Robert Wash to Thomas Jefferson, 1 March 1811
From Robert Wash
St Louis March 1st 1811.
Dr Sir,
I have taken the liberty of enclosing you, a rude Map of the surrounding Country. The number & relative positions of the principal Rivers, Villages &C. of the settled parts of this Territory, have been sketched I believe, with tolerable accuracy.
This recommendation may possibly1 procure it an occasional reference, until the appearance of some well executed Map.
If this rude draught, should add in the slightest degree to the pleasure you will derive from perusing the numbers in the Louisiana Gazette, I shall be more than compensated2 for the little labour & pains I have bestowed on it.—
Mr Crafts, is a Gentleman from N. York of very considerable intelligence, & possessed of much useful information concerning this, & many other parts of the Union. To him I beg leave to refer you for every thing of a local or Territorial nature. The correct & satisfactory information which he is prepared to give you on very many important Subjects, is the only appology I can offer for the liberty I have taken in making him known to you.3
R: Wash
RC (DLC); endorsed by TJ as received 24 Apr. 1811 and so recorded in SJL. Enclosure not found (see no. 3854).
Robert Wash (1790–1856) was born in Louisa County, graduated from the College of William and Mary in 1808, and moved to Saint Louis in 1810 to begin a legal practice. He served as attorney for the northern circuit of Missouri Territory, 1815–18, and as secretary to commissioners appointed to treat with Indians of the Mississippi River region, 1815–16. In 1818 President James Monroe appointed Wash United States district attorney, but he resigned later that year to serve in the territorial legislature. He sat on the supreme court of Missouri, 1825–37 (, 2d ser., 14 [1934]: 178; Howard L. Conard, Encyclopedia of the History of Missouri [1901], 6:397; , 14:590–1, 603–5, 15:166–9, 187–8, 358–9, 439, 471).
1. Wash here canceled “obtain.”
2. Preceding six words interlined.
3. At foot of page Wash here canceled an illegible line of text and instead closed the letter by squeezing in the closing and signature to the right.
Index Entries
- Crafts, Erastus; letters of introduction for search
- Jefferson, Thomas; Correspondence; letters of introduction to search
- Louisiana Gazette and New-Orleans Daily Advertiser search
- maps; of Missouri Territory search
- Missouri Territory; maps of search
- newspapers; Louisiana Gazette and New-Orleans Daily Advertiser search
- Saint Louis; maps of search
- Wash, Robert; identified search
- Wash, Robert; introduces E. Crafts search
- Wash, Robert; letters from search
- Wash, Robert; sends map search