Thomas Jefferson Papers

Tadeusz Kosciuszko to Thomas Jefferson, 3 June 1817

From Tadeusz Kosciuszko

Soleure le 3 Juin 1817.

Mon Cher Ami—

Comme vous vous réposéz tranquilement sur vos l’Auriers si justement acquis et sur la Réputation Générale et tant chérie encore par vos Concytoyens. Il ne faut pas pour cela oublier vos Amis en Europe, qui vous aiment tout autant que vos Compatriotes. Vous me dévez deux ou trois lettres. Apresat1 il s’agit de rendre un service éssentiel à une personne de mes Connoissances Mr Poinsot démeurant en Amerique à acheté à Richmond 1.200. Acres de terre dans le Comté de Monongalia et que Mr Patrick Henry Gouverneur alors de l’Etat de Virginie lui à delivré le 23 Mai 1785 avec le Contrat, elles sont situees près de vos terres appéllées le Peek of Otter il payoit déja land taxes et il a aussi le Plan et le titre dont il vous envoit une Copie. Mais révenu en Europe la révolution Francaise et les autres evénéments l’ont empeché de réclamer sa Proprieté.

Ayéz la bonté de charger quelqu’un de votre part, afin qu’il puisse revandiquer cette terre et Vous témoigner avec moi sa parfaite réconnoissance,

Agréez l’assurance de ma haute Consideration

T Kosciuszko

Editors’ Translation

Solothurn 3 June 1817.

My Dear Friend—

You are quietly resting on the laurels you so justly acquired and on the public reputation that is still so dear to your fellow citizens. Yet you must not forget your friends in Europe, who love you as much as your countrymen do. You owe me two or three letters. In addition, my acquaintance Mr. Poinsot needs an essential favor. While living in America, in Richmond he bought 1,200 acres of land in Monongalia County. Mr. Patrick Henry, then governor of the state of Virginia, gave him the land grant on 23 May 1785. The tract is located near your land called the Peaks of Otter. He has already paid land taxes, and he also has the map and the title, of which he is sending you a copy. But having returned to Europe, the French Revolution and other events prevented him from claiming his property.

Please be so kind as to assign someone to this matter, so that he can claim this land and express with me his complete gratitude to you.

Please accept the assurance of my high consideration

T Kosciuszko

RC (MHi); dateline at foot of text; endorsed by TJ as received 24 Sept. 1817 and so recorded in SJL. Translation by Dr. Genevieve Moene. Enclosed in Peter Poinsot to TJ, 25 June 1817, and Stephen Cathalan to TJ, 7 Sept. 1818. A Dupl of this letter, not found, is recorded in SJL as received 29 Sept. 1817 from Solothurn. It was enclosed in a Dupl (dated 10 July 1817) of Poinsot to TJ, 25 June 1817.

1Thus in manuscript; “après ça” was presumably intended.

Index Entries

  • French language; letters in, from; T. Kosciuszko search
  • Henry, Patrick (1736–99); governor of Va. search
  • Kosciuszko, Tadeusz (Thaddeus) Andrzej Bonawentura; and P. Poinsot’s land grant search
  • Kosciuszko, Tadeusz (Thaddeus) Andrzej Bonawentura; letters from search
  • Peaks of Otter, Va.; property near search
  • Poinsot, Peter; land grant to search
  • Virginia; land grants in search