Robert Patton to Thomas Jefferson, 4 December 1817
From Robert Patton
Alexandria 4th Decr 1817
Sir
By the Arrival at this Port of the Ship Atlas from Havre De Grace, I this morning received a letter from Mr Beasely, American Consul, inclosing a bill of Loading for a Case of Books for you—I Shall enter them at our Custom house pay the Charges and hold them subject to your orders respecting them
Rob, Patton jun
RC (MHi); endorsed by TJ as received 23 Dec. 1817 and so recorded in SJL.
Robert Patton (d. 1826), merchant, was a native of Scotland who advertised goods for sale in Alexandria as early as 1794. He traded on his own and in various partnerships. Patton sold real estate and was involved in mercantile shipping. He owned eleven slaves in 1820 but was deeply in debt when he died at Spring Bank, his Fairfax County estate (Columbian Mirror and Alexandria Gazette, 28 Oct. 1794; Alexandria Daily Gazette, Commercial & Political, 13 Jan. 1810, 27 June 1811; DNA: RG 29, CS, Fairfax Co., 1810, 1820; Alexandria Gazette & Daily Advertiser, 25 Sept. 1817; , 41 [1 Robinson]: 499–545; New-York Spectator, 26 Sept. 1826; Fairfax Co. Will Book, O:360–3).
On this day the Alexandria Gazette & Daily Advertiser announced the arrival from Le Havre of the ship Atlas, which carried a consignment of “plaister & burr-stones,” eight passengers, “furniture, for the house of the President of the U. States,” and “books, for T. Jefferson, Esq. of Monticello.”
Index Entries
- Atlas (ship) search
- Beasley, Reuben Gaunt; and books for TJ search
- furniture; and President’s House search
- Jefferson, Thomas; Books & Library; works sent to search
- Patton, Robert (d.1826); and books for TJ search
- Patton, Robert (d.1826); identified search
- Patton, Robert (d.1826); letters from search
- President’s House; furniture for search