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.
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 (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).
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