John Adlum to Thomas Jefferson, 27 February 1816
From John Adlum
George Town District of Columbia Feby. 27th 1816—
Dear Sir
I did not receive your favour of the 16th Ult untill yesterday. I now reside in the neighbourhood of this Town, and have lived here near two years, I heard by accident of your letter being in the Post office of Havre degrace, and wrote to the Post master for it, it was very neglectful of him not to forward it to me, as he knew I resided in this vicinity,
As I suppose the person to whom I sold my farm at Havre degrace had grubbed up all the grape vines I left there, I have written to Levin Gale Esquire son to my late friend Mr George Gale who got the grape from me to forward you a number of the cuttings of the grape you want, which I am very sure he will do with a great deal of pleasure, and I have requested him that when he forwards them to you to write you that no time may be lost, in planting them &c. I have also written him some time since to save a number of cuttings for me, and expect to be at his house some time next month. and if it is not too late, I will send you an additional number of cuttings, I hope you will believe that I do not think it any trouble, where I can be in any manner useful in promoting the culture of any thing useful in my country— I am Dear Sir
John Adlum
RC (DLC); at foot of text: “The Honble Thomas Jefferson”; endorsed by TJ as received 1 Mar. 1816 and so recorded in SJL.
TJ’s letter to Adlum was dated 13 Jan., not the 16th ult. The post master of Havre de Grace, Maryland, was John Dutton (Table of Post-Offices in The United States, with the Names of the Post-Masters, the Counties and States in which they are situated, and the Distances from the City of Washington [Washington, 1817], 33).