Lucy Ludwell Paradise to Thomas Jefferson, 27 August 1805
From Lucy Ludwell Paradise
Tuesday August the 27th. 1805
His Excellency Thomas Jefferson
Presedent of the United States of America
This day I arrived at Norfolk in the Ship Planta Capt. Bush.
I take the liberty to write to Your Excellency to acquaint you I am Come home to live the remaining Years of My Life in the Bosom of My Native Country and Friends. I Should not have Staid a Month After the Death of Mr Paradise but one Illness after another prevented Me. With the Blessing of God I am Now in good health and with My Priests Blessing and Command who is the Revd Mr Smirnove Chapplen of Legation to the Russian Embasey and that Gentelman desired Me to present his Respects to Your Excellency and he has desired Me to ask Your Excellency to advise Me where I can get all General Hamiltons Works in bords. Lord Hawke whom your Excellency knew Died with the Gout earley in the Spring. I hope Mrs Randolph and her husband and children are well to whom I take the liberty to desire your Excellency will present My Affectionate Respects. Mr B Waller has written to Me he has taken a house for Me in the City of Williamsburg as I desired him. All My children are Dead and Mr Paradise. I now am only Left. The honour of paying My Respects to Your Excellency and Your Amiable Daughter and her family will Make happy
I am with the Greatest Respect Your Excellencies Most Obedient Humble Servant
Lucy Ludwell Paradise
RC (MHi); endorsed by TJ as received 13 Sep. from Norfolk and so recorded in SJL.
For Yakov Smirnov (Smirnove), see Vol. 38:148–50.
Lord Hawke: Martin Bladen, Baron Hawke of Towton, a member of the British Board of Agriculture, died in March 1805. His interest in agricultural pursuits and connections with Sir John Sinclair may have brought him to TJ’s attention when TJ was in London in the 1780s (Sir Ernest Clarke, History of the Board of Agriculture, 1793-1822 [London, 1898], 10-12; , 4:32; London Morning Chronicle, 29 Mch.; Vol. 9:405; Vol. 40:637–9).
I now am only Left: Littleton W. Tazewell helped settle Paradise’s financial affairs in London and arranged passage for her return to Virginia. Benjamin Waller organized the rental from one of her nieces of a brick tenement previously owned by her father and grandfather on Duke of Gloucester Street in Williamsburg (Archibald Bolling Shepperson, John Paradise and Lucy Ludwell of London and Williamsburg [Richmond, 1942], 442; Vol. 32:525–6).