To James Madison from Cleon Moore, 20 March 1807 (Abstract)
From Cleon Moore, 20 March 1807 (Abstract)
§ From Cleon Moore.1 20 March 1807, Alexandria. “My Son Alexander Moore who is the Bearer hereof has acted as my Deputy in the Office of R⟨e⟩gister of Wills ever since my Appointment and is now in my Opinion qu⟨ite⟩ Competent to the Business, My Children are all Sons, and I have brought them up to different callings by which I hope they will with Reputation be able to get their livings, and be good Citizens. This Son I wish to reward for his diligence in my business and Attention to me in other respects with the Office of Register of Wills and will resign in his Favor, but upon no other Terms. I hold the Office of a Notary public in which (as I am well able to do all the business) there will be no danger of my being disturbed, especially as I have several Sons in Town who can Assist occasionally, and the profits with the Addition of a pen⟨s⟩ion lately allowed me will very Sufficiently support my Wife and myself. I hope the president will Cherish my laudable views and Conduct respecting my Children, by giving the Appointment of Register of Wills for the County of Alexandria to my Son Alexande⟨r⟩ Moore, in which case, I resign the Office, and shall esteem it a great kindness if you will endeavour to promote the business for him.”2
RC (DNA: RG 59, LAR, 1801–9, filed under “Moore”). 1 p.; docketed by Jefferson: “Moore Cleon. To mr Madison to resign and have his son appd Register of wills Alexa.”
1. Cleon Moore (1749–1815), of Colchester, Virginia, was licensed to practice as an attorney in Fairfax County in 1772. He fought in the Revolutionary War and was wounded in the 1777 Battle of Brandywine. Moore served as Fairfax County prosecutor, 1783–87, but in 1786 moved from Colchester to Alexandria, where by 1793 he was notary public and in 1801 was a justice and registrar of wills (Edith Moore Sprouse, Colchester: Colonial Port on the Potomac [Fairfax, Va., 1975], 180).
2. On 1 June 1807 Thomas Jefferson requested a commission for “Alexander Moore of Columbia as Register of wills for the county of Alexandria.” On 9 November 1807 Jefferson notified the Senate of this recess appointment and requested its renewal; the Senate approved Moore’s commission on 18 November (Jefferson to JM, 1 June 1807 [DLC: Jefferson Papers]; Senate Exec. Proceedings, 2:56, 58–59).