Thomas Jefferson Papers

Thomas Jefferson to Bernard Peyton, 7 October 1822

To Bernard Peyton

Monticello Oct. 7. 22.

Dear Sir

I recieved last night your favor of the 3d. in expectation that the note would be discounted I had already drawn on you for 300 + 200 + 100 + 50 D. say 650.D. I shall stop at that and settle Bacon’s balance otherwise. our river rose 1. foot with the late rains and we got off Wood’s boats with flour; but I learnt yesterday that the water failed before they got out of the river, and that they are now waiting a rain. I was on the point of drawing on this in favor of mr Barret. these two circumstances give me great uneasiness for him and yourself, from which no relief can be had but by rain. I have now deposited in the mill wheat for 350. barrels of flour & T.E.R. owes me 200. Barrels. our taxes too will soon now be called for, mine amounting here & in Bedford to upwards of 200.D. these things afflict me greatl[y] and I have not much confidence that either prayers or a change of the moon can be depended on for rain. be so good as to forward my last quarter’s account. it is very necessary for my government. affectionately yours

Th: Jefferson

PoC (MHi); on verso of reused address cover to TJ; edge trimmed; at foot of text: “Colo Peyton”; endorsed by TJ.

In his financial records for September and October 1822 TJ described his distribution of funds based on his incorrect expectation that the note would be discounted. On 27 Sept. he noted and later canceled a payment of 300 dollars to Wolfe & Raphael, adding that he “gave E. Bacon an order on them for that sum.” On 1 Oct. he accounted for 200 dollars for David Isaacs as an order on Peyton, adding that he had given “Edmd. Bacon order on D. Isaacs for 200.D.” He listed 100 dollars on 5 Oct. as drawn on Peyton in favor of Wolfe & Raphael. The final 50 d. was part of a 1 Oct. transaction to repay James Leitch (MB description begins James A. Bear Jr. and Lucia C. Stanton, eds., Jefferson’s Memorandum Books: Accounts, with Legal Records and Miscellany, 1767–1826, 1997, The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Second Series description ends , 2:1389). t.e.r.: Thomas Eston Randolph.

Index Entries

  • Albemarle County, Va.; taxation of property in search
  • Bacon, Edmund; TJ pays search
  • Bedford County, Va.; taxation on property in search
  • Farmers’ Bank of Virginia (Richmond); TJ’s loan from search
  • Isaacs, David; TJ’s account with search
  • Jefferson, Thomas; Business & Financial Affairs; loan from Farmers’ Bank of Virginia search
  • Leitch, James; TJ pays search
  • Monticello (TJ’s Albemarle Co. estate); flour from search
  • Peyton, Bernard; account with TJ search
  • Peyton, Bernard; and TJ’s flour search
  • Peyton, Bernard; and TJ’s loan from Farmers’ Bank of Virginia search
  • Peyton, Bernard; letters to search
  • Randolph, Thomas Eston (TJ’s cousin); account with TJ search
  • Rivanna River; water level of search
  • Shadwell mills; flour mill at search
  • taxes; TJ on search
  • weather; effect on shipping search
  • weather; rain search
  • wheat; at Shadwell mills search
  • Wolfe & Raphael (Charlottesville firm); TJ pays search