11From Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 10 April 1824 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of Mar. 29. is duly recieved, and I learn from it with great gratification that we are at length to have the happiness of meeting once more. I shall visit Bedford in the months of May & June, and if you do not set out on your journey till July, you will assuredly find me here, and happy to recieve you. there are three stages a week from Richmond to Charlottesville, which will give...
12From Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 8 September 1823 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of July 28. from Avon came to hand on the 10 th of August and I have delayed answering it on the presumption of your continued absence. but the approach of the season of frost in that region has probably, before this time, turned you about to the South. I readily concieve that, by the time of your return to Philadelphia, you will have had travelling enough for the present, and...
13From Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 28 March 1823 (Jefferson Papers)
From your letter of prophecies I too have caught the spirit of prophecy: for who can withold looking into futurity, on events which are to change the face of the world, and the condition of man throughout it, without indulging himself in the effusions of the holy spirit of Delphos? I may do it the more safely as, to my vaticinations, I always subjoin the Proviso ‘that nothing unexpected happen...
14From Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 29 December 1822 (Jefferson Papers)
I have duly recieved your favor of the 17 th with it’s kind enquiries as to the state in which my late accident has placed me. the fracture was of the most favorable character, of the smaller bone of the left fore-arm, without, as is still hoped, deranging those of the wrist. it was promptly and well set by a skilful surgeon, has been constantly doing well, without incurring any accident, and...
15From Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 19 October 1822 (Jefferson Papers)
I have waited for a frost to announce to me your return to winter quarters; and altho’ we have as yet had none here, I presume they must have reached you, in their advance towards us, by this time, and that I may now acknolege your letter written on your departure for Canada. altho’ that trip disappointed us of the expected visit to your native state, yet I hold on to the promise, as a thing...
16Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 24 November 1821 (Jefferson Papers)
Your welcome favor of the 12 th came to hand two days ago. I was just returned from Poplar Forest which I have visited four times this year. I have an excellent house there, inferior only to Monticello , am comfortably fixed and attended, have a few good neighbors, and pass my time there in a tranquility and retirement much adapted to my age and indolence. you so kindly ask an explanation of...
17Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 4 August 1820 (Jefferson Papers)
I owe you a letter for your favor of June 29. which was recieved in due time, and there being no subject of the day of particular interest I will make this a supplement to mine of Apr. 13. my aim in that was to justify the character of Jesus against the fictions of his pseudo-followers which have exposed him to the inference of being an imp o stor, for if we could believe that he really...
18Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 13 April 1820 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of Mar. 27. is recieved, and my grandaughter Ellen has undertaken to copy the Syllabus, which will therefore be inclosed. it was originally written to D r Rush . on his death, fearing that the inquisition of the public might get hold of it, I asked the return of it from the family, which they kindly complied with . at the request of another friend , I had given him a copy . he lent...
19Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 31 October 1819 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 21 st is recieved. my late illness, in which you are so kind as to feel an interest was produced by a spasmodic stricture of the ilium, which came upon me on the 7 th inst. the crisis was short, passed over favorably on the 4 th day, and I should soon have been well but that a dose of calomel & Jalap, in which were only 8. or 9. grains of the former brought on a salivation....
20Thomas Jefferson to William Short, [29] June 1819 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of June 22. is recieved. that of May 25. had come to hand in due time, and was in my bundle of ‘Letters to be answered’ but as I am obliged to marshal them according to their degree of pressure I had not yet reached it, altho’ I devote to that business daily from sunrise to dinner, saving one hour to ride, and generally from dinner to sun set. on the subject of the Anatomist and...
21Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 21 December 1818 (Jefferson Papers)
The messenger who carried yesterday to the Post-office a copy of our University Report which I put under cover to you, brought in return your favor of the 12 th and it’s kind enquiries after my health. a single Bulletin now suffices on that subject, as I find my health and strength quite restored; for altho some effects of the waters are still sensible, they are wearing off so steadily that I...
22Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 10 November 1818 (Jefferson Papers)
Altho’ become averse to the taking up my pen, I cannot suffer myself to be entirely forgotten by my friends, and therefore must occasionally recall myself to their recollection. I am just now recovering from an illness of three months, not yet having left the house, altho I hope within a few days to be able to do so. abandoning all attention to the march of the political machine the only thing...
23Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 29 May 1818 (Jefferson Papers)
On the reciept of your favor of the 11 th (which did not come to hand till the 23 d ) I proceeded to examine my papers as to the information they might give you on the subject of your Green sea lands. the result I now send you, to wit, my original letter to Col o Newton , his answer, and an entry in my pocket Memorandum book which I found under the date of Nov. 21. 99 . I am not able to say...
24Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 14 October 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
I recieved two days ago your favor of the 5 th and shall be very happy to see Marshal Grouchy here. I have never considered him as a personal Bonapartiste; or as an approver of the crimes or of the usurped power of Bonaparte . like many other good men, their country after a long sufferance under the most afflicting calamities having settled down into a certain order, they were unwilling to...
25Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 19 June 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
M r Higginbotham having mortgaged to you the lands he purchased as a security for the paiments stipulated, & those payments being made, he thinks there should be a release of the mortgage on your part, for which purpose I inclose you an instrument with a note of the manner of acknolegement. My letters from France inform me of the death of the Abbé Rochon , and that of his daughter a few hours...
26Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 14 October 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
A circumstance has occurred here which will occasion a drawback of about 30.D. in mr Higgenbotham ’s last payment to you. a law was past here some 2. or 3. years ago subjecting lands to be sold for any payment of taxes uncredited on the sheriffs books without limitation of time, unless the party could produce proof of payment; and 10. p.c. interest required from the date. the ex and no notice...
27Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 10 August 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 18 th ult. after loitering unaccountably on the road, reached my hands on the eve of a visit to the President from whose seat therefore the present is written. I am much gratified by the prospect you hold up to me of a visit from Marshal Grouchy and Gen l Clausel ; and the pleasure will be heightened should the country thro’ which they will pass, and the people whom they will...
28Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 5 May 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
On my return, the day before yesterday, I found here your favor of Apr. 23. and answer without delay the remaining question on your affair with with mr Carter . the last payment I made him for you was by a draught of Aug. 2 3. 1795 . for 524.83 D the exact balance for the lands after the ascertainment of their contents by actual survey. consequently, in this was included the overpayment now to...
29Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 9 April 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
Th:J. to W. Short. The inclosed was omitted by accident to be forwarded to you in my last. it is a necessary document for you in your settlement with mr Carter . I salute you ever and affectionately. P. S. I send also mr Carter ’s letter shewing he had agreed to pay what he recieved & interest. RC ( ViW: TJP ); dateline adjacent to postscript; endorsed by Short as received 15 Apr. Enclosure:...
30Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 7 April 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
I have to acknolege your favor of Mar. 14. and will answer it’s several enquiries. le mot de l’enigme as to the boundary of the land is that Monroe ’s land lies North of yours. you must recollect on being reminded that your land adjoined Blenheim , Monroe ’s joined Colle and my lands. mr Carter not being considered as a party direct, and having formerly shewn no disposition to attend...
31Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 28 February 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
Having procured an appointment for the 21 st inst. the Surveyor , arbitrators, parties (by their agents) and witnesses met. the forenoon was showery but the difficulty & uncertainty of all collecting again from different parts of the county induced all to go thro’ the work. the Surveyor run the lines, and instead of something less than 30. a s as had been conjectured, he found them to contain...
32Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 15 January 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
Of the last 5 months, 4 have been past at Poplar Forest where I am engaged in improvements requiring much of my presence. while there no letters are forwarded to me, the cross post being very circuitous. they are accumulating here during my absence, and on my return are pressing for answers. as soon after my last return as my progress in this corvée afforded me the prospect of a day to spare,...
33Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 27 June 1815 (Jefferson Papers)
We are unlucky in our endeavors to procure a settlement of your boundary. immediately on the arrival of Col o Monroe , I proposed to him a settlement. he was as anxious to have it as I was and we appointed the day after the morrow. mr Dawson one of the most probe and respectable men of our neighborhood, and Col o Isaac Coles , who happened to be at Monticello met us as arbitrators, and old mr...
34Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 15 May 1815 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 3 d finds me just on my departure for Bedford , and I return you therefore the paper you inclosed me, without delay. to the fact of the want of time I will further add that no person on earth would more willingly than myself do whatever was within my power to reward with the honors they have merited our naval heroes, for the respect which their heroism has procured for our...
35Enclosure: Order on United States Treasury, 18 April 1815 (Jefferson Papers)
J. B. 4 870 Pay to W m S. or order 10,500 D. in part of the sum of 23,950 D. appropr d by the act of Congr. for the purchase of my library as advised in my lre
36Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 18 April 1815 (Jefferson Papers)
The departure of the post and my distance from the office leave me barely time to acknolege the reciept of your favor of the 4 th inst. and to inclose you an order on the Treasury of the US. for 10,500 D. which, I believe, is a little over the amount of my three bonds with the interest. this however you will ascertain by calculation, and if there be a surplus, be so good as to put it into the...
37Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 25 March 1815 (Jefferson Papers)
I was waiting to write to you on the subject of my bonds only until I could recieve an answer to a letter I had written enquiring the footing on which treasury notes could be recieved. here they are eagerly recieved at par and the interest, while no one will recieve a bank note but for the purposes of the moment. I speak of the country people, and not of the banking cabals. your letter...
38Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 28 November 1814 (Jefferson Papers)
Yours of Oct. 28. came to hand on the 15 th inst. only. the settlement of your boundary with Col o Monroe is protracted by circumstances which seem foreign to it. one would hardly have expected that the hostile expedition to Washington could have had any connection with an operation 100. miles distant. yet, preventing his attendance, nothing could be done. I am satisfied there is no...
39Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 20 August 1814 (Jefferson Papers)
Since my short letter by mr Rives I have to acknolege the reciept of your two favors of June 9. & July 30 . a few days before the last came to hand I had written to Col o Monroe & prayed him to name a day in the autumn (when the fall of the leaves shall have rendered a survey in the woods practicable) and to procure an engagement from Champe Carter
40Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 17 May 1814 (Jefferson Papers)
The bearer mr Rives , the son of one of our wealthiest citizens and of the neighboring county of Amherst , is an eleve of mine in law & politics. before he commences practice he wishes to visit the country North of us. an honester, abler, or better informed man could not be presented to you. make him sensible of my high estimation of him by the kind offices which you as my friend may render...
41Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 26 March 1814 (Jefferson Papers)
In my letter of Feb. 23. I desired you to send me mr Higginbotham ’s rent-note, as well as his bond. but the bond happened to be on the way at the time, and expecting that on the reciept of my letter you would send on the rent note also, I kept up the bond to deliver both together. two days ago however I recieved the inclosed not e from mr Higgenbotham , by which it appears the rent is paid. I...
42Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 23 February 1814 (Jefferson Papers)
I am first to thank you for the indulgences of yours of Feb. 6. I believe that by the combined effects of blockade embargo and drought, I have suffered more than any other individual. the two former would but have left me where I was, but the last threw me back by forcing me to buy a year’s subsistence for my whole family.— on the reciept of your letter I saw mr Higgenbotham and stated to him...
43Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 28 January 1814 (Jefferson Papers)
I scarcely ever sat down to write a more painful letter than the present. when in Oct. 1812. I proposed to become the payer of a part of mr Higginbotham ’s purchase of you, at that time expected to be of 1800. three paiments of 1800. or 2000.D. each, I gave you a particular statement of my resources, than which nothing could be more true. I have since that sowed regularly 800. bushels of wheat...
44Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 9 November 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
You have heretofore been apprised of a claim of Col o Monroe to a corner of your tract of land on the top of the mountain, which he supposes included within the lines of his prior deed. some years ago he mentioned this to me; but as mr Carter had conducted your survey in person, I imagined Col o Monroe had been illy informed, and as he never repeated the thing to me, I presumed he had become...
45Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 18 June 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
Yours of the 2 d is recieved, and a copy of Higgenbotham’s mortgage is now inclosed. the journey to Bedford which I proposed in my last, my engagements here have obliged me to postpone till after harvest which is now approaching; it is the most unpromising one I have seen. we have been some days in expectation of seeing M. Correa. if he is on the road, he has had some days of our very hottest...
46Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 30 May 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
I returned from Bedford on the 15 th inst. and have been in the hope of having the pleasure of seeing M r Correa here; but begin now to fear his visit to Washington might have been too early in the month to be protracted until the time I had noted to you for my return. should this circumstance deprive me ultimately of the pleasure of seeing him it will be a subject of lasting regret. it is so...
47Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 25 April 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of Feb. 16. remains still I believe to be acknoleged. as I did not go to the court succeeding it’s reciept myself, I delivered your deed to mr Higginbotham and his mortgage to you, to himself on his way to court to have both recorded, which cannot fail to have been done; but shall be the subject of more special enquiry, mr Carter’s negligence having taught me to take nothing for...
48Enclosure: Bond from David Higginbotham to William Short, 31 January 1813 [due 1813] (Jefferson Papers)
2226 ⅔ D Know all men by these presents that I, David Higginbotham of the county of Albemarle and state of Virginia , am held and firmly bound unto William Short of the city of Philadelphia and state of Pensylvania in the sum of two thousand two hundred and twenty six Dollars & two thirds of the weight and fineness of those of the present standard of the United States , to be paid to the sd...
49Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 10 February 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
Your patience has been put to the proof, and yet I have not been one moment in default. in my letter of Dec. 26. soon after my return from Bedford , I promised as soon as I had got thro’ the answering letters E t c accumulated during my absence, your affair should be taken up. the Corvée of letter-writing was finished about the 13 th of Jan. and I immediately set in to the preparation of your...
50Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 26 December 1812 (Jefferson Papers)
I am just returned from Bedford and find here your favor of Nov. 29 . as an object which needs no delay I send you the 1 st vol. of the Memoires . the 2 d shall follow by the next post. I use this precaution, not to appear to burthen a single mail unreasonably, and I ask the same attention from you on their return. M r Higginbotham’s matter shall be attended to the moment I get through the...
51Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 6 November 1812 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of Oct. 29. finds me still here. tho’ the effects of my fall have not been quite removed, I shall set out for Bedford in 2. or 3. days. the doubt as to the security proposed for that portion of the debt for which mr Higginbotham & another were to give joint bonds, was not unexpected because it was reasonable. I had suggested it to him as possible & even probable, & he was therefore...
52Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 17 October 1812 (Jefferson Papers)
I have communicated to mr Higginbotham the substance of your letter of the 7 th and can now give you specific answers from him to your several queries. 1. the price 10. D. an acre paiable at Christmas of the years 1813. 14. 15. in equal instalments, with an understanding that if these paiments are delayed to & through April, paying interest on that delay, it shall not be deemed a breach of...
53Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 30 September 1812 (Jefferson Papers)
I have at length recieved an offer for your lands, which tho not coming entirely up to your terms, is so nearly so as to make it my duty to communicate it for your consideration. it is from mr Higginbotham , who had applied to yourself by letter with a very different proposition. he is a merchant of Milton , who in the course of many years of snug & safe business has made a handsome provision...
54Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 26 April 1812 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 19 th was recieved yesterday. those of Feb. 20. & Mar. 5. had come to hand before, and were still in my Carton of ‘letters to be answered.’ the only circumstance in those which pressed for an answer had escaped my memory, until your last reminded me of it, that is to say, the visit proposed by General Moreau . and first I must set to rights the idea that a visit while at...
55Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 15 October 1811 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letter of Aug. 10. from Portland Portsmouth came duly to hand. according to promise I have made exact research into the situation of your land . I rode to Price’s and enquired of him with respect to the leases, to whom, on what conditions, and for what terms they were made? I found them to be as follows. Richard Shackleford 100. a s rent 50.D. } written leases for 3. years from the...
56Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 26 July 1811 (Jefferson Papers)
On the reciept of your letters of May 29 . & June 18 . I wrote to mr Bankhead , then with his family in Port-royal , offering your lands to him at 12.D. for altho I had seen no reason for a great sudden rise in the price of our lands, yet two sales had been made as I formerly wrote you, far above what had been deemed the neighborhood price. himself had been one of the purchasers. I therefore...
57Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 17 May 1811 (Jefferson Papers)
Yours of April 11 . was recieved in due time; but as you expressed a wish that your lands should be offered to mr Bankhead & he was gone on a visit to his father & family at Portroyal , I awaited his return. I knew indeed that he had just made a purchase for himself, of the land which was Col o N. Lewis’s , extending from Charlottesville to Monticello
58Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 8 March 1811 (Jefferson Papers)
I now make frequent journies to Bedford , and make long stays there , having a good house and accomodations there. I am just returned thence, after an absence of five weeks, and find here your letter of Jan. 30 . I had left this on the 27 th . to this you must sometimes ascribe the not recieving timely answers from me, & sometimes to my the repugnance with which I go to my writing table. my...
59Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 21 September 1810 (Jefferson Papers)
Your’s of Aug. 30 . arrived while I was absent in Bedford , to which place I now go several times in the year & stay there from a fortnight to a month. I congratulate you on your safe arrival in the US. and should have done it with more pleasure in person had your perambulations for health led you this way. your former letter by mr Irving was immediately complied with, the business executed to...
60From James Madison to William Short, 3 December 1809 (Madison Papers)
I duly recd. your favor of Sepr. 15. to which was annexed the copy of Count Romanzoff’s letter to you. The latter has been communicated to Mr. Jefferson, and will be placed in the Archives of our Foreign Dept. It is a very pleasing proof of the good will of the Emperor of Russia towards this Country, as well as of the just sentiments he entertains of Mr. Jefferson, and you did very right, in...