To Thomas Jefferson from George Jefferson, 11 November 1799
From George Jefferson
Richmond 11th. Novr. 1799.
Dear Sir,
I have duly received your two favors of the 8th. with the Certificates therein mentioned. Your Tobo. shall be shipped as you desire in the first Vessel to be had—together with Mrs. Keys, provided her order arrives in time; and if not, it shall go as soon thereafter as possible.
The Auditors Office having been shut I could not learn whether or not any thing has been done with the land of Mr. S.s you mention; I think it probable however that nothing has, as I understand no land has been sold for taxes since the year ’87, owing to some defect in the law.
I at last inclose you a form of a power of atty—from its length I think it should have been had sooner; I likewise send you a stamp, lest you should meet with difficulty in procuring one.
I have again spoken to Mr. Wiseham, & again without effect.
I am Dear Sir Yours,
Geo. Jefferson
RC (MHi); with address on verso of enclosure: “Thomas Jefferson esquire Monticello”; franked and postmarked; endorsed by TJ as received 14 Nov. and so recorded in SJL. Enclosure: Power of attorney, in an unknown hand, naming George Jefferson attorney in fact to vote in William Short’s behalf at meetings of stockholders of the James River Company; with blanks for date, signatures, and Short’s place of residence; endorsed by TJ: “Short Wm. Copy of power of atty to G. Jefferson. recd. Nov. 14”; with additions to text in TJ’s hand identifying Virginia as Short’s place of residence, filling in the date as 15 Nov. 1799, representing TJ’s signature and seal, and adding details of the date, place, and scope of coverage of Short’s 2 Apr. 1793 grant of power of attorney to TJ, these changes evidently serving as a record of the signed version of the document TJ sent to George Jefferson on 15 Nov. 1799, the letter described below (MS in DLC: Short Papers).
On 15 Nov. TJ replied to the letter above, enclosing the manifests (not found) for nine hogsheads of tobacco belonging to Ann Key that were to be shipped with his own tobacco to Philadelphia, and returning the power of attorney that allowed George Jefferson to look after William Short’s interests in the James River Company (PrC in MHi; faint, with last three lines almost illegible; endorsed by TJ in ink on verso).