Tarlton Saunders to Thomas Jefferson, 15 September 1821
From Tarlton Saunders
Lynchburg 15th Septemr 1821.
Dear Sir
I have seen Mr Edward Bolling on the Subject of Colo John Bollings debt to Mr Lyle, and the Bond assigned by you, he is not disposed to come to any liquidation of these claims, I have therefore directed a Suit to be brought against him in the Superior Court of Chancery for a Settlement of his administration account, on his Fathers Estate, who made ample provision in his will, for the payment of all his debts. I have directed that the Bond to you shall be claimed by the Bill of the administrator, as assignee, if this course meets your approbation be pleased to write me to Newbern, montgomery County Va, should you not approve of the steps to be taken, from thence I will direct your claim to be omitted, I assure you Sir, I think this is the only mode by which the debt can be recovered, with much esteem and respect I remain Dear Sir
Tarlton Saunders
PS I trouble you with this Communication, as it will be some time in novemr before I can get around to Charlottesville and I wish the subpoenas served in time for the Jany Term.
novr 6th, finding this Letter still at Charlottesville, please write me to Richmond, your wishes & oblige
[. . .] Saunders
RC (MHi); endorsed by TJ as received 20 Nov. 1821 and so recorded in SJL. RC (DLC); with Dft of TJ to James Madison, 24 Feb. 1823, on verso; contains 6 Nov. postscript and top half of address cover; mutilated at seal; addressed: “Thomas Jefferson Esquire.”
TJ and Saunders met on 16 June 1821 to arrange the settlement of TJ’s debt to James Lyle (1798–1850). At that time TJ signed over to Saunders a bond, dated 4 June 1794, to himself from his brother-in-law John Bolling for the sum of £52–19–8 in current money of Virginia “for value recieved,” with interest to accrue from 6 Mar. 1790. The original agreement stipulated that unless payment was made before 1 June 1795, “the penal sum” of £106 would become due (, 2:1376; bond filed with Administrator of James Lyle (1726–1812) v. Executor of John Bolling et al. [Vi: Petersburg Chancery Causes, case 1842-037; in TJ’s hand, signed and sealed by Bolling and witnessed by John Wayles Eppes; with TJ’s signed declaration on verso that “I assign the within to James Lyle”; docketed in a clerk’s hand]). In his capacity as administrator of James Lyle (1726–1812), Saunders included the bond with his supporting materials when he filed suit in August 1822 against Edward Bolling as executor of John Bolling. The case was not decided in TJ’s lifetime (Petersburg Chancery Causes, case 1842-037).
Index Entries
- Bolling, Edward; debt to TJ search
- Bolling, John (1737–1800) (TJ’s brother-in-law); and TJ’s debt to Henderson, McCaul & Company search
- Eppes, John Wayles (TJ’s son-in-law); witnesses document search
- Henderson, McCaul & Company (Scottish firm); TJ’s debt to search
- Jefferson, Thomas; Business & Financial Affairs; debt to Henderson, McCaul & Company search
- Lyle, James (1726–1812); agent for Henderson, McCaul & Company search
- Lyle, James (1798–1850); as administrator of estate of J. Lyle (1726–1812) search
- Saunders, Tarlton; and TJ’s debt to Henderson, McCaul & Company search
- Saunders, Tarlton; letters from search
- Superior Court of Chancery for the Richmond District search