Thomas Jefferson Papers
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https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/03-11-02-0521

James Maury to Thomas Jefferson, 15 August 1817

From James Maury

Liverpool 15 Augt 1817

Dear Sir,

In my letter of the 7th November last I mentioned the loss I was to sustain in my friend mr Gwathmey’s being about to return to Virginia: this is intended to be delivered to you by that friend, whom I request you to favor with your civilities.

Tobacco is falling in price & so is Flour, which had been at 80/. but is now about 50/. ⅌ barrel: Cotton, contrary to all expectation, is high: of 143.000 Bales imported into this place from all countries since the 1st Jany to the 30th June last, the United States furnish two thirds!

I am your old obliged friend

James Maury

RC (DLC); endorsed by TJ as received 7 Nov. 1817 and so recorded in SJL. RC (DLC); address cover only; with PoC of TJ to Peter Stephen Chazotte, 19 Nov. 1819, on verso; addressed: “Thomas Jefferson Monticello ⅌ Mr Gwathmey.”

Robert Gwathmey (1778–1855), merchant, was a native of Virginia. He partnered in a Richmond firm that was variously known as Robert & Temple Gwathmey and Temple & Robert Gwathmey. About 1810 Gwathmey moved to Liverpool, England, to represent the firm’s interests there, and he stayed until 1817. He became a director of the Bank of Virginia in 1819 and worked as a tobacco and commission agent in Richmond until at least 1852 (VMHB description begins Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, 1893–  description ends 16 [1908]: 213; MB description begins James A. Bear Jr. and Lucia C. Stanton, eds., Jefferson’s Memorandum Books: Accounts, with Legal Records and Miscellany, 1767–1826, 1997, The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Second Series description ends , 2:1233; Richmond Enquirer, 8 May 1810; Liverpool Mercury, Or Commercial, Literary, and Political Herald, 28 July 1815; Washington Daily National Intelligencer, 15 Aug. 1818; American Beacon and Norfolk & Portsmouth Daily Advertiser, 11 Jan. 1819; Richmond Enquirer, 26 Nov. 1830, 30 June 1835; DNA: RG 29, CS, Richmond, 1850; William L. Montague, The Richmond Directory and Business Advertiser, For 1852 [(1852)], 62; Richmond Whig and Public Advertiser, 13 Mar. 1855; gravestone inscription in Shockoe Hill Cemetery, Richmond).

Index Entries

  • cotton; price of, in Great Britain search
  • flour; price of search
  • Great Britain; prices in search
  • Gwathmey, Robert; friendship with J. Maury search
  • Gwathmey, Robert; identified search
  • Maury, James; friendship with R. Gwathmey search
  • Maury, James; letters from search
  • tobacco; price of in Great Britain search