1Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 6 November 1812 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of Oct. 29. finds me still here. tho’ the effects of my fall have not been quite removed, I shall set out for Bedford in 2. or 3. days. the doubt as to the security proposed for that portion of the debt for which mr Higginbotham & another were to give joint bonds, was not unexpected because it was reasonable. I had suggested it to him as possible & even probable, & he was therefore...
2Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 21 September 1810 (Jefferson Papers)
Your’s of Aug. 30 . arrived while I was absent in Bedford , to which place I now go several times in the year & stay there from a fortnight to a month. I congratulate you on your safe arrival in the US. and should have done it with more pleasure in person had your perambulations for health led you this way. your former letter by mr Irving was immediately complied with, the business executed to...
3William Short to Thomas Jefferson, 7 February 1810 (Jefferson Papers)
Jefferson — Feb 7. to enclose that of M r Bott a — announc g my return—on acc t of public affair & mail— & Breck’s death—& had known it sh d
4Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 8 March 1811 (Jefferson Papers)
I now make frequent journies to Bedford , and make long stays there , having a good house and accomodations there. I am just returned thence, after an absence of five weeks, and find here your letter of Jan. 30 . I had left this on the 27 th . to this you must sometimes ascribe the not recieving timely answers from me, & sometimes to my the repugnance with which I go to my writing table. my...
5Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 9 April 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
Th:J. to W. Short. The inclosed was omitted by accident to be forwarded to you in my last. it is a necessary document for you in your settlement with mr Carter . I salute you ever and affectionately. P. S. I send also mr Carter ’s letter shewing he had agreed to pay what he recieved & interest. RC ( ViW: TJP ); dateline adjacent to postscript; endorsed by Short as received 15 Apr. Enclosure:...
6Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 26 March 1814 (Jefferson Papers)
In my letter of Feb. 23. I desired you to send me mr Higginbotham ’s rent-note, as well as his bond. but the bond happened to be on the way at the time, and expecting that on the reciept of my letter you would send on the rent note also, I kept up the bond to deliver both together. two days ago however I recieved the inclosed not e from mr Higgenbotham , by which it appears the rent is paid. I...
7Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 26 December 1812 (Jefferson Papers)
I am just returned from Bedford and find here your favor of Nov. 29 . as an object which needs no delay I send you the 1 st vol. of the Memoires . the 2 d shall follow by the next post. I use this precaution, not to appear to burthen a single mail unreasonably, and I ask the same attention from you on their return. M r Higginbotham’s matter shall be attended to the moment I get through the...
8Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 30 May 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
I returned from Bedford on the 15 th inst. and have been in the hope of having the pleasure of seeing M r Correa here; but begin now to fear his visit to Washington might have been too early in the month to be protracted until the time I had noted to you for my return. should this circumstance deprive me ultimately of the pleasure of seeing him it will be a subject of lasting regret. it is so...
9Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 23 February 1814 (Jefferson Papers)
I am first to thank you for the indulgences of yours of Feb. 6. I believe that by the combined effects of blockade embargo and drought, I have suffered more than any other individual. the two former would but have left me where I was, but the last threw me back by forcing me to buy a year’s subsistence for my whole family.— on the reciept of your letter I saw mr Higgenbotham and stated to him...
10Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 17 May 1814 (Jefferson Papers)
The bearer mr Rives , the son of one of our wealthiest citizens and of the neighboring county of Amherst , is an eleve of mine in law & politics. before he commences practice he wishes to visit the country North of us. an honester, abler, or better informed man could not be presented to you. make him sensible of my high estimation of him by the kind offices which you as my friend may render...
11Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 28 February 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
Having procured an appointment for the 21 st inst. the Surveyor , arbitrators, parties (by their agents) and witnesses met. the forenoon was showery but the difficulty & uncertainty of all collecting again from different parts of the county induced all to go thro’ the work. the Surveyor run the lines, and instead of something less than 30. a s as had been conjectured, he found them to contain...
12Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 18 April 1815 (Jefferson Papers)
The departure of the post and my distance from the office leave me barely time to acknolege the reciept of your favor of the 4 th inst. and to inclose you an order on the Treasury of the US. for 10,500 D. which, I believe, is a little over the amount of my three bonds with the interest. this however you will ascertain by calculation, and if there be a surplus, be so good as to put it into the...
13William Short to Thomas Jefferson, 19 June 1810 (Jefferson Papers)
You will be surprized at recieving a letter from me from this place—I did not contemplate being here & still less being in Europe as late as this— My very great anxiety to be again in America to attend to some of my affairs which required something to be immediately done, as the friend with whom I left my power to represent me at Philadelphia , M r Breck , had died without naming a substitute—...
14Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 27 June 1815 (Jefferson Papers)
We are unlucky in our endeavors to procure a settlement of your boundary. immediately on the arrival of Col o Monroe , I proposed to him a settlement. he was as anxious to have it as I was and we appointed the day after the morrow. mr Dawson one of the most probe and respectable men of our neighborhood, and Col o Isaac Coles , who happened to be at Monticello met us as arbitrators, and old mr...
15Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 14 October 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
A circumstance has occurred here which will occasion a drawback of about 30.D. in mr Higgenbotham ’s last payment to you. a law was past here some 2. or 3. years ago subjecting lands to be sold for any payment of taxes uncredited on the sheriffs books without limitation of time, unless the party could produce proof of payment; and 10. p.c. interest required from the date. the ex and no notice...
16William Short to Thomas Jefferson, 9 June 1814 (Jefferson Papers)
M r Rives has presented to me the letter by which you were so kind as to make us acquainted—He has been here now some days & I have been very much pleased with him. His being your friend would have insured him at any rate my attention—but I really return you my thanks for having procured me so agreeable an acquaintance. I have taken pleasure in introducing M r Rives to such of my friends here...
17Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 15 January 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
Of the last 5 months, 4 have been past at Poplar Forest where I am engaged in improvements requiring much of my presence. while there no letters are forwarded to me, the cross post being very circuitous. they are accumulating here during my absence, and on my return are pressing for answers. as soon after my last return as my progress in this corvée afforded me the prospect of a day to spare,...
18Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 17 October 1812 (Jefferson Papers)
I have communicated to mr Higginbotham the substance of your letter of the 7 th and can now give you specific answers from him to your several queries. 1. the price 10. D. an acre paiable at Christmas of the years 1813. 14. 15. in equal instalments, with an understanding that if these paiments are delayed to & through April, paying interest on that delay, it shall not be deemed a breach of...
19Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 15 October 1811 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letter of Aug. 10. from Portland Portsmouth came duly to hand. according to promise I have made exact research into the situation of your land . I rode to Price’s and enquired of him with respect to the leases, to whom, on what conditions, and for what terms they were made? I found them to be as follows. Richard Shackleford 100. a s rent 50.D. } written leases for 3. years from the...
20William Short to Thomas Jefferson, 31 December 1810 (Jefferson Papers)
I had the pleasure of writing to you on the 1 st of Nov. — & I took the liberty at the same time of inclosing a letter for Price , as being the best, if not the only certain means of getting a letter to him. I hope that was recieved by you—but it has not procured of Price the answer I had counted on. I had hoped it would have conquered his aversion to writing—After so long an interval, I no...
21Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 8 March 1809 (Jefferson Papers)
It is with much concern I inform you that the Senate has negatived your appointment. we thought it best to keep back the nomination to the close of the session, that the mission might remain secret as long as possible, which you know was our purpose from the beginning. it was then sent in with an explanation of it’s object & motives. we took for granted, if any hesitation should arise, that...
22Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 18 June 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
Yours of the 2 d is recieved, and a copy of Higgenbotham’s mortgage is now inclosed. the journey to Bedford which I proposed in my last, my engagements here have obliged me to postpone till after harvest which is now approaching; it is the most unpromising one I have seen. we have been some days in expectation of seeing M. Correa. if he is on the road, he has had some days of our very hottest...
23Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 30 September 1812 (Jefferson Papers)
I have at length recieved an offer for your lands, which tho not coming entirely up to your terms, is so nearly so as to make it my duty to communicate it for your consideration. it is from mr Higginbotham , who had applied to yourself by letter with a very different proposition. he is a merchant of Milton , who in the course of many years of snug & safe business has made a handsome provision...
24William Short to Thomas Jefferson, 19 November 1811 (Jefferson Papers)
I was exploring the Jersey mountains in search of a farm when your favor of the 15 th Oct. was forwarded here, agreeably to directions left with my agent at Philadelphia , as to my letters. I did not succeed in my search but hope to be more successful next year.— Let me now express all my thanks for your kindness as to Ind. Camp —I am indeed truly obliged by it, & prefer much the plan of...
25William Short to Thomas Jefferson, 1 November 1810 (Jefferson Papers)
I have delayed, much longer than I had intended, to answer your favor of the 21 st Sep. & to thank you for your wonted kindness in attending to the commission I took the libert e y of troubling you with— It was executed as you expected & ready for me here, whither I came after whiling away the sickly Season in the Jersey & at Morrisville , which you know is become the seat of Gen l Moreau .— I...
26William Short to Thomas Jefferson, 28 October 1814 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 20 th of August followed me in my summer’s tour & overtook me whilst on the road—I postponed therefore acknowleging it until my return to winter quarters— I have been not the less grateful for your kindness & the trouble you are taking to bring to a happy conclusion the limits disputed limits between Monroe & myself—If his presence should be really necessary, or even his...
27Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 25 March 1815 (Jefferson Papers)
I was waiting to write to you on the subject of my bonds only until I could recieve an answer to a letter I had written enquiring the footing on which treasury notes could be recieved. here they are eagerly recieved at par and the interest, while no one will recieve a bank note but for the purposes of the moment. I speak of the country people, and not of the banking cabals. your letter...
28Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 25 April 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of Feb. 16. remains still I believe to be acknoleged. as I did not go to the court succeeding it’s reciept myself, I delivered your deed to mr Higginbotham and his mortgage to you, to himself on his way to court to have both recorded, which cannot fail to have been done; but shall be the subject of more special enquiry, mr Carter’s negligence having taught me to take nothing for...
29William Short to Thomas Jefferson, 16 November 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
Your kind letter of Octob: 14. was recieved here the 19 th the very day you fixed as that of your departure for Bedford to remain there until the 1 st of Dec:—I did not therefore attempt to answer it at the moment, as it would have remained at Monticello , until your return—And this I count will get there some time before you & recieve you at your debotter . I write thus early because I am...
30Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 26 July 1811 (Jefferson Papers)
On the reciept of your letters of May 29 . & June 18 . I wrote to mr Bankhead , then with his family in Port-royal , offering your lands to him at 12.D. for altho I had seen no reason for a great sudden rise in the price of our lands, yet two sales had been made as I formerly wrote you, far above what had been deemed the neighborhood price. himself had been one of the purchasers. I therefore...
31Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 28 November 1814 (Jefferson Papers)
Yours of Oct. 28. came to hand on the 15 th inst. only. the settlement of your boundary with Col o Monroe is protracted by circumstances which seem foreign to it. one would hardly have expected that the hostile expedition to Washington could have had any connection with an operation 100. miles distant. yet, preventing his attendance, nothing could be done. I am satisfied there is no...
32Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 10 February 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
Your patience has been put to the proof, and yet I have not been one moment in default. in my letter of Dec. 26. soon after my return from Bedford , I promised as soon as I had got thro’ the answering letters E t c accumulated during my absence, your affair should be taken up. the Corvée of letter-writing was finished about the 13 th of Jan. and I immediately set in to the preparation of your...
33Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 5 May 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
On my return, the day before yesterday, I found here your favor of Apr. 23. and answer without delay the remaining question on your affair with with mr Carter . the last payment I made him for you was by a draught of Aug. 2 3. 1795 . for 524.83 D the exact balance for the lands after the ascertainment of their contents by actual survey. consequently, in this was included the overpayment now to...
34William Short to Thomas Jefferson, 18 January 1814 (Jefferson Papers)
Your kind letter of the 9 th of Nov: was recieved here at the time. You mentioned that you were setting off for Bedford & would be absent a month— I postponed therefore acknowleging its reciept so long that I determined to wait until I should again hear from you as to Carter s affair after you had heard from him—so as to trouble you less often. But as I know my good countrymen of the Carter...
35William Short to Thomas Jefferson, 23 April 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
Your two favors of the 7 th & 9 th have come to my hands & I return you many thanks for them. I calculated from your letter that you would be absent until the early part of May, & therefore did not acknowlege its reciept immediately. This will be anterior to your return & will wait for you at Monticello , where I hope you will arrive at the time expected & in good health. You will find there...
36William Short to Thomas Jefferson, 27 May 1809 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letter of the 8 th of March was delivered to me by M r Coles . I write this answer by precaution, as it is not certain that I shall not return with him. It will depend on the answer which Gen l Armstrong will recieve from this Gov t on the subject of his communications to them in consequence of the despatches by M r Coles . Should the answer be such as to shew that it would be unadvisable...
37William Short to Thomas Jefferson, 7 May 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
In consequence of an understanding between M r H : & myself, that I would inclose to you his bond & mortgage, when the payment was completed, I now take the liberty of inclosing his last bond & the mortgage — I have been informed by M r Gibson that he has recieved for me from the agent of M r H. at Richmond
38William Short to Thomas Jefferson, 25 August 1815 (Jefferson Papers)
Your kind letter of June 27. was in my absence taken up by my agent at Philadelphia & sent after me. I was then on a visit to the beautiful Lake, called by the French le lac du S t Sacrament & by their successors Lake George . The French showed their good taste in having chosen this to furnish them their holy water. Nothing can be more pure than it is. The fish there are worthy of being...
39Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 10 August 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 18 th ult. after loitering unaccountably on the road, reached my hands on the eve of a visit to the President from whose seat therefore the present is written. I am much gratified by the prospect you hold up to me of a visit from Marshal Grouchy and Gen l Clausel ; and the pleasure will be heightened should the country thro’ which they will pass, and the people whom they will...
40Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 7 April 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
I have to acknolege your favor of Mar. 14. and will answer it’s several enquiries. le mot de l’enigme as to the boundary of the land is that Monroe ’s land lies North of yours. you must recollect on being reminded that your land adjoined Blenheim , Monroe ’s joined Colle and my lands. mr Carter not being considered as a party direct, and having formerly shewn no disposition to attend...
41Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 15 May 1815 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 3 d finds me just on my departure for Bedford , and I return you therefore the paper you inclosed me, without delay. to the fact of the want of time I will further add that no person on earth would more willingly than myself do whatever was within my power to reward with the honors they have merited our naval heroes, for the respect which their heroism has procured for our...
42Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 9 November 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
You have heretofore been apprised of a claim of Col o Monroe to a corner of your tract of land on the top of the mountain, which he supposes included within the lines of his prior deed. some years ago he mentioned this to me; but as mr Carter had conducted your survey in person, I imagined Col o Monroe had been illy informed, and as he never repeated the thing to me, I presumed he had become...
43William Short to Thomas Jefferson, 5 January 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
In the course of the last summer I had the pleasure of recieving a letter from you in which you were so good as to mark the progress that the land affair had made towards a final termination. You then thought it was inevitable in the course of the autumn succeeding. And although appearances so far were not favorable to me, yet I wished the point to be settled on several accounts. Having not...
44Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 28 January 1814 (Jefferson Papers)
I scarcely ever sat down to write a more painful letter than the present. when in Oct. 1812. I proposed to become the payer of a part of mr Higginbotham ’s purchase of you, at that time expected to be of 1800. three paiments of 1800. or 2000.D. each, I gave you a particular statement of my resources, than which nothing could be more true. I have since that sowed regularly 800. bushels of wheat...
45William Short to Thomas Jefferson, 11 March 1815 (Jefferson Papers)
Your kind & friendly letter of Nov. 28. gave me not the less pleasure for having remained so long unacknowleged—The cause of my silence has been an aff l iction in the eyes so highly inflamatory as to preclude me from the use of my pen & my books—The disorder seems now to have left me, but I am not yet placed in the statu quo ante , & am obliged to use my eyes sparingly. I cannot however...
46Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 20 August 1814 (Jefferson Papers)
Since my short letter by mr Rives I have to acknolege the reciept of your two favors of June 9. & July 30 . a few days before the last came to hand I had written to Col o Monroe & prayed him to name a day in the autumn (when the fall of the leaves shall have rendered a survey in the woods practicable) and to procure an engagement from Champe Carter
47William Short to Thomas Jefferson, 18 July 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of May 5. is the last I have had the pleasure of recieving from you. It crossed on the road one I wrote to you of May 7. This last was to inclose to you, as agreed on with M r Higginbotham , his mortgage & last bond. I hope & take for granted they were recieved by you & that M r H. has disposed of them to his satisfaction. I am the more certain of this, as he would certainly have...
48William Short to Thomas Jefferson, 3 March 1814 (Jefferson Papers)
I had the pleasure of writing to you on the 26 th ul to —& have since recieved your favor of the 23 d —for which I beg leave here to return my thanks.— Conformably with what I then announced I now send the work of Dupont which you were so good as to lend me . I despair of seeing any general system of education established during my day. I should however be much gratified if I could live to see...
49William Short to Thomas Jefferson, 10 April 1809 (Jefferson Papers)
You will be surprize d to see by the date of my letter that I am still at Paris . I hope when you shall have seen how this has been gradually occasioned that you will approve it. I hope also that it will be approved by your successor to whom I wrote on the subject not long ago by an occasion which Gen l Armstrong made use of, being the first he has had since the departure of the Union . It was...
50William Short to Thomas Jefferson, 8 July 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
I hastily noted to you the reciept of your favor of the 18 th ul to inclosing the mortgage of Higginbotham. I sent at the same time the first volume of the Bareith memoirs—I now send the second volume—& with it my sincere thanks for the perusal of the bavardage of this Princess , which has amused me much. I explained to you formerly how she came to be dressed up here in a new covering. Correa...