Thomas Jefferson Papers
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https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/03-05-02-0071

Thomas Jefferson to Patrick Gibson, 29 May 1812

To Patrick Gibson

Monticello May 29. 12.

Dear Sir

I am just returned from a visit to Bedford, whither I had gone to ascertain & settle my crop of tobacco. I found that my former manager, Griffin, had very greatly mistaken the quantity of tobo he expected to make. he had been very confident of making as much as in the preceding year. as he had never before disappointed me by a mistaken calculation, I had fondly hoped to have cleared myself of the bank with this crop. but it turned out less than two thirds of his expectation, so that it netted me but something upwards of 1900.D. I obtained therefore from mr Harrison, the purchaser, an order on you for the round sum of 2000.D which I now inclose and pray to have applied to my credit at the bank, so as to reduce my note there to 1000.D. I am sorry it was not in time to reduce the note of the 12th inst. I also inclose you a further order from mr Harrison, from another fund, for 306.58 to aid in meeting the orders drawn and yet to be drawn on you for the paiment of other debts. these I have kept off as long as I could to give time for the sale of my flour & tobacco. within three or four days however I shall be obliged to make two draughts amounting to about 1000.D. and there will still be some smaller ones to follow. in the mean time I must pray you to send me a state of my account, & of the produce still unsold if any, that I may govern myself accordingly. the box of oil is safely recieved. I daily1 expect a small spinning machine addressed to you, which I pray you to send by the first Milton boat. Accept the assurance of my great esteem & respect.

Th: Jefferson

PoC (MHi); at foot of text: “Mr Gibson”; endorsed by TJ. Enclosures not found.

TJ’s tobacco crop netted him $1,988.63. On 1 June 1812 he made two draughts: $176.92 in favor of merchant Martin Dawson and $822.57 for Jesse Winston Garth, Albemarle County sheriff and tax collector, who paid TJ’s debts to stonemason James Sammons and to brickmason and carpenter John M. Perry (MB description begins James A. Bear Jr. and Lucia C. Stanton, eds., Jefferson’s Memorandum Books: Accounts, with Legal Records and Miscellany, 1767–1826, 1997, The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Second Series description ends , 2:1277, 1279).

1Word interlined.

Index Entries

  • Dawson, Martin, & Co. (Milton firm) search
  • Garth, Jesse Winston; agent for TJ search
  • Gibson, Patrick; and payments to TJ search
  • Gibson, Patrick; and TJ’s flour search
  • Gibson, Patrick; and TJ’s tobacco search
  • Gibson, Patrick; letters to search
  • Gibson & Jefferson (Richmond firm); and textile machinery acquired by TJ search
  • Gibson & Jefferson (Richmond firm); payments made for TJ search
  • Gibson & Jefferson (Richmond firm); tobacco sold for TJ search
  • Griffin, Burgess; Poplar Forest overseer search
  • Harrison, Samuel Jordan; buys tobacco from TJ search
  • Jefferson, Thomas; Business & Financial Affairs; sells tobacco search
  • oil; for TJ search
  • Perry, John M.; TJ’s carpenter search
  • Poplar Forest (TJ’s Bedford Co. estate); TJ returns from search
  • Poplar Forest (TJ’s Bedford Co. estate); tobacco grown at search
  • Sammons, James; TJ pays search
  • spinning machines; TJ orders search