John S. Stake to Thomas Jefferson, 17 April 1812
From John S. Stake
New york April 17th1 1812
Hon’ Sir
By the advice of many of my Republican friends, I have taken the liberty of addressing you. I am the eldest Son of the late Captain John Stake an old Revolutionary officer, of Well known merrit during our Revolutionary struggles for Liberty and Independance through a seven year’s ardurous and Calamitous War: other heroes and other patriots press’d forward in the Same Career of Virrtue and Immortality they where his partners in danger his Companions in glory—
I am now desirous to obtain a Commission in the army and display that valor Which once led our Warriors to defy the thunder of the British Cannon and gloriously triumph in effecting Redress of our injured Country—
Your2 name as it Justly ought Would have great weight with Both the President and Secretary at War, Will you have the goodness to Write one3 or either of them a few lines in my Behalf
John S Stake
RC (DLC); endorsed by TJ as received 29 Apr. 1812 and so recorded in SJL.
John S. Stake (b. 1785), a native of New York City, was appointed a second lieutenant in the 13th Infantry Regiment, United States Army, on 1 May 1812. He resigned on 20 Nov. of that year. New York City directories list Stake as a grocer before and after his military service (New York Genealogical and Biographical Record 30 [1899]: 165; Elliot & Crissy’s New-York Directory, for 1811 [New York, 1811], 388; , 1:914; , 2:261; The Citizens Directory and Strangers Guide Through the City of New York [New York, 1814], 381). His father, an officer in the Continental army and a member of the Society of the Cincinnati, died in 1798 (DNA: RG 15, RWP; Greenleaf’s New York Journal, & Patriotic Register, 28 Mar. 1798).
1. Manuscript: “th 17.”
2. Manuscript: “You.”
3. Manuscript: “on.”
4. Manuscript: “you.”
Index Entries
- American Revolution; J. S. Stake’s service in search
- Eustis, William; as secretary of war search
- Jefferson, Thomas; Correspondence; letters of application and recommendation to search
- Madison, James; applications to search
- patronage; letters of application and recommendation to TJ search
- Republican party; in N.Y. search
- Stake, John; Revolutionary War service of search
- Stake, John S.; identified search
- Stake, John S.; letters from search
- Stake, John S.; seeks military appointment search