To Thomas Jefferson from Caspar Wistar, 17 January 1804
From Caspar Wistar
Philad Jany. 17. 1804
Dr Sir
I beg leave to present to you Mr Thos. Benger a native of Newfoundland who has resided many years near this city & is greatly respected here—He will be interesting to you on account of his efforts to improve the mode of preparing our black oak bark for exportation as a dye stuff & he goes to Washington to apply for a patent for his improvement. As Mr Benger can give you more information than I can do, relative to this new subject of Commerce, I will not tresspass upon your valuable time with any observations upon it.
With the warmest sensations of gratitude & esteem I beg leave to subscribe myself your obliged friend & servt
C. Wistar Junr
RC (DLC); at foot of text: “His Excellency The President of the United States”; endorsed by TJ. Recorded in SJL as received 24 Jan.
Later in the month, Thomas benger received a patent for “improvement in preparing quercitron or black oak bark for exportation or home consumption, for dying or other uses” ( , 39; , Sec. of State Ser., 6:355).