Thomas Jefferson to Francis Eppes, 6 February 1818
To Francis Eppes
Monticello Feb. 6. 18.
Dear Francis
I have deferred acknoleging the reciept of your letter of Dec. 28. in the daily hope of being able to speak with more certainty of the time when our Central college will be opened. but that is still undecided and depending on an uncertainty which I have explained to your father. I do not wonder that you find the place where you are disagreeable. it’s character, while I lived in Washington was that of being a seminary of mere sectarism. the only question is how to dispose of yourself until the Central college opens. there is now at the N. London academy an excellent teacher, and that place is on a better footing than it ever has been. indeed I think it now the best school I know. Dr Carr has also a school in our neigh[bor]hood, but I doubt whether you would find it as good, or as comfor[tab]le as the other. James goes to that. if your father should conclude on N. London, you1 had better come here before the 15th of April when I shall go to Bedford, and could carry you with me. if Dr Carr should be preferred, come as soon as you please and I will endeavor to get a place for you with him. but this is not certain as he is very full. in all events I shall hope to see you here whenever your situation will permit, and that you will be assured of my constant love.
Th: Jefferson
PoC (CSmH: JF); on verso of reused address cover to TJ; torn at seal; at foot of text: “F. Eppes”; endorsed by TJ. Enclosed in TJ to John Wayles Eppes, 6 Feb. 1818.
The excellent teacher at the New London Academy was Alfred H. Dashiell. james was TJ’s grandson James Madison Randolph.
1. Reworked from “I.”
Index Entries
- Albemarle County, Va.; schools in search
- Carr, Frank; school of search
- Central College; opening of search
- children; letters to; F. W. Eppes search
- Dashiell, Alfred Henry; and New London Academy search
- Eppes, Francis Wayles (TJ’s grandson); and Central College search
- Eppes, Francis Wayles (TJ’s grandson); education of, at New London Academy search
- Eppes, Francis Wayles (TJ’s grandson); education of, in and around Washington, D.C. search
- Eppes, Francis Wayles (TJ’s grandson); letters to search
- Eppes, Francis Wayles (TJ’s grandson); TJ’s relationship with search
- Eppes, John Wayles (TJ’s son-in-law); relationship with son search
- Georgetown College (later Georgetown University) search
- Jefferson, Thomas; Family & Friends; relations with grandchildren search
- New London, Va.; academy at search
- Poplar Forest (TJ’s Bedford Co. estate); TJ plans visits to search
- Randolph, James Madison (TJ’s grandson); education of search
- schools and colleges; F. Carr’s Albemarle Co. school search
- schools and colleges; Georgetown College (later Georgetown University) search
- schools and colleges; New London Academy search