James Oldham to Thomas Jefferson, 2 November 1821
From James Oldham
November 2nd 1821.
J. Oldham to Mr Jefferson
The Proctor of the Uneversity considers himself not orthorised to appoint any Other person than George Divers Eqr or Mr P. Minor to settle up the worke & I am tolde that nether of these Gentlemen will consent to act, be pleasd sir to give him authority to appoint some person that will act immediately with the person that I shall appoint. I am confident sir that if all my worke was estimated farely by the book of Prices that it would amount to the Sum of 5800 dollars exclusive of lumber that I have furneshed at the commencement and advanced the money for. 2000 dollars is every cent that I have recevd, and the coste of Lumber and waggonage for Pavilion 1 west and 4 dormetories, Hotel A east and 9 dormetories amounts to the Sum of 3790–94 cents, aboute 400 dollars of this sum was Paid in subscriptions by John Rogers, James Clarke, N. H. Lewis and James Duke. I am Sir in debt and withoute one soletery cent of money and I shall luse two hands this weeke for the want of money to pay theare wages. I think Sir from your mentioning to me yesterday to sue for a settlement that you must of have recev,d some rong representation of my worke or my self, I pledge to you Sir my Honour, that litegation is always the last resorte with me, and I think you will se that the step I now wish to persue in submitting the worke to a reference will have the effect of a spedy settlement and avoid1 every thing that mite be unpleasant, if theare be any worke found that is not faithfully done I aske not one cent for it and will refund to the uneversity all coste of meterials. I think Sir when you come to examin the expences of the contingent2 accounts you will finde that I have not recervd as mutch money for all my Labour and worke as has been expended by the proctor in fitting up the house he lives in for his conveniance, and Sir to show how much respect is paid to your Orders and derections I site the occurrance of laste munday when you perposed to have wood Gutters on the roofs of the west range of buildings, I have been informed you was tolde that the worke for tin Gutters was two far advancd, this Sir was not the fact, for it was noticed derectly after you Left the Uneversity, the hands of Crawford & peck was set to worke cutting oute the rafter bords for the tin Gutters, and not a single tin Gutter was theare put together—
I Know3 Sir it would be presumption for me to pretend to dictate to you, but your friends4 think if theare be any thing rong heare you will have the burthen to Bare.
RC (CSmH: JF); dateline at foot of text; endorsed by TJ as received the day it was written.
The book of prices that the University of Virginia used to determine wages for builders was The House Carpenters’ Book of Prices, and Rules for measuring and valuing all their different kinds of work (Philadelphia, 1812; , 6 [no. 243]). hotel a east was later renamed Hotel B. The house occupied by Arthur S. Brockenbrough, the proctor, was the Monroe Hill property acquired by the university from John M. Perry ( , 130).
1. Manuscript: “avid.”
2. Oldham here canceled “fund.”
3. Manuscript: “Kow.”
4. Manuscript: “fiends.”
Index Entries
- books; of builders’ prices search
- Brockenbrough, Arthur Spicer; as University of Virginia proctor search
- building materials; lumber search
- building materials; tin search
- Clarke, James (of Albemarle Co.); and Central College–University of Virginia subscription search
- Crawford, Malcolm F.; as builder for University of Virginia search
- Divers, George; and University of Virginia search
- Duke, James; and Central College–University of Virginia subscription search
- gutters; at University of Virginia search
- Lewis, Nicholas Hunter; and Central College–University of Virginia subscription search
- lumber; used at University of Virginia search
- Minor, Peter; and University of Virginia search
- Oldham, James; as builder for University of Virginia search
- Oldham, James; finances of search
- Oldham, James; letters from search
- Peck, Lyman; as builder for University of Virginia search
- Perry, John M.; sells property to Central College–University of Virginia search
- Rogers, John (of Albemarle Co.); and Central College–University of Virginia subscription search
- The House Carpenters’ Book of Prices, and Rules for measuring and valuing all their different kinds of work; and wages at University of Virginia search
- tin; gutters search
- Virginia, University of; Construction and Grounds; disputes with workmen search
- Virginia, University of; Construction and Grounds; dormitory rooms search
- Virginia, University of; Construction and Grounds; gutters for search
- Virginia, University of; Construction and Grounds; Hotel B search
- Virginia, University of; Construction and Grounds; Monroe Hill search
- Virginia, University of; Construction and Grounds; Pavilion I search
- Virginia, University of; Construction and Grounds; wages for workmen search
- wood; for gutters search