about the 25 Int. I am afraid that I shall not enjoy the pleasure of meeting you at Washington, which I assure you will greatly diminish my gratification there— I hope to leave this by May 12 & will proceed to the Federal City without delay, I will label the different pieces & name them as well as I can, so that upon your return you will have all the information...
31To Thomas Jefferson from Caspar Wistar, 2 June 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
I am afraid that you will Consider me as having forgotten. my Engagements, & indeed you have too much reason—I hope your good nature will be exerted, & that you will extend your Patience about 25 days more—my professional duties which have been unusually imperious, & frequent indispositions, I hope will Serve as my apology— I am thus far on my way to Pittsburgh; & intend to take Washington on...
32To Thomas Jefferson from Caspar Wistar, 30 August 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
When I left Washington it was my intention to have written to you much sooner but I have procrastinated to this time in consequence of languor which was induced by the heat before my arrival at your hospitable abode where I got rid of a part of it— A principal reason for my writing was to state to you my belief that the languor you were affected with was not the pure Consequence of increasing...
33To Thomas Jefferson from Caspar Wistar, 28 November 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
Permit me to present to you the Bearer Mr. Isaac Roberdeau—The Son of the late Colo. Danl. Roberdeau who was much distinguished here by his activity & patriotism at the commencement of the revolution—Mr. Roberdeau married a niece of our friend the late Dr Shippen Miss Blair of Germantown & has been long engaged in pursuits which must have given him experience in the line of his profession....
34To Thomas Jefferson from Caspar Wistar, 28 November 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
I did not expect any medical Gentleman to call upon me in the way you have Stated, & can only conjecture respecting the Person—A Mr. Philip Thornton whose father lives in the district you have mentioned, left Philada in June last, & I believe has settled in Virginia near the Rappahannock— He engaged as a house pupil in the Pennsylvania Hospital, & was to stay Several years, but after a year &...
35To Thomas Jefferson from Caspar Wistar, 29 November 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
Permit me to present to you Mr. Edward Tilghman Junr. a merchant of this City, who has some representation to make to the Treasury Department. He is the Son of a very worthy & respectable Citizen, & is a frank candid honourable young gentleman— With Sentiments of the greatest respect I beg leave to Subscribe Your obliged friend DLC : Papers of Thomas Jefferson.
36To James Madison from Caspar Wistar, 26 December 1808 (Madison Papers)
Mr. J. Otto who will have the honour of presenting this, is the Gentleman whom you favoured with an introduction to Mr. Pinckney. Having returned very lately from Europe, I have requested him to Communicate to you the result of his observations & inquiries, & as he will be at the Seat of Government in a few days he will wait upon you for the purpose. Having been engaged in Commercial pursuits,...
37To Thomas Jefferson from Caspar Wistar, 24 February 1809 (Jefferson Papers)
The Bearer Mr. H. Toland Junr is a very interesting young Gentleman & Son of a very worthy Citizen of Philadelphia—I could not let him go to Washington without giving him an opportunity of paying his respects to you— Jefferson is very well employed, and in good health— With the greatest regard, I beg leave to Subscribe myself your obliged friend DLC : Papers of Thomas Jefferson.
38Caspar Wistar to Thomas Jefferson, 9 May 1812 (Jefferson Papers)
Some of the friends of M r Timothy Matlack who is an applicant for the place of Loan Officer vacant by the death of the late M r M c Clenachan , have requested me to inform you of his application, in the belief that you were acquainted with him & his history, & that you would therefore feel Sensible of the Justice of his Claim upon his Country for Some provision in the advance of life. He...
39To James Madison from Caspar Wistar, 22 April 1813 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
22 April 1813. “Doctor Saml. Conover of this City having been mentioned to you as a Candidate for the place of Treasurer of the Mint, I beg leave to say that I have known him for more than twenty years & have allways Considered him as a Gentleman of honour & respectability.” RC ( DLC ). 1 p.
40Caspar Wistar to Thomas Jefferson, 29 June 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
After a long interval I have great pleasure in writing to you on the present occasion. The Bearer, Correa da Serra , has a wish to See you, & all your friends here are desirous that he Should do So. He leaves this to morrow, for that purpose, & I am now to State to you my Reasons for wishing him to make the visit. He is a Gentleman of excellent understanding, greatly improved by education—He...
41Caspar Wistar to Thomas Jefferson, [received 4 February 1815] (Jefferson Papers)
In a day or two I shall reply to your very interesting letter . The object of this note is to present to you the Bearer, M r Ticknor of Boston , a young gentleman who intends to visit Europe for the purpose of in acquiring information. Before he leaves his native Country he wishes to See Some of the States to the South of this, & to pay his respects to you— In a letter from D r Warren
42Caspar Wistar to Thomas Jefferson, 5 February 1815 (Jefferson Papers)
I believe that I have never been So much in arrears in my epistolary account with you & certainly I never felt more disposed to discharge my debts. In a few days I hope to Send you a short account of Some an ineffectual effort to improve our plan of Education, in which D r Franklin took a part, & also an account of a Mammoths Head which was in existence three years ago, & probably now exists....
43Caspar Wistar to Thomas Jefferson, 27 April 1815 (Jefferson Papers)
If I were not Conscious of the fact I should not think it possible to defer So long any thing which is So gratifying in itself as writing to you. Among many inducements to write there is one of great force, to thank you for y e many demonstrations of kindness which you have exhibited, & especially for the last , when you Retired from the Chair of our Society . I have allways Regarded the...
44Caspar Wistar to Thomas Jefferson, 9 October 1815 (Jefferson Papers)
My last letter was So long & multifarious that M r Correa would Say it was “ de Omnibus Rebus, & quibusdam aliis .” I ought not to intrude upon you So Soon with another epistle, but I have lately returned from a journey, during which I thought of you very frequently, & determined to write as Soon as I had leisure— I spent a few days in Centre County in this State, where Logan once resided—His...
45To James Madison from Caspar Wistar, 23 February 1816 (Madison Papers)
The friends of Mr. Jno. Cuthbert, who Solicit of you for him the appointment of Consul at Hamburgh, have requested me to state to you what I know respecting him. If it were not for the reluctance I feel when intruding upon your valuable time it would be a gratification to do so, for all that I know is very pleasant to tell. He is a man of great Steadiness & regularity, & of excellent Conduct,...
46Caspar Wistar to Thomas Jefferson, 28 May 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
The Bearer M r Otis is an Artist of rising Character who has been settled in Philad a Several years & has distinguished himself by his ingenuity as well as his obliging disposition. He has Several inventions which will interest you & if you have any Specimens of Natural History to Copy he will I believe give you great Satisfaction by his execution—Expecting to write again in a few days I only...
47Enclosure: Caspar Wistar’s Statement on Yellow Fever, 15 December 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
Statement of facts tending to prove the contagious nature of the yellow fever, at Germantown , in the year 1798. by C. Wistar M.D. Professor of Anatomy in the University of Pensylvania E t c The disease which produced the fatal effects now to be related, commence d in the family of Elizabeth Johnson , widow who lived in the main Street of the village of Germantown , about six and a half miles...
48Caspar Wistar to Thomas Jefferson, 24 February 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
Permit me to present to you the Bearer D r Stevenson , a very interesting young gentleman of New York , who is about to embark for Europe but makes a previous visit to the Southward. He has lately returned from Lake Superior & can give you a good account of what he has seen on his Journey, & also of the present state of public sentiment in New York . I hope to receive by his return an...
49Caspar Wistar to Thomas Jefferson, 20 May 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
Since I have understood the oppressive extent of your Correspondence, I have felt the greatest reluctance at addressing at addressing a letter to you; but the long interval has become painful to my self, & I am delighted with an opportunity of reviving your recollection of me. Inclosed is an account of the publication of D r Franklin’s letters & some small specimens of them. I believe this...