Thomas Jefferson Papers

Hugh Holmes to Thomas Jefferson, 10 July 1814

From Hugh Holmes

Winchr July 10th 1814

Dear Sir

Yesterday your Cloth was received from the Factory and is this day forwarded to the care of Judge Stuart of Staunton—some who have examined it, think that the finishing is equal to any american Manufacture and but little inferior to that of the English—I confess that I am disappointed, it does not feel soft enough to my touch; which may probably arise from being too often shorn—it was first dyed a blue; but not succeeding in his expectation the Manufacturer changed it to a black—the workmen say that broad Cloths such as yours will require 2 ℔ of Merino wool (washed) to the yard—if so the 10 yds now sent have consumed the 39 lb of unwashed wool

I have not reced the bill of charges but from some hints dropped I presume it will cost more than our estimate—he sells such Cloth as yours at $10—when I Shall have the pleasure of seeing you at Monticello in September we can arrange the expences—

Your friend & sevt

Hh Holmes

RC (MHi); at foot of text: “The honble Thos Jefferson Esqr”; endorsed by TJ as received 16 July 1814 and so recorded in SJL.

The manufacturer was Cyrus B. Baldwin.

Index Entries

  • Baldwin, Cyrus B.; cloth manufacturer search
  • Holmes, Hugh; and TJ’s merino wool search
  • Holmes, Hugh; letters from search
  • Holmes, Hugh; proposed visit to Monticello search
  • merino sheep; wool of search
  • Stuart, Archibald; TJ’s cloth forwarded to search
  • textiles; wool search
  • wool; cloth search
  • wool; merino search