1Thomas Jefferson to Victoire Laporte, 20 April 1821 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letter of the 15 th finds me in the moment of departure on a journey of considerable absence from home. I am sorry it is not in my power to give you any information as to mr Laporte . the last time I saw him he told me he should go to Washington for a patent for a particular invention. I think it probable he has heard there of some suitable situation, in pursuit of which he has gone on....