Thomas Jefferson Papers

Thomas Jefferson to Joel Yancey, 21 May 1816

To Joel Yancey

Monticello May 21. 16.

Dear Sir

I informed mr Darnell that1 on account of the misfortunes of the last year, scarcely any thing made for market there or here, immense purchases of corn for bread here and some there, and unexampled taxes, I could not pay his wages till another crop should come in. he said he should be particularly in want of 50.D. which therefore I promised to send him. I have also to pay John Depriest for a horse 70.D. on the 1st of June. for these purposes I inclose a draught on Gibson & Jefferson for 120.D. in favor of mr Robertson, to enable him to make the payments for me. I shall send up the two coopers the last week in June to aid in your harvest. they are both cradlers. I think (without being certain) I shall be with you about the same time. drought and cold weather give us a wretched prospect here. I wish it may be better with you. Accept the assurance of my great esteem & respect.

Th: Jefferson

PoC (MHi); at foot of text: “Mr Joel Yancey”; endorsed by TJ. Enclosure not found.

The two coopers were TJ’s slaves Barnaby Gillette and Nace (Yancey to TJ, 29 Aug. 1816).

1TJ here canceled “nothing.”

Index Entries

  • agriculture; and weather search
  • corn; as food search
  • corn; TJ buys search
  • Darnil (Darnell; Darniel; Darnold), Nimrod; TJ pays search
  • Depriest, John; sells horse to TJ search
  • Gibson & Jefferson (Richmond firm); payments made for TJ search
  • Gillette, Barnaby (TJ’s slave; b.1783); as cooper search
  • Gillette, Barnaby (TJ’s slave; b.1783); at Poplar Forest search
  • horses; TJ purchases search
  • Jefferson, Thomas; Business & Financial Affairs; payments to J. Depriest search
  • Jefferson, Thomas; Business & Financial Affairs; payments to N. Darnil search
  • Nace (TJ’s slave; b.1796); as cooper search
  • Nace (TJ’s slave; b.1796); at Poplar Forest search
  • Poplar Forest (TJ’s Bedford Co. estate); and TJ’s debts search
  • Poplar Forest (TJ’s Bedford Co. estate); coopers at search
  • Poplar Forest (TJ’s Bedford Co. estate); harvest at search
  • Poplar Forest (TJ’s Bedford Co. estate); Overseers at; TJ entrusts documents to search
  • Poplar Forest (TJ’s Bedford Co. estate); Overseers at; TJ’s instructions to search
  • Poplar Forest (TJ’s Bedford Co. estate); Overseers at; wages for search
  • Poplar Forest (TJ’s Bedford Co. estate); slaves at search
  • Poplar Forest (TJ’s Bedford Co. estate); TJ plans visit to search
  • Robertson, Archibald; agent for TJ search
  • weather; cold search
  • weather; drought search
  • weather; effect on crops search
  • Yancey, Joel (d.1833); as superintendent of Poplar Forest search
  • Yancey, Joel (d.1833); letters to search