Thomas Jefferson Papers

Thomas J. Stuart to Thomas Jefferson, 26 October 1819

From Thomas J. Stuart

Staunton October 26th 1819.

Dear Sir

In compliance with your request I on last Tuesday visited the Marble quarry in this County. It lies near the Lexington road about Eighteen miles from this place. From a slight excavation which has been made I saw a rock of Marble perfectly white from which a block could be taken more than two feet cube. The Quarry lies near the top of a very steep hill about two feet from the surface of the Earth and could be opened for a more accurate inspection at a very trifling expence. I think the specimen I saw would Justify the hope that Blocks of the size required at the university can be procured. My Father desires to be affectionately remembered to you. Accept sir assurances of respect and esteem from.

your Obt Servant

Thomas J Stuart.

RC (MHi); at foot of text: “Thomas Jefferson Esqr”; endorsed by TJ as received 29 Oct. 1819 and so recorded in SJL.

Thomas Jefferson Stuart (d. 1856), attorney and public official, was the son of TJ’s correspondent Archibald Stuart. The younger Stuart attended Washington Academy (later Washington and Lee University) in about 1804 and represented Augusta County in the House of Delegates for four terms, 1823–25 and 1832–34. He supported John Quincy Adams in the 1824 presidential election and subsequently became a Whig. In 1850 Stuart owned three slaves and real estate valued at $1,200. He died in Staunton (Washington and Lee University Catalogue description begins Catalogue of the Officers and Alumni of Washington and Lee University, Lexington, Virginia, 1749–1888, 1888 description ends , 59; Leonard, General Assembly description begins Cynthia Miller Leonard, comp., The General Assembly of Virginia, July 30, 1619–January 11, 1978: A Bicentennial Register of Members, 1978 description ends , 318, 323, 363, 367; Washington Daily National Journal, 24 Sept. 1824; Washington Daily National Intelligencer, 2 Nov. 1827, 3 May 1834; DNA: RG 29, CS, Augusta Co., 1830–50, 1850 slave schedules; Washington Evening Star, 22 Aug. 1856).

Index Entries

  • Augusta County, Va.; marble quarry in search
  • Jefferson, Thomas; Correspondence; with namesakes search
  • marble; in Va. search
  • Stuart, Archibald; family of search
  • Stuart, Thomas Jefferson; and marble search
  • Stuart, Thomas Jefferson; identified search
  • Stuart, Thomas Jefferson; letter from search
  • Virginia, University of; Construction and Grounds; marble for search