Thomas Jefferson Papers

James Boardman to Thomas Jefferson, 16 January 1822

From James Boardman

L[i]verpool Jany 16th 1822

Sir

I embrace the medium of your consul at this port Mr Maury, to forward a portrait of one of the greatest men of modern times Washington as well as one of the excellent LaFayette both which I beg you will accept with my best wishes for the prosperity of The United States of America.

The Medallion of Washington is from a French Bronze lent me some time ago by Genl Harper of Baltimore, that of La Fayette from a Sèvres Terra cotta of our late French consul The chevaler Masclet.

Wishing them safe at Monticello

I am Sir   with the greatest respect

Your Most Ob Servt

Jas Boardman

RC (MHi); mutilated at seal; dateline at foot of text; addressed: “Mr Jefferson Monticello”; endorsed by TJ as received 15 July 1822 and so recorded in SJL.

James Boardman (ca. 1791–1861), merchant and public official, was a native of Liverpool, England. In 1818 he declared bankruptcy as a merchant in Liverpool. Boardman operated an earthenware and china warehouse in the same city by 1821 and was active in the trade until at least 1827. He visited the United States, 1829–31, including a year’s residence in New York City, where he published a series of articles describing earlier travels in continental Europe. After his permanent return to Liverpool, Boardman published America, and the Americans (1833), a work he dedicated to “Lafayette, the companion of Washington, and the friend of mankind.” Beginning in 1838 he spent four years as Liverpool’s superintendent-registrar of births, deaths, and marriages. Removed from that post due to his adherence to the Liberal party, Boardman was assistant superintendent of the census commission in 1845 ([Boardman], “Reminiscences of Interesting Scenes and Periods; or, Scraps from the Port-folio of a Travelling Bachelor,” Euterpeiad: An Album of Music, Poetry & Prose 1 [1830–31]: esp. pp. 140, 152–3, 189; Liverpool Mercury, Or Commercial, Literary, and Political Herald, 19 June 1818, 21 Jan. 1825; Gore’s Liverpool Directory [1821]: 56; [1825]: 53; Gores’ Directory of Liverpool and its Environs [1827]: 52; Liverpool Mercury, and Lancashire General Advertiser, 6 Feb. 1835, 16 Mar. 1838, 22 Apr. 1842, 31 Jan. 1845, 22 Jan. 1861; UkNA: England census, Lancashire, 1841, 1851).

The portraits Boardman sent to TJ have not been identified.

Index Entries

  • Boardman, James; identified search
  • Boardman, James; letter from search
  • Boardman, James; sends portraits to TJ search
  • Harper, Robert Goodloe; and medallion of G. Washington search
  • Lafayette, Marie Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier, marquis de; medallion of search
  • Lafayette, Marie Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier, marquis de; portraits of search
  • Masclet, Amé Thérèse Joseph; and medallion of Lafayette search
  • Maury, James (1746–1840); as consul at Liverpool search
  • medals; depicting G. Washington search
  • medals; depicting Lafayette search
  • Washington, George; medallion of search
  • Washington, George; portraits of search