1Thomas Jefferson to William Thornton, 23 July 1814 (Jefferson Papers)
I return you Janes’s description of his loom with many thanks for the communication of it. the improvement for the moving the treadles without using the feet is highly valuable, inasmuch as our weavers are for the most part women. it appears too to be sufficiently simple for country use. the winding up the cloth is also useful, & not complicated. I do not well understand the mechanism for...
2Thomas Jefferson to William Thornton, 9 February 1815 (Jefferson Papers)
I have to thank you for the drawing of the beautiful hydraulic machine with which you favored me in yours of Jan. 11. in simplicity and effect it promises to go far beyond Montgolfier ’s hydraulic ram. I have endeavored to constitute a supply of water at Monticello by cisterns for recieving and preserving the rain water falling on my buildings. these would furnish me 600. gall s of water a...
3Thomas Jefferson to William Thornton, 20 June 1812 (Jefferson Papers)
I wrote you three days ago thro’ the post office, but by an unfortunate change of our post days, I expect my cart will convey this sooner still to it’s destination. the object of that letter was to explain the delays which had taken place in sending for the Spinning machine; the present is to request you to have it delivered to the bearer, Davy , who carries a cart for the purpose. instead of...
4Thomas Jefferson to William Thornton, 27 July 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 20 th is recieved, and I take up my pen merely to assure you I had not mentioned the return of the paintings from any hurry to recieve them, but merely to make known a safe occasion of sending them if done with. I thank you for the offer to place a copy of one of them here in oil; but Stewart ’s original takes as much room on the walls as the thing is worth. with respect to...
5Thomas Jefferson to William Thornton, 24 May 1810 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favors of May 7. & 10. are both recieved, and with them came the figs in perfect condition. on my proceeding to plant them in the same places where I had planted those you were so kind as to send me the last year, & reopening the holes, to my great astonishment I found a young bud putting out from the root of every one. they had been long on the road, were planted late, & this succeeded...
6Thomas Jefferson to William Thornton, 3 July 1812 (Jefferson Papers)
My spinning machine is safely arrived, and also your letter of the 27 th covering the drawings now returned. they served to instruct us compleatly as to the spinning part of the machine, which is now at work; but not as to the Feeding frame, marked G. in the drawing. the written specification says ‘it recieves motion in the same manner and performs the same service as in the common roving...
7Thomas Jefferson to William Thornton, 24 May 1812 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letters of the 8 th and 9 th arrived here just after I had set out on a journey to Bedford from whence I am but just returned. I accept with great pleasure the offer of the machine of Barrett made for mr Greenleaf , and I now inclose you a fifty dollar bill, the price stated: and my spinning works having been some time and still continuing suspended till I get this machine, a cart will be...
8Thomas Jefferson to William Thornton, 20 May 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
M r Delaplaine of Philadelphia , being en g aged in a work of engravings of American characters, has engaged an artist to come on here, and perhaps will accompany him himself, to copy my Columbus , Vespucius , Cortez E t c. and he wishes to copy that also of myself by
9Thomas Jefferson to William Thornton, 24 August 1809 (Jefferson Papers)
Having accidentally mentioned to my former servant Joseph Dougherty my misfortune in losing both my big-tailed rams, he, in his zeal for whatever concerns me, took the liberty of mentioning it to you & informed me you were so kind as to offer to supply my loss with one from your farm. by the cart which now goes to bring it, I take the occasion of returning you my best thanks for your kindness,...
10Thomas Jefferson to William Thornton, 27 [June] 1810 (Jefferson Papers)
A Your letter of the 8 th was duly recieved, & I have to return you thanks for the kind offer of Barbary sheep as a mixture with the Merino. I will state to you the stock from which I propose to breed. one of Robert Morris’s captains about the year 1792. brought him a pair of what he said were Merino sheep which he smuggled from Cadiz . the ewe died, & he gave me the ram. I bred in & in from...
11Thomas Jefferson to William Thornton, 9 June 1814 (Jefferson Papers)
Your kindness has emboldened me, whenever I want information of what relates to the arts, to apply to you, and especially when for an object deposited in your office. the inclosed description of Janes ’s improvement of the loom has excited my attention. that the force of the stroke of the batton should also move the shuttle and treadles is certainly practicable by proper machinery; but we who...
12Thomas Jefferson to William Thornton, 24 December 1814 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letter of the 11 th is duly recieved, and the two drawings you desire shall be immediately packed. the difficulty of convey finding a conveyance may occasion delay. that which you propose with the books is uncertain; and but I will be on the watch for a passenger in the stage to Washington , who will take care of the box to give it an inside package passage . the draw painting of Hector &
13Thomas Jefferson to William Thornton, 14 January 1812 (Jefferson Papers)
We are all busied in the country with our houshold manufactures of clothing. I do not believe one fifth of the coarse clothing has been bought this year from the importers which has been heretofore bought, and the next year nobody counts on wanting a single yard of coarse goods (blankets excepted) & but little will be wanted of goods of midling qualities. for the fine we must depend on the...
14Thomas Jefferson to William Thornton, 17 August 1814 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of Aug. 2. was duly recieved, and I thank you much for the information it has procured me. I have recieved a letter from mr Greer informing me that the price of Janes’s loom in Connecticut is 40.D. and in Baltimore 50.D. where they sell the patent right for a single loom at 20.D. D r Maese in a letter to me from Philadelphia says the price of a loom there is 50.D.
15Thomas Jefferson to William Thornton, 23 November 1809 (Jefferson Papers)
On my return hither, after an absence of a fortnight I found at the post office your favor of the 16 th & avail myself of the first return of post to write the letter desired & now inclosed. I sincerely wish to success to the enterprize. at the same time I would rather see some of the French Merinos introduced because theirs have been selected from all Spain , as the finest individuals of the...
16Thomas Jefferson to William Thornton, 24 April 1812 (Jefferson Papers)
On the reciept of your letter of Jan. 26. recommending Barrett’s Spinning machine, I wrote to him for one; but not knowing his particular address, my letter was long getting to him; so that within this day or two only, instead of a machine I have recieved only a letter from him. in this he informs me you have the exclusive right to make and sell them to our state; and adds that if you wish it...
17Thomas Jefferson to William Thornton, 17 June 1812 (Jefferson Papers)
From my letter of May 24. you had reason to expect that a cart would be upon you immediately for Barrett’s machine. when while I was preparing to send one off I was assured a waggon would set out from this neighborhood within a few days for Washington , which should bring my machine on it’s return, and it was not till last night that I learned that I could not avail myself of that conveyance....
18Thomas Jefferson to William Thornton, 11 October 1809 (Jefferson Papers)
I return you a thousand thanks for the fine pair of sheep you have sent me. they arrived in perfect health & so continue and will I trust enable me to get into that breed entirely. I am also well pleased to learn both the manner & success with which you have commenced the removing the tail, for I really believe it must be practised, however heterodox to the sex it may appear to consider that...