To Thomas Jefferson from William Taylor, 22 June 1805
From William Taylor
Baltimore June. 22d. 1805
Sir:
My friend Mr John Kelly of Charlottesville has forwarded me a memorandum of articles to be sent on to you for Mr. Randolph and I have this day sent a Trunk by The Stage to yr address to be forwarded to Monticello as soon as possible; with The enclosed letter of Invoice &ca. Be pleased to direct some enquiry after The Trunk & let me be Informed if it is safely received.
I am, most respectfully Sir Yr mo. obt Ser
Wm. Taylor
RC (MHi): at foot of text: “Thomas Jefferson Esqr President of the United States”; endorsed by TJ as received 23 June and so recorded in SJL. Enclosures not found.
Massachusetts native William Taylor (ca. 1749-1829) was an established Baltimore merchant who conducted a large foreign business through the firm of Sylvanus Bourne, U.S. consul at Amsterdam. Financial difficulties during and after the War of 1812 forced Taylor into bankruptcy. In 1818 he moved to New Orleans, where for a short period he was with the firm of Taylor & Palfrey (William Allan and John Johnson, Life and Work of John McDonogh [Baltimore, 1886], 8-10, 34-5; Library of Congress, Handbook of Manuscripts in the Library of Congress [Washington, D.C., 1918], 404-5; Baltimore Patriot & Mercantile Advertiser, 4 Mch. 1829).