Memorandums to Thomas Mann Randolph, Jr., [ca. 22–25 October 1793]
Memorandums to Thomas Mann Randolph, Jr.
[ca. 22–25 Oct. 1793]
Memorandums with respect to Watson.
- The waggon is to be sent for him on Monday Nov. 4. to bring his things.
- He is to work in the shop near the sawpit, and he must lodge there till Claxton moves.
- Then his wife is to live in Claxton’s house till I return and can fix them elsewhere.
- Johnny is to work with him for the purpose of learning to make wheels, and all sorts of work.
- He is to do the following work, and in the order here mentioned unless any good reason should arise for changing it.
- Make a pair of wheels for Tom’s mule cart.
- Mend or make wheels for the two oxcarts.
- Make a pair of forewheels for the Phaeton.
- Make 2 pr. of wheels for wheelbarrows. 3 f. diameter.
- Make a set of waggon wheels.
- The Phaeton wheels should be of ash, but the rest may be of the oak I bought of Gaines.
- Watson is to be furnished with provisions till I come home which may be done from the Plantations at the same time with Mr. Biddle.
- In rainy weather the carpenters are to be employed in splitting, planing, jointing and rounding shingles, which may be under the eye of Watson.
MS (DLC: TJ Papers, 77: 13398); undated; entirely in TJ’s hand; docketed at a later date by an unidentified hand: “Th. Jefferson Instructions relative to Watson—Sepr. 92.”
The docketing notwithstanding, TJ evidently left these instructions with his son-in-law after hiring David Watson on 22 Oct. 1793 and before leaving Monticello for Philadelphia three days later. Watson, a house joiner and British deserter whom TJ had employed from 1781 to 1784, andagain in 1792, remained in his service until 1797 (, 3 Apr. 1781 and note, 19 Sep. 1792, 22 Oct. 1793, 2 Dec. 1797; note to TJ to the County Lieutenants, 26 Mch. 1781; Randolph to TJ, 7 Nov. 1793).