From Thomas Jefferson to James Brown, 14 January 1798
To James Brown
Philadelphia Jan. 14. 1798.
Dear Sir
Having to remit to mr Higginbottom on account of Rives & co. at Milton 217.64 D I have his advice that I cannot do it more properly (as paiment is to be made in Richmond) than by placing it in your hands. I therefore take the liberty of inclosing you an order on George Jefferson & co. of Richmond for 217.64 D as abovementioned, which be pleased to recieve on account of the concern of Rives & co. at Milton.
We have nothing new here to communicate to you, except the state of extraordinary suspense in which we are till we hear from our envoys at Paris. how their mission will terminate is as yet difficult to conjecture. I am with great esteem Dear Sir
Your friend & servt.
Th: Jefferson
RC (WHi); addressed: “Mr. James Brown mercht Richmond,” TJ having originally addressed it as a letter to John Forbes “near Goochland court house”; franked; endorsed by Brown.
In his financial memoranda TJ noted that £16.10 of this paiment was to be credited to Lucy Wood for the hire of a slave in 1797, £18.15.10 was to the credit of Richard Richardson, and the remaining £30 was for TJ’s own account with Rives & Co., being “about the balance I owe to that store” (, 2:977).
David Higginbotham was the factor of Rives & Co. at Milton (, 2:988). Six letters from TJ to him written between 14 Nov. 1797 and 23 Jan. 1801, as well as four from Higginbotham to TJ dated 22 Dec. 1798, 29 Mch., 15 Nov. 1800, and 17 Jan. 1801, received on 1 Jan. 1799, 5 Apr., 15 Nov. 1800, and 22 Jan. 1801 respectively, are recorded in SJL but have not been found. Also recorded in SJL but missing are letters from TJ to John Forbes of 30 Oct. 1797, 14 Jan., and 7 Mch. 1798, and two from Forbes to TJ of 28 Sep. 1797 and 4 Feb. 1798 received on 7 Oct. 1797 and 6 Mch. 1798 respectively.
A letter that Brown wrote to TJ on 25 July 1797, recorded in SJL as received on 29 July, has not been found.