Thomas Jefferson to George Richardson, 15 July 1823
To George Richardson
Monto July 15. 23.
Sir
Your favor of June 16. was recieved on the 10th inst. the last letter I recd from your brother Richard was dated Jamaica July 27. 1809. now 14. years ago. I have never doubted that he must have died within a year or two after that, as he was rarely longer than that without writing to me. I inclose you that letter as it will be some guide in your enquiries1 after him. he names mr Pollock of Norfolk as the best channel for communicns from you. if this is not approved, your best method will be to address a letter to our Consul in Jamaica, requesting him to make such enquiries as are within his reach and to communicate them to you, to enable you to judge what measures to take next. our public officers abroad do these things of courtesy, if not of strict duty. your letter had better be sent under cover to the Secretary of state to be forwarded to Jamaica with his first dispatches,2 & you would do well to3 get some member of your delegn to recommend it to the4 patronage of the Secretary. I salute you with esteem & respect
Th:J
Dft (MHi); on verso of reused address cover of George F. Hopkins to TJ, 2 Dec. 1822; endorsed by TJ as a letter to “Richardson George.” Enclosure: Richard Richardson to TJ, 27 July 1809, not found (see note to TJ to Dudley Richardson, 2 Nov. 1809).
delegn: “delegation,” that is, Kentucky’s congressional representatives.
1. Word interlined in place of “researches.”
2. Reworked from “forwarded with his first dispatches to the Consul in Jamaica.”
3. Preceding four words interlined in place of “had better.”
4. TJ here canceled “care.”
Index Entries
- Adams, John Quincy; as secretary of state search
- Jamaica; U.S. consulship at search
- Kentucky; congressional delegation from search
- Pollock, Mr. (of Norfolk); relays correspondence search
- Richardson, George (of Kentucky); and R. Richardson’s estate search
- Richardson, George (of Kentucky); letters to search
- Richardson, Richard; family of search