Thomas Jefferson Papers

John Bent to Thomas Jefferson, 24 December 1818

From John Bent

December the 24 1818

Sir1

I Take this opportunity To Wright Theas few Loins To you to Let you Now that I want Some infermation from you how I Will get my Land I have Lost my Dis charge in alagany Near Pitts Burg Two miles on the alaganey about Mr Ben Jaman [. . .] I got it in april after Peace Whos made and I kin Prove By Mr John Smith I Saw him at Pitts Burg I have in the united states for Three years and god a onerable Dis Charge Wich Cant get my Land I Wish your as friend To inquire agint Jinner Buckner Wich Whos at Norfolk at that Time an Doctor Clark had Doctor a Ruptur in Service you Will Pleas To Wright To me and Direct To Stanards ville orange County viginia if you are a friend To a Soldier I have heard you are the Best friend To Soldiers No more from your Respect friend

John Bent

RC (MHi); one word illegible; at foot of text: “Mr Thomas Jefferson President of the united states”; endorsed by TJ as received 14 Jan. 1819 and so recorded in SJL.

A missing and possibly related letter to TJ of 27 Dec. 1819 from a John “Bend” is recorded in SJL as received 3 Jan. 1820 from Harrisonburg, with the additional bracketed notation that the author was “insane or drunk.”

1Preceding this word Bent canceled “My friend.”

Index Entries

  • alcohol; abuse of search
  • American Revolution; and Va. land warrants search
  • Bend, John; letter from accounted for search
  • Bent, John; land claim of search
  • Bent, John; letter from search
  • health; alcohol abuse search
  • health; correspondents described by TJ as insane search
  • Jefferson, Thomas; Correspondence; correspondents described by TJ as insane search
  • Jefferson, Thomas; Correspondence; letters of application and recommendation to search
  • patronage; letters of application and recommendation to TJ search
  • Virginia; land claims of veterans from search