Alexander L. Joncherez to Thomas Jefferson, 2 July 1812
From Alexander L. Joncherez
Georgetown Cola 2d Juillet. 1812.
Monsieur
Je profite de l’occasion que Mr Julien me fournit, pour vous faire part de l’intention que j’ai depuis longtems, et que j’aurois mise en execution, Si j’avois Su de quelle maniere m’y prendre—C’est de vous prier d’accepter une quantité de cartes geographiques faites à la main, descriptives des terres reconnues par Mr Dentrecasteaux Amiral, et Mr D’Auribeau Capitaine de vaisseau à bord des fregattes L’Esperance et la Recherche dans les années 1792 et 93. Ces cartes en ma possession ne me Sont d’aucune valeur ni d’aucune utilité quelconque et je crois qu’en la vôtre elles pourroient, peut être, devenir un jour d’une utilité publique, elles presentent une description de terres que je ne connois nullement, tel que, Timor, Nouvelle Caledonie, Savu, Bourou, Diemen, Waigiou Isle aux Pinguins, Louisiade, Arsacides, Isles de Bougainville, Nouvelle Irlande, Terre de Nuyts, Isle St Paul &ca—
Si, Monsieur, il vous plait de les accepter, je vous prie de m’indiquer la voye par laquelle je pourrois vous les faire parvenir—Il y en a 50. ou 60 la plus part très larges—
A L Joncheres
Editors’ Translation
Georgetown Columbia 2 July. 1812.
Sir
I take advantage of the opportunity afforded me by Mr. Julien, to inform you of a longstanding intention that I would already have executed if I had known how to proceed—It is to ask you to accept a number of hand-drawn geographical maps, describing some lands explored in the years 1792 and 93 by Mr. D’Entrecasteaux, admiral, and Mr. D’Auribeau, ship captain aboard the frigates Espérance and Recherche. These maps are in my possession but have no value nor use to me whatever, and I believe that in your possession, they might perhaps someday be of some public utility. They describe lands that I do not know at all, such as Timor, New Caledonia, Savu, Bourou, Van Diemen’s Land, Waigeo, Penguin Island, Louisiade, Arsacides, the Bougainville islands, New Ireland, Terre de Nuyts, Saint Paul Island etc.—
If, Sir, it pleases you to accept them, please let me know how I should send them to you—There are 50 or 60 of them, most very wide—
A L Joncheres
RC (MoSHi: TJC-BC); in Honoré Julien’s hand, probably including signature; at foot of text in Julien’s hand: “Thos Jefferson Esqr”; endorsed by TJ as received 8 July 1812 and so recorded in SJL. Translation by Dr. Genevieve Moene. Enclosed in Honoré Julien to TJ, 2 July 1812.
Alexander L. Joncherez (ca. 1773–1817), teacher, merchant, and auctioneer, was educated at the University of Paris. By 1798 he was living in the vicinity of Washington, D.C., where he established a grocery store and took in boarders. The following year he began teaching French in Georgetown. Joncherez specialized in the sale of ceramics and glassware by 1804 and expanded the business in 1812, when he formed a partnership with Michael Shanks that lasted almost six years. In 1813 Edward Davis joined him in opening the auctioneering firm of Joncherez & Davis, which his partner continued after Joncherez died (Alexandria Advertiser, 30 Mar. 1798; Centinel of Liberty, or George-Town and Washington Advertiser, 18 Oct. 1799; Alexandria Advertiser and Commercial Intelligencer, 4 May 1801; Washington Federalist, 17 Mar. 1802, 24 Feb. 1804; Washington Courier, 17 Oct. 1812; Georgetown Federal Republican and Commercial Gazette, 14 Apr. 1813; Washington Daily National Intelligencer, 11 July, 1, 22 Dec. 1817; Georgetown National Messenger, 28 Jan. 1818).
The hand-drawn cartes geographiques from the 1791–93 French expedition to the Pacific and southern Indian oceans were probably the work of hydrographer Charles François Beautemps-Beaupré (Olivier Chapuis, “L’émergence des nouvelles cartes marines: l’oeuvre de Beautemps-Beaupré à la fin du XVIIIème et au début du XIXème siècle,” Imago Mundi 44 [1992]: 90–4).
Index Entries
- Beautemps-Beaupré, Charles François; maps of search
- Bougainville (Solomon Islands) search
- French language; letters in, from; A. L. Joncherez search
- Joncherez, Alexander L.; and maps for TJ search
- Joncherez, Alexander L.; identified search
- Joncherez, Alexander L.; letters from search
- Julien, Honoré; forwards letter for A. L. Joncherez search
- Louisiade Archipelago (Solomon Sea) search
- maps; from D’Entrecasteaux expedition search
- New Caledonia search
- New Ireland (Bismarck Archipelago) search
- Pacific Ocean search
- Penguin Island (Australia) search
- Saint Paul Island (South Indian Ocean) search
- Savu (Sunda Islands) search
- Tasmania search
- Timor (South Malay Archipelago) search