A Flower Mistress’s Invoice for Martha Jefferson (Randolph)

Mademoiselle Geversin

lt
28. avril toile pour des Narcisses 6.
Batiste Jaune 3. 10
gaze Morte 1. 16
outil pour des Narcisses 3.
deux Tasses de Roses . 12
Coton verd . 12
Billot bobine Soie et Roché 7. 10
Coussin 2. 8
gomme gutt 15
Citron 5
Canetille 2. 8
fils de fer fin et gros 1. 16
soie de sanglier . 4
Coton blanc . 12
Taffetas 3. 18
29 Ciseaux 4.
Pince 1. 4
papier Verd 1. 4
30 Batiste Rose 15
1er May deux boïtes 3
feuilles de Roses et arainees 8
2 Echevau de fil . 2. 6
7 Batiste rose 4. 10
Couleur Violette et Potasse . 16
fil puce et Souffre 5
8 Taffetas 3. 16
12 [. . .] Boules 18
14 Soie brun 2
Canepin . 8
97 lt 11.s 6
16 pour du lilas decoupé 6.
Total 103. 11. 6

editors’ translation

Miss Geversin

lt
28. April cloth for narcissus flowers 6.
yellow batiste 3. 10
[dead?] gauze 1. 16
tool for narcissus flowers 3.
two cups of roses . 12
green cotton . 12
block, bobbin, silk, and spool 7. 10
cushion 2. 8
gamboge 15
Lemon 5
Cannetille 2. 8
thin and heavy wire 1. 16
boar’s bristle . 4
white cotton . 12
taffeta 3. 18
29 scissors 4.
pliers 1. 4
green paper 1. 4
30 pink batiste 15
1 May two boxes 3
leaves with roses and spider stitch 8
2 skein of thread . 2. 6
7 pink batiste 4. 10
purple color and potash . 16
puce- and sulphur-colored thread 5
8 taffeta 3. 16
12 [. . .] balls 18
14 brown silk 2
canepin . 8
97lt 11.s 6
16 for cut lilac 6.
Total 103. 11. 6
MS (Privately owned, 2015); one word illegible; addressed: “Mademoiselle de Geversin”; with additional calculation for cost of lessons, “84,” new total “187–11–6,” and note at foot of text all in the hand of Martha Jefferson Randolph: “payé ce 16 mai ainsi que 14 leçons” (“paid this 16 May as well as 14 lessons”); subsequent note in the hand of Martha J. Trist Burke: “a bill for Miss Jefferson.” Translation by Dr. Roland H. Simon.

On 16 May 1789, Thomas Jefferson recorded a payment to “Patsy’s flower mistress” of “187lt–11” in his memorandum book (MB, 1:733).

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Date Range
Date
April 28, 1789 to May 16, 1789
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