Jefferson Quotes & Family Letters

You will have no cause to complain of my neglecting you on the contrary I fear I shall become tiresome but you will excuse me when you know my motive is to give you pleasure. last Sunday I received a very affectionate letter from your Dear Mother date 22d Jany she had been afflicted wit[. . .] on her fingers which prevented her writing your Grand Mother was distressd on account of her sisters having fell a sacrafise to the exertions she had to use to recover the remains of her property she took a long journey to [. . .] displace a tenant that had not paid her any rent for Seven years and succeded in turning him off but lost the whole of the rent and found the property much out of repair that she had to expend a considerable sum to put it in order, so with Lawyers fees and other losses left only 450 in Stock and a landed property which rents for 40 pounds a year out of which twenty is to be paid to a poor old Lady who has been confined to her bed ten months a relation her poor Aunt only survived all the trouble she had to go through only a few days she expressed great satisfaction in having saved this trifle out of the wreck of her property your Grand Mother has sent a power of Attorney to Mr Dumulins Father to dispose of it and remit¹ it to her—There was a letter from your Father to Browse which I opend by mistake enclosed was 2 checks on the Bank of the United States for three hunderd Dollars each but your Mother mention’d that drawn in favor of Browse 100 was for me it was at your own request that your 300 was sent to your Brother, she regrets not having it in her power to send me more at this time as they made but half a crop, I wrote that I was sorry that she remited me so much that your self and Brother had been so liberal to me that I did not stand in need of more than half of her present supply I sent Browse his letter and checks by Dabney Minor in an hour after I received them and wrote to him to let me see him on Saturday next I hope he will not get the prevailing cold which seems to fasten on every body more or less Mr Divers is laid up with it and 1 of his Negroes I have been under its influence for two or three weeks but it does not make me sick, tho I am not very well I hope that it will not reach you your Cousins got home on the 11th found the children and servants well the axeltree broke twise and the roads began to be worse in consiquence of falling weather having to send Mat after her goods to Fredricksburg she had given up all thoughts of visiting Carysbrook and General Cockes but Mrs George Gilmer lent her an easy going Horse and she set off arrived there in time for Dinner and found General C there next morning Mrs Carry took her to Bremo eleven miles over fine roads she says that the new place is the most elegant establishment she ever saw and the most beautiful situation the General propose’d to Peachey to go and view the land that Mr Scott had to dispose off and they liked it so well that Peachey made the purchase 12,000 $ payable in 4 years it seems there is a 120 acres of low ground on James River and it is considerd a great bargan by those that know the land—the place is under the Generals care untill Peachey can send his people there which I suppose will not be this year as he engaged his Overseer in Henry to make another crop Mary says that will settle there as soon as Mr Gilmer is able to quit the Practice of the law and she looks forward with great satisfaction to that Period, so that I have not much chance of seeing them establish’d there. It gives me great pleasure and I am sure it will you to hear that Jefferson Randolph was enabled to mount a Horse and go to Monticello on Tuesday last I have not heard from any of the family since, Doctor Ragland told me that a Brother in law of Charles Bankhead Mr Lightfoot told a Gentleman that he wou’d not take his trial but pay the 500 Dollars to secure the man who was his b[. . .] but as it is the General received opinion that Jefferson commenced hostilities and that Bankhead was justifiable in doing what he did in his own defence I cant conceive why he shoud shun the investigation Ann and her children are not to return the Crop is to be made this year and then the Negroes are to be removed and the Plantation let, so that Ann gives up her own family to live with her husband, perhaps so best I am very anxious to go to the Mountain but it will be sometime before the roads will be good enough to venture—I look forward my beloved Grand Son to your being deserving of every honor that can be conferd on a Student of that Seminary and that your future conduct will be mark’d with more stability and firmness than it has heretofore nature has done much for you and I shou’d be mortified if she had thrown away her gifts upon you, be dignified in your deportment but not so tenacious as to think every little neglect or inadvertence an insult and suffer your temper to be excited to resentment your natural temper is a commendable one, and never let it be discomposed for trifles, be assured your friends all love and respect you and I dont think that there is any danger of your being rivald in the good opinion entertain’d of you by those you esteem I am sorry to hear that your Horse is very lame I suppose your Brother inform’d you that he was considerd of little value I am so anxious for your debt to be discharged that I shall desire Browse to take fifty Dollars of mine to help to discharge it he ows Litch fifty or sixty Dollars some articles he got for me I wish to know if you settled with Dr Ragland for that visit he paid you, Mrs Thompson was much delighted with her Son who Paid her a visit last summer and took her and his sister to all the places of publick resort in Jersey and New Yor[k] [. . .] long Island she says that he is every thing her heart coud wish [. . .] he put up at the Mansion House Hotel while in Philadelphia and saw you there. but did not know you—he heard after you was gone that it was you he travilled with a Mr H[. . .]d of Orleans and a Mr Barckley of Philad in the mail back to Orleans was in that very cold weather they were ten days without pulling of their cloathes they got to Cinannata where they intend to rest for 2 days and then proceed in the Steam boat she mentions Mr Constant Akins of Mount Holly he is an assistant Professor at West Point he spends a month there every Summer she says that she wishes you wou’d come and spend some time with her when he comes, begs to be rememberd to you affectionately she also met with Mr Stant who mention’d to her my kindness to him when he was sick God knows it was very little that I did for him or had in my power to do a trifleing attention to a stranger makes an impression especially if they are sick I shall conclude after presentg the good wishes of this family for your health and welfare God bless and preserve and endow you with Grace Wisdom and understanding and believe me your sincere friend and affectionate Grand Mother