Maria Jefferson Eppes to John Wayles Eppes

I had a letter last week from your dear Mother & from one from brother Jerman acquainting me with the birth of another Grandson & Bollings good health & in the first a request from your father to procure him some Umbrella trees, I shall be very much obliged to you if you will answer me immediately about them as it appears to me that you told your father Mr Higgenbotham would undertake to procure you some by the waggons from up the country & if you do not think it either too early or too late I will speak to Mr H. on the subject, or perhaps a line from yourself to him will be better & I can let your father know by the next post as he seems very anxious [. . .] to get them the steps you have taken to procure some.—have the pleasures of Washington made you allready forget us?—I confess I think a little hard of not recieving a single line from you by the last post, yet tho hurt I cannot let an opportunity pass without giving you the only proof in my power of the tenderness which I feel & with which I think of you My sister proposed by way of [. . .] retaliation to direct this letter for you & give raise your expectations a little on recieving it, but I could not agree that you should feel so much disappointment from a letter from of mine. I am sorry to tell you that they have the nervous fever at Pantops, York has been very ill but is now rather better—My Sister has mention’d to Mr Randolph I believe the misfortune that has happen’d at Monticello the burning of the plank house just after it had been completely fill’d with the flooring plank & timber for the cornices.—Adieu dearest husband, our little one is well & the most affectionate thing breathing he is the delight only delight of My life at present. Adieu believe me with tender love yours,

M. Eppes.
RC (ViU: Eppes Family Papers, Mss 7109); partially dated, with year conjectured from internal evidence; small tear at deletion; addressed: “John Wayles Eppes Washington”; endorsed by recipient: “M Eppes Jan: 20th.”
Date Range
Date
January 21, 1804
Collection
Repository