John Jay Papers

Memorandum to John Trumbull, 5 February 1795

Memorandum to John Trumbull

[London, 5 Feb. 1795]

Mr. Sibbald of upper Harley Street, is sollicitous to obtain Information of relative to Mr. Hesilriggs late of Boulogne in France, sent to arras by order of the Convention with other English Gentlemen— Endeavour to learn whether he be dead or alive

Deliver Mr. Collets Letter1 to Mr Dubignon

Endeavour to learn whether the wife and Family of Mr the Swedish Consul at Marseilles are well— Mr Codman2 promised to make the Enquiries abt. them—

Baron Nolkin3 who for many Years was Minister of Sweden here, is very sollicitous ^desirous^ that James Macrea Esq. ^in arrest at abbeville^ Should be permitted to leave France— He married a Daughter of the Barons Lady— He fled to France in consequence of having killed a Gentleman here in a Duel—and has been outlawed— for this Reason the Baron thinks he might be liberated—as that Circumstance wd. oppose his returning to this Country—

I told the Baron I doubted his being released— Endeavour to ascertain whether on that Ground his Release can ^probably^ be obtained—

Jer. Osborne Esqr. at Bristoll has written to me that Mr. John Pigot of Brockley in Somersetshire is lately dead, and left a large Fortune— that his eldest Son ^John Pigot^ resided much at Paris— The Family have not heard of him for 2 Yrs: past— he was then at Paris4

If you can ^shd hear where he is^, inform him of his Fathers Death and of the anxiety of his Friends to hear of him— Inform Mr Osborne of the Result

Discover from ^Enquire of^ Mr. Munro whether any Thing has been done in Consequence of my Letter to him about Miss Banister, and if I shd. be gone let ^write to^ Mr. Charlmers home at Chelsea—5

write to me by every good opportunity, but write nothing that in Case of publicity woul would cause Inconveniences to any Body—

J.J.

DftS, NNC (EJ: 13084). Endorsed. JT commissioned Johann Gotthard von Muller to engrave his painting “The Battle of Bunker Hill.” He received JJ’s permission to travel to Stuttgart via Paris to check on the project, travelling in a private capacity, but also meeting with James Monroe in order to relate the contents of the treaty, as well as carrying out the above business. See JJ to Monroe, 19 Feb. 1795, below. For more on JT’s prints, see JJ to SLJ, 13 Mar. 1795, JT to JJ, 6 Mar., and PAJ to JJ, 1 Aug. 1798 (first letter), all below.

1See Guy Collet to JJ, 8 Dec. 1794, ALS, NNC (EJ: 08561). Collet had been a prisoner of war for four years and had no contact with his family for fourteen months.

2Probably Richard Codman (1762–1806), a Boston merchant, who lived in Paris.

3Baron Gustaf Adam von Nolcken (1733–1813), Swedish Ambassador to Great Britain.

4For more on the Pigot affair, see Jeremiah Osborne to JJ, 12 Jan. 1795, ALS, NNC (EJ: 07035), and JJ to Osborne, 13 Jan. 1795, Dft, NNC (EJ: 08925).

5See JJ to Monroe, 28 Aug. 1794, and the editorial note “John Jay’s Mission to London,” both above, for more instances of missing persons in France.

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