PrC (MHi); at foot of text: “Doctr David Jackson”; endorsed by TJ in ink on verso.

David Jackson (ca. 1730–1801), a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, was a physician and apothecary in Philadelphia. During the Revolution, he served as surgeon of the Pennsylvania militia, Continental Line, quarter-master general of the Pennsylvania militia, and senior surgeon of the military hospital. He was a delegate to the Continental Congress from April to November 1785, became a trustee of the University of Pennsylvania in 1791, and was elected to membership in the American Philosophical Society (Biog. Dir. Cong.; DAB description begins Allen Johnson and Dumas Malone, eds., Dictionary of American Biography, New York, 1928–36, 20 vols. description ends ; Philadelphia Aurora, 3 Nov. 1798; MB description begins James A. Bear, Jr., and Lucia C. Stanton, eds., Jefferson’s Memorandum Books: Accounts, with Legal Records and Miscellany, 1767–1826, Princeton, 1997, The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Second Series description ends , 2:935). His letter to TJ of 3 Jan. 1798 is recorded in SJL as received the same day, but has not been found.

One hundred and sixty dollars & a half: on 9 Jan. 1801, TJ recorded in his financial records that he enclosed $166.50 to Dr. Jackson on the account of Dr. Wardlaw and William Davenport “ante Nov. 21.” An entry for 21 Nov. noted that of this sum “100 D. is for W. Davenport, & the balance I may draw on him for” (MB description begins James A. Bear, Jr., and Lucia C. Stanton, eds., Jefferson’s Memorandum Books: Accounts, with Legal Records and Miscellany, 1767–1826, Princeton, 1997, The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Second Series description ends , 2:1030, 1033).

On 13 Jan. Jackson acknowledged receipt of this letter and of John Barnes’s Check for $166.50, “which agreeable to your directions I have passed to Doctr. Wardlaw’s credit.” He added: “With the highest pleasure I congratulate you on the triumph of republicanism in the late Presidential Election—I am however truly sorry that the result is such, as to make it necessary for the House of Representatives to have any agency in the business—I hope no federal trick may be attempted by that body, whereby the people of the United States may be deprived of the men of their choice” (RC in MHi; endorsed by TJ as received 16 Jan. and so recorded in SJL.).