21From Thomas Jefferson to Martha Jefferson Randolph, 14 May 1804 (Jefferson Papers)
I arrived here last night after the most fatiguing journey I have experienced for a great many years. I got well enough to Orange C.H. the first day. the 2d. there was a constant heavy drizzle through the whole day, sufficient to soak my outer great coat twice, and the roads very dirty and in places deep. the third the roads became as deep as at any season, & as laborious to the horse. Castor...
22From Thomas Jefferson to Martha Jefferson Randolph, 17 July 1804 (Jefferson Papers)
It is a considerrible time, my very dear Martha, since I have written because I have been in expectation you were all at Eppington: and tho’ I have not heard of your return to Edgehill, I presume it has taken place. I have some hope of being able to leave this on the 23d. & to be with you on the 26th. but it is possible I may not be able to get thro’ my business. mr Gallatin & Smith are gone....
23From Thomas Jefferson to Martha Jefferson Randolph, 7 October 1804 (Jefferson Papers)
I arrived here this day week, having travelled through the rain of that day rather than stay in disagreeable quarters. I experienced no inconvenience from it. the Marquis Yrujo arrived two days after me, and mr Madison & Genl. Dearborne got here the last night. the latter has left his family in Maine for the winter. Yrujo is said to be very ill, taken two days ago. I inclose a magazine for...
24From Thomas Jefferson to Martha Jefferson Randolph, 6 November 1804 (Jefferson Papers)
I send you the inclosed magazine supposing it may furnish you a few moments amusement, as well as to the reading members of your family. Mr. Randolph arrived here Sunday evening in good health and brought me the welcome news, that you were all well. Congress has as yet formed but one of it’s houses; there being no Senate. my heart fails me at the opening such a campaign of bustle & fatigue:...
25From Thomas Jefferson to Martha Jefferson Randolph, 3 December 1804 (Jefferson Papers)
Taking for granted that mr Randolph writes to you regularly and much engaged by business & company myself, I have been more remiss. we are all well here, and our accounts from Eppington are favorable, & particularly that our dear little one there has two teeth. Francis is in remarkeable health: and I hope the objects of our affections with you are equally so. I send you some magazines which...
26From Thomas Jefferson to Martha Jefferson Randolph, 7 January 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
A letter from mr Randolph to mr Coles informs him he shall bring you here, but does not say if with or without the family. I shall rejoice my dear to receive you here, and them, or as many of them as you can bring. I feel much for what you will suffer on the road for such a spell of severe weather we have not known for years. the thermometer has been down, of mornings at 14. 12. 10. and once...
27From Thomas Jefferson to Martha Jefferson Randolph, 21 January 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letter of the 11th . was recieved and gave me the first intimation of your illness. it has filled me with anxiety respecting you, and this is increased by your not having communicated it to me. because in endeavoring to spare my feelings on your real situation it gives me the pain of fearing every thing imaginable; even that the statement of your recovery may not be exact. let me pray you...
28From Thomas Jefferson to Martha Jefferson Randolph, 28 January 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letter of the 11th. recieved here on the 15th. is the last news I have of you. mr Randolph having written to mr Coles that he should be here on the 15th. & not having come, & no letter from you by that post, I was thrown into inexpressible anxiety lest a relapse into your complaint should have called him to Edgehill. from this I was not relieved till three days ago when a letter from mr...
29From Thomas Jefferson to Martha Jefferson Randolph, 6 May 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letter of Apr. 19. & mr Randolph’s of Apr. 27. have given me the agreeable information of mr Randolph’s success, & the more agreeable & important information that you are getting well. for the restoration of your stomach my chief dependance is on your own resolution to observe rigorously whatever regimen you find from experience to agree with you: and it will take a long course of this...
30From Thomas Jefferson to Martha Jefferson Randolph, 10 June 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
I have been a month now without hearing from Edgehill, mr Randolph’s letter of May 11. being the last I have recieved. Anne then had the mumps which of course were expected to go thro’ the family, and heightens my anxiety to hear from you. our post is now I believe permanently established at three times a week. the spring here continues sickly & cold, & poor prospects of crops. we had...
31From Thomas Jefferson to Martha Jefferson Randolph, 12 June 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
I have barely time to tell you that mrs Madison has executed your desires and I dare say to your mind. the commission to me has given me the greatest pleasure, as it always would that you would say to me freely at all times what want you have which I could gratify. my wishes are always to do what would be pleasing to you; but knowing nothing of what would be proper or acceptable, I do nothing....
32From Thomas Jefferson to Martha Jefferson Randolph, 24 June 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
I last night recieved a letter from mr Taylor of Baltimore informing me he had sent by the stage to this place the trunk of articles ordered by mr Kelly. I sent this morning to the Stage office; the trunk was arrived, & goes on this evening to Fredericksburg, where I shall desire mr Benson to forward it by the first stage to Milton. I had paiment made here for transportation as far as...
33From Thomas Jefferson to Martha Jefferson Randolph, 13 October 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
I performed my journey to this place without any accident or disagreeable circumstance except travelling half a day in a pretty steady rain, which I thought preferable to staying at Brown’s. I experienced no inconvenience from it. this place, which had been healthy thro’ the summer is now rather sickly. some cold mornings & frost after my arrival, it was hoped would remove all disease, but the...
34From Thomas Jefferson to Martha Jefferson Randolph, 22 October 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
I have been from home now three weeks without having heard from you or of you through any channel. this being our stage postday I had hoped for a line from some of the family. knowing the uncertain state of your health this long silence makes me uneasy. I hope I shall soon be relieved by a letter. your rooms will be in readiness for you here by the beginning of the month. mrs Madison still...
35From Thomas Jefferson to Martha Jefferson Randolph, 7 November 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
Immediately on the reciept of your last letter, as mrs Madison was and is still in Philadelphia, I wrote to her for the articles you desired, and they may be expected by the stage probably in a few days. I now inclose you an hundred dollars for your expences on the road, and you must consider every thing which yourself or the family will want here as to be furnished by me so that the visit may...
36From Thomas Jefferson to Martha Jefferson Randolph, 25 November 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
I was uneasy at not hearing from you by the last post, that is to say, by the one which arrived Tuesday morning last, the 19th. I thought it certain I should recieve information as to sending a carriage. I take for granted I shall have a letter tomorrow morning; but in the mean time this goes out this evening. we find more difficulty than I had expected in getting a carriage. it seems that all...
37From Thomas Jefferson to Martha Jefferson Randolph, 29 November 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
The carriage goes off in the morning for Centerville, in time, if you should arrive there early & be so disposed, to bring you on to Fairfax court house in the evening. that will make your ride the next morning easy. but should you not leave Centerville till Sunday morning, you may with ease get here to dinner which we shall accordingly keep back for you till 4. aclock. if you could start by...
38From Thomas Jefferson to Martha Jefferson Randolph, 16 June 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
I arrived here, my dear Martha, to breakfast, on the Saturday morning before the last, without accident, & without wetting from the various showers which fell. mr Eppes proceded to Annapolis the next day (Sunday) and was back on Tuesday, all that matter being entirely broken off. I understand it was from the disagreement of the mother, solely, who has some other match for her daughter in her...
39From Thomas Jefferson to Martha Jefferson Randolph, 6 July 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
The last letter I have had from Edgehill was Anne’s of June 20. that informed me that the family had been generally unwell, that Ellen was still ill, and your self too sick to write. I am very anxious to hear from you & hope that this day’s post will inform me you are all well. this day fortnight I propose to leave this place and to be with you Thursday morning the 24th. absence from you...
40From Thomas Jefferson to Martha Jefferson Randolph, 20 October 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
John delivered safely your letter of the 14th. I am sorry you did not continue at Monticello until your house was in compleat readiness for you. you will run the double risk of green plaister, & a less perfect preparation of it for your winter’s residence. I do not know what stores remained for your consumption, but it is always my wish you should take whatever does remain. many of them will...
41From Thomas Jefferson to Martha Jefferson Randolph, 21 November 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
Davy arrived last night and will set out tomorrow on his return. by him I send the flower-pot & plant in it which you left here, & a box No. 5. containing a bonnet for yourself. he carries also a cage with a pair of Bantams for Ellen. I must ask the favor of you to have the box No. 4. opened, to take out a piece of linen, & then let the box go on to Monticello. the linen I must ask you to have...
42From Thomas Jefferson to Martha Jefferson Randolph, 2 March 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
Tomorrow Congress will close; but I hardly expect to get away under a week. it will take that time at least to get all the laws put into a course of execution & some other matters settled. on Monday last mr Randolph & myself took a ride to Maine’s to engage our thorns. the day was raw, he was without a great coat, and was before indisposed, as I had mentioned to you. that evening he was taken...
43From Thomas Jefferson to Martha Jefferson Randolph, 6 March 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
I wrote you on Monday evening, and then expected that a morning or two more would have produced a compleat intermission of mr Randolph’s fever. but it did not. yesterday morning the remission was such as to leave the fever scarcely sensible, and at 3. P.M. the usual hour of it’s access it was more moderate than it has ever been. I left him at 4. P.M. with not much fever, entirely at ease and...
44From Thomas Jefferson to Martha Jefferson Randolph, 9 March 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
I have the happiness to inform you that mr Randolph is entirely well. his fever had left him at the date of my last but I did not then know it. + he moved here on Saturday and Dr. Jones with him. He has now nothing but weakness to contend with. he was able to walk two or three times across the room to-day, he eats with some appetite & sleeps tolerably. the Doctor will leave us tomorrow, as...
45From Thomas Jefferson to Martha Jefferson Randolph, 10 March 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
Altho’ I wrote to you by post yesterday, yet as an opportunity offers by Capt Clarke at noon to-day, and I know you will still be anxious, I write again to assure you that mr Randolph continues perfectly well. he slept finely last night, eats with appetite to-day, is in fine spirits, and has nothing amiss but weakness. the first sun-shiney day he will begin to take air & exercise in the...
46From Thomas Jefferson to Martha Jefferson Randolph, 12 March 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
Altho’ this letter which goes by the carts, will not reach you till Monday evening, and that which I shall write you by the post of tomorrow evening will reach you on Monday morning, yet I cannot omit to drop you a line lest any accident should delay that by mail. mr Randolph continues well. eats with appetite sleeps tolerably, reads: and has not had the smallest return of fever since it left...
47From Thomas Jefferson to Martha Jefferson Randolph, 13 March 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
I wrote to you by the carts yesterday morning; but as you will not get that letter till Monday evening, and may recieve this written a day later on Monday morning, I again inform you that mr Randolph continues well. he rode yesterday 5. miles, without fatigue, was much exhilarated by it, & had a fine night’s sleep. an Easterly storm having set in this morning will interrupt this salutary...
48From Thomas Jefferson to Martha Jefferson Randolph, 16 March 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
Mr Randolph continues well. nothing has happened to throw him back. he rides out now on good days in the carriage. he came down to breakfast with us to-day. but the quantity of blood taken from him occasions him to recover strength slowly. it is now certain that his calculation for departure will be truer than mine. judging by the advance of his strength for the last week, it will take another...
49From Thomas Jefferson to Martha Jefferson Randolph, 20 March 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
Mr. Randolph continues well without the least retrograde circumstance. he sleeps well, walks a good deal about the house, rides out in the carriage every day this cruel weather will permit & breakfasts & dines with us. but his strength returns so slowly that he certainly will not be able to undertake his journey on Monday as we had hoped. indeed I do not think a time can be fixed. when he...
50From Thomas Jefferson to Martha Jefferson Randolph, 23 March 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
Mr. Randolph’s convalescence proceeds steadily, not a single circumstance having arisen to throw him back. yet his strength increases slowly. as yet he only rides out in the carriage every day. it will not be till he can get on horseback that we can judge when he will be able to travel. my fits of head-ach have shortened from 9 hours to 5. but they have stuck some days at 5. hours, and when...