Thomas Jefferson Papers
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https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-31-02-0334

From Thomas Jefferson to John Barnes, 24 February 1800

To John Barnes

Feb. 24. 1800.

Dear Sir

I gave my servant an order on you in favor of Henrietta Gardner, washer-woman, for fifteen dollars. he says he has lost it. be so good therefore as to pay him that sum if not before paid on account of Dr Sir

Your most obedt. servt

Th: Jefferson

The woman brings it herself

RC (CSmH); at foot of text: “Mr. Barnes”; endorsed by Barnes. Not recorded in SJL.

 

Fortune Barnes, not evidently related to John Barnes, became TJ’s servant on 30 Dec. 1799 and held the position until the vice president left for Monticello the following May. Henrietta Gardner, who worked in a boarding house and did washing for TJ, was the widow of William Gardner, a slave freed by James Madison who had moved to Philadelphia and worked as a merchant’s agent. TJ ordered the payment to Mrs. Gardner on 21 Feb. (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 2:808n, 962n, 1012, 1014, 1019; Madison, Papers description begins William T. Hutchinson, Robert A. Rutland, J. C. A. Stagg, and others, eds., The Papers of James Madison, Chicago and Charlottesville, 1962–, 27 vols. description ends , 15:32n; Vol. 30:644n).

In a note to John Steele, comptroller of the U.S., on 30 Dec. 1799, TJ under power of attorney from William Short authorized payment to Barnes of all interest and principal due on Short’s treasury certificates on 1 Jan. (RC, photostat in ViU, endorsed and signed by Steele at foot of text as “Admitted,” 2 Jan. 1800; not recorded in SJL). On 2 Jan. Barnes drew up a statement showing that after the receipt of those proceeds and Barnes’s deduction of his commission Short had a credit with Barnes of $618.29. Barnes also noted some additional interest payments that were not yet receivable but were to be paid in January and April (MS in DLC: Short Papers; entirely in Barnes’s hand; endorsed by TJ).

On 7 Dec. 1799 TJ made out an order on Barnes to pay $100 on 5 Jan. to James Old, who had sent that sum to TJ on 11 Dec. (MS in MHi, written and signed by TJ, with receipt on verso signed by Old on 6 Jan., endorsed by Barnes, canceled; 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 2:1010). By an order of 10 Feb. 1800 TJ paid Maurice Rogers, through Barnes, $40 for books (MS in ViU: Edgehill-Randolph Papers, written and signed by TJ, receipt signed by Rogers on 15 Feb., endorsed by Barnes; 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 2:1014).

TJ on 21 Feb. wrote an order for Barnes to pay Richard Folwell $6 for the first three volumes of Folwell’s edition of the Journals of Congress, a work that was supported by subscription, including 400 copies ordered by act of Congress. Folwell published the journals of the Continental and Confederation Congresses from September 1774 to March 1789 in 13 volumes printed in Philadelphia, 1800–01 (MS in MHi, written and signed by TJ, note of receipt for Folwell by H. W. Weston, endorsed by Barnes; 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 2:1014; Herbert Friedenwald, “The Journals and Papers of the Continental Congress,” PMHB description begins Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, 1877– description ends , 21 [1897], 371–3; Evans, description begins Charles Evans, Clifford K. Shipton, and Roger P. Bristol, comps., American Bibliography: A Chronological Dictionary of all Books, Pamphlets and Periodical Publications Printed in the United States of America from …1639 …to …1820, Chicago and Worcester, Mass., 1903–59,14 vols. description ends No. 38750).

On 26 Feb. TJ wrote a one-line request to Barnes: “Th: Jefferson will be obliged to mr Barnes for twenty Dollars,” and noted receipt of the money in his financial memoranda (MS in ViU: Edgehill-Randolph Papers, in TJ’s hand, addressed: “Mr. Barnes,” endorsed by Barnes; not recorded in SJL; 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 2:1015).

Letters from Barnes to TJ of 30 Sep., 29 Oct., 17 Nov., and 8 Dec. 1799, received on 17 Oct. (from Trenton), 7, 28 Nov. 1799, and 14 Jan. 1800, respectively, one written by Barnes on 20 Jan. 1800 and received the same day, and two from TJ to Barnes of 9 and 29 Nov. 1799 are recorded in SJL but have not been found.

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