Thomas Jefferson Papers

From Thomas Jefferson to John Taggart, 2 May 1805

To John Taggart

Washington May 2. 05.

Sir

You were so kind some time ago as to purchase some oil & paints for me at the request of mr Barnes. presuming thence that it is not out of your line to do these things on commission, I take the liberty of requesting you to purchase for me 500. lbs of unground white lead, & to ship the same by the first opportunity to Richmond addressed to Messrs. Gibson & Jefferson of that place. the amount shall be remitted you by myself on reciept of the bill. Accept my salutations.

Th: Jefferson

PoC (MHi); at foot of text: “Mr. John Taggert”; endorsed by TJ.

John Taggart (d. 1815) had been a merchant in Philadelphia since at least 1783. His advertisements focused on the sale of wines and spirits along with “a general assortment of Wet Goods.” In 1805, he began providing TJ with paint supplies for Monticello. At Taggart’s request in 1812, TJ recommended his son, Francis B. Taggart, for a navy midshipman’s berth (Philadelphia Pennsylvania Packet and General Advertiser, 18 Oct. 1783; Relfs Philadelphia Gazette, 26 Sep. 1804, 4 Feb., 13 Sep. 1815; ASP description begins American State Papers: Documents, Legislative and Executive, of the Congress of the United States, Washington, D.C., 1832-61, 38 vols. description ends , Naval Affairs, 1:350; MB description begins James A. Bear, Jr., and Lucia C. Stanton, eds., Jefferson’s Memorandum Books: Accounts, with Legal Records and Miscellany, 1767-1826, Princeton, 1997, The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Second Series description ends , 2:1155n; RS description begins J. Jefferson Looney and others, eds., The Papers of Thomas Jefferson: Retirement Series, Princeton, 2004- , 15 vols. description ends , 5:502).

the request of mr Barnes: see John Barnes to TJ, 26 Mch., and TJ to Barnes, 5 Apr.

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    Source Project
    Jefferson Papers
    Title
    From Thomas Jefferson to John Taggart, 2 May 1805
    Author
    Jefferson, Thomas
    Recipient
    Taggart, John
    Date
    2 May 1805

    Reference

    Cite as
    “From Thomas Jefferson to John Taggart, 2 May 1805,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-46-02-0316. [Original source: The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, vol. 46, 9 March to 5 July 1805, ed. James P. McClure et al. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2022, p. 307.]

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