To Thomas Jefferson from Thomas Worthington, John Smith of Ohio, and Jeremiah Morrow, 16 January 1805
From Thomas Worthington, John Smith of Ohio, and Jeremiah Morrow
Jany. 16th. 1805
Sir
We take the liberty to recommend Samuel Huntington esquire as a candidate for the office of Governor of the Michigan Territory—Mr Huntington has held several Important offices in the State of Ohio, is at present one of the Judges of the Supreme Court of that State, and has sustained that character of a good Republican and we are informed is acquainted with; and can converse in the French language—we have the honor to be with the highest respect
Sir your Obt. Svts.
T Worthington
John Smith
Jeremiah Morrow
RC (DNA: RG 59, LAR); in Morrow’s hand, signed by all; at foot of text: “Thos. Jefferson President U.S.”; endorsed by TJ as received 16 Jan. and “Huntington Saml. to be Govr. Detroit” and so recorded in SJL; also endorsed by TJ: “rather Judge. he speaks French.”
Jeremiah Morrow (1771-1852), a Republican, was Ohio’s first member of the U.S. House of Representatives, serving from 1803 to 1813, and then in the U.S. Senate from 1813 to 1819. He later served as governor and in the state legislature, then returned to Congress briefly as a Whig in the early 1840s. A native of Pennsylvania and a former surveyor, Morrow was an acknowledged expert on federal land policy (; Biog. Dir. Cong.).
Other recommendations for Michigan appointments were penned around this time. In a letter to Madison dated 19 Jan., Israel Smith, Gideon Olin, and Matthew Lyon recommended James Witherill of Vermont for a Michigan judgeship, deeming him a “man of Talents & Urbanity” (RC in DNA: RG 59, LAR; endorsed by TJ: “Witherill James. to be judge of Michigan”). Peter Carr wrote to John Wayles Eppes from Charlottesville on 8 Feb. to recommend their mutual acquaintance Charles Jouett for the Michigan governorship. Carr had been told that many of the new territory’s inhabitants were “Anglo-federal.” He believed that Jouett’s “decision, his rigid integrity and undaunted intrepidity, would keep these people in awe, whilst it would command their respect” (RC in same; endorsed by TJ: “Jouett Charles to be Govr. Michigan”).