Thomas Jefferson Papers
Documents filtered by: Author="Newton, Thomas" AND Recipient="Jefferson, Thomas"
sorted by: recipient
Permanent link for this document:
https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-35-02-0288

To Thomas Jefferson from Thomas Newton, 30 September 1801

From Thomas Newton

Norfolk Sept. 30. 1801—

Dear Sir

I have the pleasure of informing you that Coll Davies is on the recovery & in fair way of soon being well. the Emigrants, especially from Ireland have suffered greatly, many have died; the inhabitants are generally healthy who have been used to our climate & except late setlers I know of none that have been ill & very few have the common fall complaint as yet, & I hope the setting in of the NE wind will put a stop to all sicknesses. this place contains 2398 tithables above 16 years old, the Census taken, I think falls very short of our numbers, as in the list of tithables no seamen are taken in & I suppose there are not less than 1200 belonging to this place, by which you can calculate the No. of inhabitants. I hope something will be done to put the Marine Hospital in repair next Congress, it is realy a valuable building but getting much out of repair, a small tax on sailors, would support it handsomely, a leave for admittance of foreign seamen, on paying customary board wages would greatly assist in maintaining it; the Courthouse & Prison of Norfolk County, is adjoining the hospital lotts, (except a street) which will be sold, these would make a very great addition & will sell very low, not at half the Cost of building them, & in Cases of Contagious sickness among the seamen, they could be kept in separate houses & be a means of saving many lives. I pray you excuse for troubling you with this, but it is of so much consequence to the poor sailors that I could not refrain. I am wishing you health & happiness

respectfully yr

Thos Newton

RC (DLC); endorsed by TJ as received 13 Oct. and so recorded in SJL with notation “N.”

Index Entries