Thomas Jefferson Papers

To Thomas Jefferson from Susannah Febvrier, 8 January 1805

From Susannah Febvrier

George Town January 8th 1805.

Sir

Please to excuse me for troubling you but my reason for troubling you Sir, is to beg you would be so kind as to helpe me to a little money: I am in Greate distress and have two Children in my armes without any meens to Supporte them. and rent to pay which I am not able to doe at preasent. my husband was obliged Give all his Property up to his Credetors last Spring and finding him Self reduced to Such extreem Poverty he returned to martineque where he Processes Some property, and from whence he promisd to Send me money to releave me from my distress but I have not yet received anything from him. I was Sick all last Summer which Prevented me from earning anything to Supporte my Self and infants with this winter and in my Greaf and trouble I thought your Condesending Goodness might Perhapes helpe me to Somthing. I Cannot well express my Self to you Sir as I am not acquaind. with Such importance if the dictates of my letter are wrong I hope your lordship will excuse me. I am Sir your most obedeint Servent

Susannah Febvrier

RC (MHi); endorsed by TJ as received 13 Jan. and so recorded in SJL.

Susannah Febvrier was the wife of Nicholas Febvrier, a native of Martinique and insolvent debtor. Writing to TJ again in 1806, she identified herself as “an unfortunate widow woman” with two children (Vol. 42:341-2, 463; Susannah Febvrier to TJ, 16 Apr. 1806).

On the day he received this letter, TJ gave someone five dollars “in charity” (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 , 2:1144).

Index Entries