Thomas Jefferson Papers

Thomas Jefferson to Patrick Gibson, 24 March 1816

To Patrick Gibson

Monticello Mar. 24. 16.

Dear Sir

Your favor of the 18th is recieved, and informs me how much the quality of my tobo falls short of what I had been given to expect. this afflicts me not merely as to the first loss, but also as it injures the reputation of that tobo which has heretofore commanded high prices. the present loss too is sensibly felt.1 short as my crops both of flour & tobo turned out the last year, I had still confided that they would not only enable me to meet my contracts of this spring, but also to lessen my note in bank. the last however seems2 now impracticable, and my remaining anxiety is to make them replace your advances, and clear off my existing demands. the 3. last hhds of tobo left Lynchburg in Dr Cabell’s boat on the 21st as Yancey informs me, and will be with you I suppose about the time of your recieving this. My former letters had advised you that I should be obliged to draw on you about the close of the month for about3 1000.D. I accordingly4 now give a draught to Th: J. Randolph for that sum to which I must shortly add one in favor of Archibald Robertson for 167.10 D and another in favor of Doctr Fernandez for one or two quarter casks of wine.5 I have drawn on you, as before advised for my Congressional taxes in Bedford. those in this county about 300.D. can lie over, I am told, a month or two longer, which gives more time for the sale of some of the flour if you think delay in it’s sale of any advantage. some neighborhood debts will be deferred with the same view.6 this miserable turn out of the last year will barely carry me thro’ the present one, extra-burthened as it has been with between 900 & 1000.D. State and Congressional taxes. I believe however it will do it, and I willingly look forward to the pleasanter assurances of my new managers that from 800. bushels of wheat now in the ground, I shall have at least 800. Barrels of flour for the next7 winter market, and about 30. or 408 M of tobo from Bedford. we are prone9 to believe what we wish, and to the wish I add that for your health and happiness.

Th: Jefferson

Dft (DLC: TJ Papers, ser. 10); at foot of text: “Mr Gibson”; endorsed by TJ.

1Preceding two words interlined in place of “very inopportune.”

2Word interlined in place of “is.”

3Word interlined in place of “upwards of.”

4Preceding two words interlined in place of “to which were still to be added the demands for my Congressional taxes. for those in Bedford I have drawn on you as before advised. at this place they amount to and are included in a draught I.”

5TJ here canceled “and some time hence for some neighborhood debts.”

6Preceding three sentences interlined.

7Word interlined.

8Preceding two words interlined.

9Word interlined in place of “apt.”

Index Entries

  • Bank of Virginia (Richmond); TJ’s loan from search
  • Cabell, George; boats of search
  • flour; from Poplar Forest search
  • Gibson, Patrick; and TJ’s bank note from Bank of Virginia search
  • Gibson, Patrick; and TJ’s flour search
  • Gibson, Patrick; and TJ’s tobacco search
  • Gibson, Patrick; letters to search
  • Gibson, Patrick; payments made for TJ search
  • Jefferson, Thomas; Business & Financial Affairs; account with A. Robertson search
  • Jefferson, Thomas; Business & Financial Affairs; loan from Bank of Virginia search
  • Jefferson, Thomas; Business & Financial Affairs; orders wine from J. F. Oliveira Fernandes search
  • Jefferson, Thomas; Business & Financial Affairs; pays taxes search
  • Monticello (TJ’s estate); flour from search
  • Monticello (TJ’s estate); Overseers at; plantation management by search
  • Monticello (TJ’s estate); taxes on search
  • Monticello (TJ’s estate); wheat crop at search
  • Oliveira Fernandes, John Francisco; and wine for TJ search
  • Poplar Forest (TJ’s Bedford Co. estate); flour from search
  • Poplar Forest (TJ’s Bedford Co. estate); Overseers at; plantation management by search
  • Poplar Forest (TJ’s Bedford Co. estate); taxes on search
  • Poplar Forest (TJ’s Bedford Co. estate); tobacco grown at search
  • Poplar Forest (TJ’s Bedford Co. estate); wheat grown at search
  • Randolph, Thomas Jefferson (TJ’s grandson; Jane Hollins Nicholas Randolph’s husband); and TJ’s financial transactions search
  • Robertson, Archibald; TJ pays search
  • taxes; TJ pays search
  • tobacco; grown at Poplar Forest search
  • tobacco; poor quality of TJ’s search
  • wheat; as cash crop search
  • wheat; at Monticello search
  • wheat; at Poplar Forest search
  • wine; TJ orders from J. F. Oliveira Fernandes search
  • Yancey, Joel (d.1833); as superintendent of Poplar Forest search