Nicholas B. Pryor to Thomas Jefferson, 7 August 1812
From Nicholas B. Pryor
Nashville 7th August 1812
Dear Sir
Before you receive this you will receive a letter from Colo Anderson, Expresing my inclination to have an appointment in the United States army. if you can reconcile it to your self, to recommend me to the war department, you will do me a favour which I shall Ever be indebted to you for. the reason why I ask this important favour of you, is, because I know you can have any man appointed that you will nominate: now sir if you will make me the object of your compassion, I will sacrifice my life before your character Shall be injure’d on my part. please to let me hear from you as soon as possable. there has been some resignations in the 8th Ridgment, since the late appointments by Congress. accept, Sir, assurance of my respect and esteem
N. B. Pryor
RC (DLC); endorsed by TJ as received 19 Aug. 1812 and so recorded in SJL.
Nicholas Ballow Pryor (1789–1833), a native of Buckingham County, was connected to TJ through his sister Mitchie B. Pryor Jefferson, the second wife of TJ’s brother Randolph Jefferson. Sometime between 1810 and 1812 Pryor moved with his family to Nashville, Tennessee, where he served as a trustee of the Nashville Female Academy. His mother, Susan B. Pryor, and his sister’s son, TJ’s nephew John R. Jefferson, lived with him and his family in Nashville ( 7 [1900]: 325–6; 29 [1921]: 500; History of Nashville, Tenn. [1890; repr. 1970], 399, 403; DNA: RG 29, CS, Tenn., Davidson Co., 1820, 1830; Richmond Enquirer, 15 Dec. 1832).
Index Entries
- Anderson, William Preston; and N. B. Pryor’s military appointment search
- Jefferson, Mitchie Ballow Pryor (TJ’s sister-in-law; Randolph Jefferson’s second wife); family of search
- Jefferson, Randolph (TJ’s brother); family of search
- Jefferson, Thomas; Correspondence; letters of application and recommendation to search
- patronage; letters of application and recommendation to TJ search
- Pryor, Nicholas Ballow; identified search
- Pryor, Nicholas Ballow; letters from search
- Pryor, Nicholas Ballow; seeks military appointment search