Thomas Jefferson to James Monroe, 21 February 1823 (second letter)
To James Monroe
Monticello Feb. 21. 23
Dear Sir
Your favor of Jan. 29. did not get to hand till a few days past, and as I could not answer it without some information and the weather severe, I had to wait till it became a little milder, so that I could ride to the Highlands to make my enquiries. I recieved the information I asked from mr Landrum yesterday. I learn that within your lines are about 2000 acres of Carter’s antient patent, almost the first located in this neighborhood. I know that he run his boundary exactly along the line which divides the red mountain land from the grey and Piny. the former is of our first quality altho’ hilly, and is rarely at market. the last sale I have known of that kind of land in this neighborhood was a little before the great Catastrophe of banks, & bankruptcies of 1819. that sale was at 30.D. an acre. but lands fell instantly, and have settled according to the general opinion1 at about ⅓ less than their prices during our flooded circulation. I think your lands within Carter’s patent are worth 20.D. an acre. your grey piny lands I have never gone over, nor do I know their particular quality; but if like those of the same range, colour & growth I should consider them worth from 15./. to 20/ an acre. I remember offering you a piece of that character adjoining you several years ago at 20./ an acre. I understand you have about 1500. acres of this. your red lands are much better furnished than is usual in this country with all necessary buildings, as barns, threshing machines, overseers’ & negro houses, of much better built than usual, and I think there is very little, if any, of those lands overworn. you have however had the opinions on this subject of judges so much more competent than I am that mine have no other merit than as proofs of my friendly regard to your requests.
Th: Jefferson
RC (DLC: Monroe Papers); addressed: “President Monroe Washington.” Recorded in SJL with additional notation: “value of his lands.” Enclosed in TJ to Monroe, 21 Feb. 1823 (first letter).
TJ recieved the information on 20 Feb. 1823 in a letter of that date from John Watson. For TJ’s offer of a piece of that character, see Monroe to TJ, 9 Sept. 1818.
1. Manuscript: “opini-.”
Index Entries
- agriculture; and overuse of land search
- agriculture; threshing machines search
- banks; and Panic of1819 search
- Carter, John; and Albemarle Co. land search
- Highland (J. Monroe’s Albemarle Co. estate); improvements at search
- Highland (J. Monroe’s Albemarle Co. estate); sale of search
- Highland (J. Monroe’s Albemarle Co. estate); valuation of search
- horses; TJ rides search
- Jefferson, Thomas; Business & Financial Affairs; sale of Albemarle Co. land proposed search
- Landrum, Mr.; and J. Monroe’s Highland estate search
- machines; threshing search
- Monroe, James; and TJ’s land search
- Monroe, James; letters to search
- slaves; dwellings of search
- threshing machines search
- United States; Panic of1819 search
- Virginia; and Panic of1819 search
- Watson, John (1760–1841); as J. Monroe’s agent search