Thomas Jefferson Papers

Account with Reuben Perry for Work on Barn at Monticello, 1 July 1813

Account with Reuben Perry for Work on Barn at Monticello

A Bill of work done for Thos Jefferson Esqr
Sq. feet. In     $ . Cts
127. 57.  6 Framing @ 6/– 127. 57½
19. 60. Sheeting & shingling @ 10/6 34. 30
16. 62. Sheeting Shed @ 1/6 4. 15
20. 86.  4 planking @ 3/– 10. 43
53 Shingling hips say per foot @ 1/6 13. 25
7. 85. 10 flooring @ 6/– 7. 85½
3. 75 flooring loft @ 6/– 3. 75
making & hanging 5 Dble doors @ 12 10. 00
78 Barge board @ 2d 1. 56
  $ 212. 87
A Bill of Scantling
Feet In $ . Cts
8 Sills 16 feet long 10 by 12 In 469. 4 @ 6/– 4. 69
6 do 26 do 10  12 572. @ 6/– 5. 72
2 plates 37 do 10  4  86. 4 @ 6/– . 86
1 do 24 do  9  4  26. @ 6/– . 26
1 hip Joist 24 do  9  4  26. @ 6/– . 26
30 Joist 16 do 10  wide 400. @ 6/– 4. 00
55 sleepers 14 do 12  do 770 @ 6/– 7. 70
15 do 12 do 12  180. @ 6/– 1. 80
8 Sidepost  7 do 10   46. 8 @ 6/– . 46½
62 Rafters 16 do  3  5 661. 4 @ 6/– 6. 61
6 plank 27 do 15 wide 202. 6 @ 6/– 2. 02½
  34. 39
Amt brought down  212. 87
  247. 26
add for board  82. 42
$ 329. 68
1st July 1813—

MS (ViW: TC-JP); in Perry’s hand; notation by Perry on verso: “Bill Mr Jefferson’s Work”; endorsed by TJ: “Perry Reuben.”

sq.: a square is an area of one-hundred square feet, a standard by which carpenters measure their work (OED description begins James A. H. Murray, J. A. Simpson, E. S. C. Weiner, and others, eds., The Oxford English Dictionary, 2d ed., 1989, 20 vols. description ends ). The numbers in the three leftmost columns in the upper table are thus expressed in squares, square feet, and square inches.

Index Entries

  • building materials; plank search
  • building materials; timber search
  • Jefferson, Thomas; Business & Financial Affairs; Account with Reuben Perry for Work on Barn at Monticello search
  • Monticello (TJ’s estate); barn at search
  • Perry, Reuben; account with search
  • Perry, Reuben; TJ’s carpenter search
  • wood; plank search