James W. Wallace to Thomas Jefferson, 11 January 1818
From James W. Wallace
Philadelphia Jany 11th 18
Dear Sir,
Yours of October last gave me the first Knowledge of an American species of Elephant.
I find teeth similar to those found in Fauquier, in the possession of the Philosophical Society, as well as in Mr Peales Museum.
I am now attending my last & tenth course of Lectures and dissections, and shall remain here untill March. if I can render you in any way any Service, do call on me, you can’t well think how pleasing it would be.
Some years since You mentioned to me a grape much like our fox grape, which has made a charming wine, as found on the susquihanna; and that you could not procure the cuttings. I well remembering this, have been able to find it. tis called here, the Bland grape, of which I can procure the cuttings.
James W. Wallace
RC (DLC); endorsed by TJ as received 17 Jan. 1818 and so recorded in SJL. RC (DLC); address cover only; with PoC of TJ to Peter Jefferson Archer, 10 Mar. 1818, on verso; addressed: “Thomas Jefferson Monticello”; franked; postmarked Philadelphia, 11 Jan.
philosophical society: American Philosophical Society. Wallace was probably attending medical lectures and dissections at the University of Pennsylvania, from which he had received an M.D. degree in 1793 ( , 565). He discussed a grape much like our fox grape with TJ during a visit to Monticello in October 1811 (Wallace to TJ, 5 Apr. 1822).
Index Entries
- American Philosophical Society; and mammoth bones search
- grapes; fox search
- grapes; vine cuttings search
- mammoth; tooth impressions sent to TJ search
- Monticello (TJ’s Albemarle Co. estate); Visitors to; Wallace, James W. search
- museums; Philadelphia Museum search
- Peale, Charles Willson; and Philadelphia Museum search
- Pennsylvania, University of search
- Philadelphia Museum; and mammoth bones search
- schools and colleges; University of Pennsylvania search
- Susquehanna River; grapes grown along search
- Virginia; mammoth bones found in search
- Wallace, James Westwood; and grapes for wine search
- Wallace, James Westwood; and mammoth’s tooth search
- Wallace, James Westwood; education of search
- Wallace, James Westwood; letters from search
- Wallace, James Westwood; visits Monticello search