To Thomas Jefferson from John Woodberry, 31 December 1804
From John Woodberry
Washington Decr. 31st. 1804.
May it please Your Excellency!
With humble Submission I take the Liberty to commit myself to Your paternal protection. I am unskill’d in elaborate Speeches but I speak the Language of the heart, & to that I appeal. I came not hither as a mendicant begging for charity; But I was forced against my Will from home at this inclement Season to seek Redress for injuries already Sustained, & to avoid an expensive Law-Suit, which otherwise I must have expected. To illustrate this more fully Your Excellency will observe, that Philadelphia is my Place of Residence: for many Years I have carried on the painting business on Walls in imitation of paper; as the annexed vouchers from Characters well known to Your Excellency; will Sufficiently testify. A Patent was granted to a Man in Baltimore last Year in December; the exclusive right of which he sold to a Citizen of Philadelphia, who threatened me with prosecution, if I persisted in doing any more without producing legal Vouchers for my proceedings Accordingly I came on foot for want of Sufficient means of an easier conveyance. & have obtained Sufficient encouragement from Dr. Thornton by the annexed Copies & now comes my Tale of Sorrow. This Address in1 my ne plus ultra. I am an old man, that my hoary Locks will testify. Now picture to Yourself a gloomy prospect of 160 Miles. on the fore ground a little old man without one Cent in his pocket to refresh him by the way, grovelling slowly on, now climbing a Hill then fording a Creek, perhaps enveloped in Clouds of Snow or Rain; the extended Arm of the distant Inn, has nothing for him, that has not wherewith to make a return, already worn out with age, Yet more so with fatigue & rheumatic pains: The picture is correct: & without Some benevolent heart to assist me, before I can possibly reach one half of my Journey; I must—perish
Forgive my presumption, Your Excellency’s Affability is sufficiently known in Philadelphia, or else I had not for the World taken this Liberty I remain faithfully
Your Excellency’s most huble & obedient Servant
John Woodberry
RC (MoSHi: Jefferson Papers); endorsed by TJ as received 31 Dec. and so recorded in SJL. Enclosures not found.
John Woodberry ran a painting business that encompassed “its various branches,” including house painting, gilding, varnishing, carpet painting, and the art of painting walls in “imitation of flowered paper.” He also advertised himself as a music instructor and language tutor. Originally from London, Woodberry opened business in Danbury, Connecticut, around 1790, then moved to Providence, Rhode Island, then to Hartford, and by 1804 was advertising in Annapolis (Danbury, Conn., Farmer’s Journal, 23 Sep. 1790; Providence United States Chronicle, 5 Jan. 1797; Hartford American Mercury, 18 Sep. 1800; Annapolis Maryland Gazette, 5 Apr. 1804).
On 30 Dec. 1803, John Selby obtained a United States Patent, which he advertised as an improvement in the painting of “Rooms, Ornamental Ceilings, &c in imitation of flowered wallpaper.” In March 1804, Woodberry publicly questioned the validity of Selby’s patent in a Baltimore newspaper. Selby’s response, printed directly below Woodberry’s “Caution to the Public,” reiterated his patent rights, explained his painting method as “much more durable, without being annoyed by bugs, &c.,” and attacked the quality of Woodberry’s talents “even in rough painting” (, 39; Baltimore Telegraphe and Daily Advertiser, 22 Feb., 30 Mch.).
William Thornton was superintendent of the patent office.
Your Excellency’s Affability: in his financial memoranda under 31 Dec., TJ recorded giving one dollar for “Charity” to an unnamed recipient (, 2:1143).
1. Thus in MS.