Jefferson Quotes & Family Letters

This indenture made this the first day of November one thousand eight-hundred & thirty one, between Thomas J. Randolph and Martha Randolph of the County of Albemarle and state of Virginia of the one part and James T. Barclay of the county and State aforesaid, of the other part, witnesseth that for and in consideration of the sum of seven thousand dollars, they the said Thomas J. Randolph and Martha Randolph have granted, bargained, aliened and confirmed and by these presents do grant, bargain, alien & confirm to the said James T. Barclay a certain tract or [. . .] parcel of land lying and being on the South side of the Rivanna river, in the County of Albemarle containing, by recent survey, five hundred and fifty two acres and bounded as follows. to wit, beginning at a red oak on the south bank of the said river, some hundred yards below the secretaries ford, thence running, (down) along the river 326 poles to a maple, thence S. 11° E. 10½ poles to the old saw mill canal, thence S. 83° E. 3 poles to a walnut, thence down the river 46 poles to a Sycamore, thence S. 43° W. 62 poles, thence S. 62° W. 28 poles, thence S. 64. W. 34 poles, thence S. 71° W. 29½ poles, thence S. 55° W. 22 poles, thence S. 25° E. 12 poles, thence S. 9° E. 10 poles, thence S. 16½° W. 28 poles, thence S. 50½° W. 20 poles, thence S. 62½° W. 50 poles to hickory & poplar saplins, thence S. 45° W. 29½ poles to a beech, thence S. 73° 34 poles to three white oak saplins in sampsons line, thence N. 13° W. 130 poles to a red oak, a white oak & some chesnut saplins thence S. 66° W. 220 poles to a red oak on the east side of the Thoroughfare road, thence N. 34° W. 7 poles, thence N. 3° E. 22 poles thence N. 55° W. 22 poles, thence N. 23½° W. 19 poles to the top of the gap, thence S. 89° W. 26 poles, thence N. 40° W. 26 poles, thence N. 60° W. 6 poles to a chesnut tree near a large rock, which is at C. L. Bankheads corner, thence N. 35½° E. 48 poles to a dead pine thence N. 18° W. 16 poles, thence N. 2° W. 6.64 poles, thence N. 17° W. 5. poles, thence N. 9½° W. 8.4 poles, thence N. 12½° W. 9.6 poles, thence N. 7½° E. 7.32 poles, thence N. 23¼° E. 7.36 poles, to a gum saplin thence N. 5° E. 28 poles, thence N. 57½° E. 11 poles to a chesnut and white oak corner to J. A. G. Davis, thence N. 73° E. 19¾ poles to a poplar, thence N. 54° E. 9 poles to a chesnut oak & gum, thence N. 79½° E. 16 poles to a dogwood & hickory, thence N. 67¼° E. 11 poles to four chesnut saplins, thence N. 82° E. 93 poles to a poplar, thence N. 28½ E. 46 poles to the red oak on the river where the plot commences, as will more fully appear by the plat of the said tract of land made by Achilles Broadhead Surveyor of Albemarle County, hereto annexed; which said tract of land forming a part of the tract commonly known by the name of Monticello, constituted a portion of the lands of which the late Thomas Jefferson died possessed, and by his will devised to the said Martha Randolph, his daughter, subject to the payment of his debts, for which purpose this tract has been sold by Thomas J. Randolph his executor, with the assent of the said Martha Randolph his daughter, evidenced by her writing in this conveyance; to have and to hold the said tract of land, described as aforesaid, with all its appurtenances in any manner belonging to the said James T. Barclay his heirs and assigns forever. And the said Thomas J. Randolph and Martha Randolph for themselves, their heirs, executors & administrators, do hereby covenant and agree with the said James T. Barclay that they will well and truly warrant and forever defend the right, title & possession of the said tract of land, hereby granted to him the said James T. Barclay his heirs & assigns for ever, free from the claim or claims of all & every person [. . .] whatever. In witness whereof the parties have hereunto set their names & affixed their seals

The parties reserve to themselves the family grave yard with free access to the same¹