Thomas Jefferson Papers
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Thomas Jefferson’s Estimate of University of Virginia Building Costs, [before 21 July 1821]

Estimate of University of Virginia Building Costs

[before 21 July 1821]

   Application of the funds.
Funds of the University 1820. D 
Apr. 1. 1st loan  40,000 Apr. Debts 10,000 
Oct.  do 20,000 Dec. 31.  To compleat the 7. Pavilions & 31. Domitories first built 18,000 
Caps & bases of 60 Tuscan & 6. Doric columns 766.
the 1st half for the 3. pavilions & 24. Dormitors begun this year. 13,800 
the 1st half for the 3. Hotels & 25. Dormits begun this year. 9,500 
2d Payment to Dr Cooper 750.
Residuary exps of this year, Bursar, Proctor, laborers, contingencies 3,500.
Interest on the 1st loan 2,000.
 Balance remaining on hand 1,684 
60,000 60,000 
1821. 1821.
Jan. 1. Balance  1,684 Apr.   1. 17. Marble capitels from Italy. cost 1632 D freight 152 D 1,784.
   Annuity 15,000 Dec. 31. 2d half of the 3. Pavils & 24. Dorms begun last year 13,800 
Oct. 1. 2d loan 60,000 2d half of the 3. Hotels & 25. Dorms begun last year 9,500 
Caps & Bases of 60. Tuscan columns 697 
Caps & Bases of 21. Doric do & Bases of 17. Ion. & Corinthn do 1218 ) 1,701.
291
192
3. Hotels & 25 Dorms on West street to be built this year 19,000.
Library. walls & terrasses 1,050,000.1 bricks & stone work 14,452.
Residuary expences of this year 3,500.
Interest on 120,000.D. 4,500.
Balance remaining on hand 7,750 
76,684. 76,684.
1822. 1822.
Jan. 1. Balance  7,750  Jan.   1. Library. 10 Marble capitels. cost 316.302 freight 32 D each. 4,876.
   Annuity 15,000      8. half do       158.15     16
   Arrears  3,897 Dec. 31.      roof, windows, doors, floors, stairs, bases 10,871.
Walls of backyards, Necessaries, gardens. 100,000. bricks 1,200 
Residuary expences of this year 2,500 
Interest on 120,000. D 7,200 
26,647 26,647.
1823. 1823.
Jan. 1. Annuity 15,000 Jan.   1. Balance in arrear. 3,897.
1824. Dec. 31. Library. Interior 13,476 
Jan. 1. Annuity 15,000 Residuary expences of this year 2,500 
Interest on 120,000 7,200 
30,000. leaves surplus 2.927 +  27,073 
Subscriptions due
Oct. 2. 1820. 24,877.

MS (ViU: TJP); entirely in TJ’s hand; undated, with conjectural date based in part on TJ’s apparently revised plan to request a $30,000 loan from the Literary Fund on 21 July 1821, rather than the $60,000 loan budgeted here for receipt on 1 Oct. 1821.

On this document’s verso TJ detailed a schedule for repayment of $120,000 in loans from the Literary Fund to the University of Virginia at 6 percent interest, calculating that with annual payments of $12,500 beginning on 1 Jan. 1825, the debt could be extinguished with a final payment of $9,138 on 1 Jan. 1839 (MS in ViU: TJP; entirely in TJ’s hand; undated).

1Above this number TJ erased an illegible number followed by “bricks.”

2Reflecting new estimates for the cost of stone carving in Italy that TJ received on 1 Oct. 1821 in a 7 July 1821 letter from Thomas Appleton, above this number TJ added “530.” He similarly revised the total in the final column to “(8048),” and in the line below he inserted “280” above “158.15.”

Index Entries

  • Appleton, Thomas; and capitals for University of Virginia search
  • Brockenbrough, Arthur Spicer; as University of Virginia proctor search
  • building materials; bricks search
  • Central College; subscription for search
  • Cooper, Thomas (1759–1839); University of Virginia professorship proposed for search
  • Garrett, Alexander; as University of Virginia bursar search
  • interest; TJ’s calculations of search
  • Italy; marble from search
  • Italy; stonecutters from search
  • Jefferson, Thomas; Writings; Estimate of University of Virginia Building Costs search
  • Literary Fund; and annuity for University of Virginia search
  • Literary Fund; and loans for University of Virginia search
  • marble; Carrara search
  • privies; at University of Virginia search
  • Virginia, University of; Administration and Financial Affairs; funding for search
  • Virginia, University of; Administration and Financial Affairs; TJ’s Estimate of University of Virginia Building Costs search
  • Virginia, University of; Construction and Grounds; building costs search
  • Virginia, University of; Construction and Grounds; capitals for search
  • Virginia, University of; Construction and Grounds; doors search
  • Virginia, University of; Construction and Grounds; dormitory rooms search
  • Virginia, University of; Construction and Grounds; hotels search
  • Virginia, University of; Construction and Grounds; pavilions search
  • Virginia, University of; Construction and Grounds; privies search
  • Virginia, University of; Construction and Grounds; roofs search
  • Virginia, University of; Construction and Grounds; Rotunda (library) search
  • Virginia, University of; Construction and Grounds; stairs search
  • Virginia, University of; Construction and Grounds; stonemasons search
  • Virginia, University of; Construction and Grounds; wages for workmen search
  • Virginia, University of; Construction and Grounds; walls and fences at search
  • Virginia, University of; Construction and Grounds; windows search
  • Virginia, University of; Faculty and Curriculum; faculty compensation search
  • Virginia, University of; Faculty and Curriculum; T. Cooper as proposed professor search