To Thomas Jefferson from Ellen Wayles Randolph, [before 27 June 1805]
From Ellen Wayles Randolph
[before 27 June 1805]
Dear Grand Papa
I now set down to write to you and hope you will answer my letter I have often tried to do it before but never could succeed, but now I am determined to do it I suppose you have heard that Cousin Eliza Pleasants is gone away. Uncle William and Mr. Hackley have been here and left us yesterday excuse the faults and bad writing of this letter since nothing but my anxiety to write to you and to show you I had not forgotten you could have made me do it your affectionate Grand Daughter
Elleonora W Randolph
RC (MHi); undated; endorsed by TJ as received 27 June 1805 and so recorded in SJL.
Cousin Elizabeth Randolph Pleasants was the daughter of Thomas Mann Randolph’s sister of the same name (Melanie Randolph Miller, ed., The Diaries of Gouverneur Morris: New York, 1799-1816 [Charlottesville, 2018], 707). William Randolph was Thomas Mann Randolph’s brother (William H. Gaines, Jr., Thomas Mann Randolph: Jefferson’s Son-in-Law [Baton Rouge, 1966], 77).
For Richard S. Hackley, see Thomas Mann Randolph to TJ, 22 June.