Jefferson Quotes & Family Letters

My Dear Nicholas

Liberty 23d Dec 1822

Yours of the 21st of October reached me on the 27th Nov and was gratefully received, to hear of your being restored to health gave me pleasure tho unnable to enjoy any thing from a want of that blessing which has been denied me the last three weeks, indeed I am still a sufferer but not in so great a degree as I have been tho never free from pain intirely my race must I think be nearly run and being deprived of the hope I entertaind of seeing your self and Brother before I make my exit makes me more unhappy than I shou’d otherwise be, I am now hardly able to hold a pen but cant resist informing you that I received a letter from Virginia dated 12th Dec. I presume you hear from there as often as I do, you may immagin that my happiness can never be augmented while Ill luck seems to attend you all, and the Idea that I shou’d be so great a tax upon you and an incumbrance where I am for it cant be otherwise situated as I am, it grieves me that your return to Virginia will be procrastinated I am sure it will be a painful consideration to your Virginia friends, Eppes and Elizabeth were united this month he took her to see his friends in Buckingham, I understand that early in the spring they take up their abode at Poplar Forest I am glad you bear your misfortunes with so good a grace, if God spares Mr Tournillon I shall not despair I am glad you bear your misfortunes with so good a grace God only knows where they will terminate but I am not without some hope that Mr Tournillon will succeed in planting sugar cane and that next year will be more prosperous I am glad you bear your misfortuntes with so good a grace but I am not without hope that next time will cast a gleam of prosperity to enliven the dreary prospect of last year

The Governor has returned to the bosom of his family Mrs Randolph has got his room in order and where he may be in Peace and quietness if you recollect it is one of the Sky light rooms I hope there will be sufficient frost to destroy the vermin that infested your last crops tho we have not had any Severe weather yet, to day augurs some severe weather after a three days rain the wind begins to blow cold we have got in our Provision Pork &ce we want for nothing, fine Buckwheat meal and every thing that aught to content the hearts of mortals I believe I wrote you that three of Mr Jeffersons Negroes made an assault on the Overseer cut and mamed him in a shoking manner left him for dead another Negro with the assistance of the old woman staunch’d the Blood till a Doct cou’d be had it was thought that he cou’d not recover, but it seems that he has, and attends court to day we shall know when the Court adjourns what will be the Punishment of the villians their intention was to go off with them selves after having perpetrated the murder 24th the trial was concluded last evening one of the villians escaped punishment one received a flogging The principle received a flogging and was burnt in the hand I dont immagin that Mr Jefferson will have them again on the Plantation and consiquently will have them sent out of the State to be disposed off, William Gilmer is gone on a visit to Albemarle and will I expect return next week I shall have the pleasure of hearing how they are, you heard of¹ Mr Jeffersons having by a fall having a bone in his arm broken he suffers Virginia writes me a good deal of pain occasionally from it, and poor Aunt Marks got a fall down stairs the other night in the dark and spraind her foot but all this you perhaps are acquainted with I want to know who you corrispond with at the Mountain they are kind and attentive to me and most ardently do I wish to see them all once more assure Mr Tournillon of my unceasing regard and Kiss the dear children for me and tell them that their Grand Mama Trist loves them in her heart and prays to God to preserve them and make them a Comfort to their dear Father, Assure Mrs Brown of my sincere wishes for her happiness, Mary and Peachey unite in love to all the family hope the Country has become more healthy since the winter begin to shew some signs of visiting us Assure your Brother of my ardent affection and beg him to write to me and console me with pleasing expectations of future prosperity when I think what a change is made in the course of a year or two my spirits sink People are constantly travilling through here to the Alabama and² those places, but I fear they will not profit much by the change we seek what I fear will not be found in this world, content and happiness, may God bless and preserve you all and believe me ever your affectionate friend and loving Grand Mother