Thomas Jefferson Papers

Thomas Jefferson to Gulian Ludlow, 13 November 1823

To Gulian Ludlow

Monto Nov. 13. 23.

Sir

Messrs N. & J. Vanstaphorst (if I rightly read the initials of their signature) by a lre dated Amstdm Sep. 8. inform me that their agency in this country is1 transferred from Messrs Leroy & Bayard to yourself, and authorise me to pay to you the balance remaining due them from me. I had assured messrs Leroy & B. that this balance should be paid2 in the ensuing months of May and June and I should certainly have done it. but Messrs V. Staphorst expressing their willingness to recieve it either in an entire payment or fixed instalmts at my convenience, I have availed myself of the accomodn of dividing it into 2. instalmts by assuring them that of the sum of 2083.20 D now due 1083.20 shall be paid in May or June next, and the remaining 1000.D. at that time 12. month exclusive of the interest which will be due at each respective payment, and this assurance I repeat to yourself. in the present distressed state of this country from the unexampled3 defect of circulating medium and conseqtly low price of produce4even small accomodns are acceptable. I inclose a letter for Messrs V. Staphorsts which I request you to forward & to accept assurces of my great esteem & respect.

Dft (MoSHi: TJC-BC); on verso of portion of a reused address cover from Alexander Garrett to TJ; at foot of text: “Mr Gulielmus Ludlow”; endorsed by TJ as a letter to “Ludlow Gul.” and so recorded in SJL. Enclosure: TJ to N. & J. & R. van Staphorst, 13 Nov. 1823.

Gulian Ludlow (1764–1826), merchant, lived from at least 1792 in New York City, was a longtime member of its chamber of commerce, and served as treasurer of the New York Bible and Common Prayer Book Society, 1809–26. He was also a director of the local branch of the Bank of the United States, the New-York Insurance Company, and the Bank of New York (New York Genealogical and Biographical Record 50 [1919]: 44; New-York Directory and Register, for the year 1792 [New York, 1792], 83; New York Daily Advertiser, 25 Jan. 1792, 12 Jan. 1803; Arthur Lowndes, A Century of Achievement: The History of The New York Bible and Common Prayer Book Society for One Hundred Years [1909], 1:331; New York Diary, 10 Feb. 1797; New York American Citizen, 18 Jan. 1806; New-York Commercial Advertiser, 9 June 1808; Longworth’s New York Directory [1826]: 305; New-York Evening Post, 11 May, 16 Oct. 1826).

1Preceding four words interlined in place of “was.”

2Reworked from “this should be done.”

3Word interlined.

4Preceding six words interlined.

Index Entries

  • crops; price of search
  • currency; amount of in circulation search
  • Jefferson, Thomas; Business & Financial Affairs; debt to N. & J. & R. van Staphorst search
  • LeRoy, Bayard & Company (New York firm); and TJ’s debt to N. & J. & R. van Staphorst search
  • Ludlow, Gulian; and TJ’s debt to N. & J. & R. van Staphorst search
  • Ludlow, Gulian; identified search
  • Ludlow, Gulian; letter to search
  • N. & J. & R. van Staphorst (Amsterdam firm); TJ’s debt to search