Thomas Jefferson Papers

David Gelston to Thomas Jefferson, 21 January 1818

From David Gelston

New York January 21st 1818,

Dear Sir,

I have this day received under cover from Mr Cathalan the enclosed letter, and also bills of lading for some wines for you,

Presuming the letter enclosed contains a particular account, I omit describing them, and Shall agreeably to what I believe to be your wishes, do the needfull here and ship the whole by first proper opportunity to Richmond as heretofore, unless in the mean time, different instructions Should be receivd from You.—

With sincere affection and respect, I am Dear Sir, your obedient servant,

David Gelston

RC (MHi); endorsed by TJ as received 27 Jan. 1818 and so recorded in SJL. RC (ViU: TJP); address cover only; with PoC of TJ to Thomas Cooper, 19 Nov. 1819, on verso; franked; postmarked New York, 21 Jan. Enclosure: Stephen Cathalan to TJ, 15 Sept. 1817, not found, recorded in SJL as received 27 Jan. 1818 from Marseille.

The two bills of lading, not found, were enclosed in Cathalan to Gelston, Marseille, 18 Sept. 1817, which indicates that the first bill was for two double casks of wine, totaling 120 gallons, and four boxes of wine, containing 200 bottles altogether, to be shipped to TJ; that the second was for one cask, with sixty gallons of wine, intended for Thomas Jefferson Randolph; that the goods were being conveyed to New York on board the brig Agent, of Alexandria, William W. Lewis, master; that they were to be forwarded expeditiously to TJ and Randolph; that all duties, freight, and other charges were to be paid by the recipients; and that his enclosed letter to TJ and the first bill of lading were to be sent on to Monticello (RC in CtMyMHi: Gelston Papers; at foot of first page: “The Collector of the District of new-york”; endorsed by Gelston as received 21 Jan. 1818, with the additional notation: “Wine for Mr Jefferson”).

Index Entries

  • Agent (brig) search
  • boats; transfer goods and people to and from Richmond search
  • Cathalan, Stephen (Étienne) (1757–1819); and wine for TJ search
  • Cathalan, Stephen (Étienne) (1757–1819); letter from accounted for search
  • Gelston, David; and wine for TJ search
  • Gelston, David; letters from search
  • Lewis, William W. (ship captain); and wine for TJ search
  • Randolph, Thomas Jefferson (TJ’s grandson; Jane Hollins Nicholas Randolph’s husband); wine sent to search
  • Richmond, Va.; boats transfer goods and people to and from search
  • taxes; customs search
  • taxes; on wine search
  • wine; for T. J. Randolph search
  • wine; sent to TJ search
  • wine; tariff on search