Lewis Bryant to Thomas Jefferson, [received 11 May 1812]
From Lewis Bryant
[received 11 May 1812]
Sir
I wheare informed that you had a house to plaistor and if you have not got heney man to do your worck i Shoule be Verry happe to do your house in the best maner i at this tim heare worckng at Mr Jorges Cobells Linghborg and i have fineash one Room with a fine Corniss and have one or 2 more to do i have don all the best houses in Several Counteys Mr H Coales house hallfak County Mr Brackingh house Neare feneashd and Mr Nelson’s Neare Stantown and Several in boltemore
and you nede not Dout my not Doing your worck will i Served my tim in hinglan in the Sitte of Bath if you wonts me to do your worck you will please Sir to send me word my Nam is Lewis Bryant i Live 3 miles this Sid of town on the main Rode to New London
RC (MHi); undated; addressed: “The Honnerabol Mr Thomas Jeferson”; endorsed by TJ as a letter received from “near Lynchbg” on 11 May 1812 and so recorded in SJL.
Lewis Bryant (ca. 1751–1815), plasterer, completed his apprenticeship in Bath, England. Late in 1773 he sailed from London to Virginia under a four-year contract of indentured servitude. After the contract expired he followed his trade in Maryland and Virginia. About 1814 Bryant made repairs to a bridge in Southampton County, where he died the following year. At his death Bryant’s personal estate consisted of carpentry and farm tools, livestock, and furniture, with a total value of $408 (Peter Wilson Coldham, Emigrants from England to the American Colonies, 1773–1776 [1988], 28; Hagerstown Maryland Herald, and Elizabeth-town Advertiser, 24 Apr. 1800; Lewis Bryant v. Nicholas Dobson and others, Halifax Co. Court, Chancery Causes, case 1813–034; Southampton Co. Minute Book [1811–16], 109; Southampton Co. Order Book [1814–16], 236; Southampton Co. Will Book, 9:72).
Bryant probably was working on Point of Honor, George Cabell’s (jorges cobells) mansion near Lynchburg (linghborg).