To Thomas Jefferson from James Patton, 29 May 1804
From James Patton
Alexandria 29th. May 1804
Sir
By this mornings mail, the inclosed Letter for Mr Eppes reached me under cover from Kingston Jamaica—and I have presumed that in taking the liberty of inclosing it to you—was ensuring a safe & certain conveyance, and in so doing, I have ever supposed that it will probably reach Him with more dispatch than by any direction I could give it—
I have the Honor to be Sir with great respect, yr most Obedient & very Humble servt.
James Patton
RC (DLC); at foot of text: “His Excy. Thomas Jefferson Esqr. &c—&c”; address clipped; franked; endorsed by TJ as received 30 May and so recorded in SJL. Enclosure not found.
James Patton (d. 1824) was an Alexandria merchant who served at various times on the boards of directors of the Bank of Alexandria, the Bank of Potomac, and the Marine Insurance Company of Alexandria, and as president of the city’s St. Andrew’s Society. He had recently signed the petition of Alexandria merchants opposing the removal of Charles Simms as the collector there. Patton likely later served as British vice consul for the District of Columbia (, 1:20-1, 320; 2:22-3, 94; Alexandria Gazette, 22 Apr. 1815, 15 and 20 May 1819, 27 Apr. 1824; Washington United States’ Telegraph, 3 Nov. 1829; Daniel Carroll Brent to TJ, 29 Mch., and enclosure).