Hugh Nelson, Watson, and John Kelly gave James Monroe a signed certificate of their appraisal of the value of his Albemarle lands, dated 31 Jan. 1823. Nelson and Watson agreed on the valuation above, excluding the value of the improvements on the 1,500 acres of “what are called the flat-woods, or piney lands, adjoining the lands of Thomas Jefferson Eli Alexander and David Higginbotham.” These improvements consisted of “several dwelling houses and all necessary buildings for the accomodation of a family, two good barns with a Threshing Machine in each, a grist and saw Mill conveniently situated for sawing timber of which there is an inexhaustible stock in the piney-woods contiguous, and of excellent quailty,” all located within three-and-a-half miles of Milton and thus accessible by batteau. Kelly, however, added a postscript arguing that the values should be “$25 per acre” for the “mountain land” and for “the flat land $20—independant of improvements” (MS in DLC: Monroe Papers).

Monroe had recently been assessed by the Albemarle County commissioner of the revenue with taxes of $60.92 based on a value of $19 per acre for 3,562.25 acres, with the buildings, valued at $3,000, included in the estimate, for a total estate value of $67,687.94. Albemarle County clerk Alexander Garrett added that “upon an examination of the records of said Court I find a Deed of Mortgage executed by the said James Monroe to Richard Smith; for the benefit of the United States Bank, Conveying one thousand acres of the above Tract to be taken off of the Southern part thereof,” with no other encumbrances observed (certificate of value of Monroe’s property, 30 Jan. 1823 [MS in DLC: Monroe Papers; in Garrett’s hand, with his signed attestation]).