Notes from Colonial Period, Later 1773 – Mid 1774

Resolution of the House of Burgesses Designating a Day of Fasting and Prayer, 24 May 1774 This was a document drafted by several younger, (and no doubt) more zealous members of the House of Burgesses, but was not considered to be the most outspoken of responses to the siege on Boston by the British Government. …

Thomas Jefferson, Colonial Period, Celtic Poetry and Surveyor – 1773

From Thomas Jefferson to Charles McPherson, 25 February 1773 TJ is interested in a set of poems translated from what appears to be a Celtic language. He takes so much interest in the source language that he petitions Charles McPherson to send him a catalogue of books for study on the language so that he …

Thomas Jefferson, Colonial Period – 1772

To Thomas Jefferson from Alexander McCaul, 8 July 1772 Reference to an economic collapse not unlike the housing lending crisis that happened in 2008-2011, where prior to this bills of credit were being issued recklessly. How history does repeat itself, and much more frequently than we care to admit. At least once in a generation, …

Notes on Thomas Jefferson Docs – River Navigation, Easements,

Project for Making the Rivanna River Navigable, 1771 A curious document outlining a project proposal to widen a river. (Thomas Jefferson listed this project above the Declaration of Independence in a list of accomplishments in 1800.) What I find interesting is that he observed that with just the removal loose stone from the river bed …

Notes on Thomas Jefferson Docs – Dec 1771 & 1772

Marriage license brought me to consider family life of the time period. Notable that Thomas Jefferson was the beneficiary of large inheritance from his father who died when Thomas was only 14 years old. TJ only married once (Martha Wayles Skelton). Reviewing TJ’s Memorandum Books from 1772 (https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/02-01-02-0006) At first this appears to be only …

Notes on Documents from 1770

https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-01-02-0023 This first letter of the year 1770 starts with Jefferson recounting the loss of his books and personal writings and records through a house fire. What such a loss as this must do to the soul of a scholar, to know that the only thing left behind is what is recorded within. Of papers …

Notes on Letters from Jan 1760 to May 1766

(Letters 1 – 11) https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-01-02-0001 A brief letter at age 16 where Thomas Jefferson makes a very wise decision to go off to school to reduce on social calls to his present residence, and also decrease on the cost of attending to such guests. He seeks the council of one of his guardians, John Harvie, …