A 1p autograph letter signed by former 3rd U.S. President Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) as "Th: Jefferson" at center, written using one of Jefferson's greatest inventions, the polygraph. Written at Monticello, Jefferson's home in Albemarle County, Virginia, on October 26, 1817. Jefferson has addressed the 157-word note to his business associate Patrick Gibson recto, and has also docketed the letter with an additional 5 words as "Gibson Patrick. Oct. 26. 17." along the top verso. Expected paper folds, with the central vertical fold discretely and professionally repaired verso. An area of loss corresponding to a red wax seal has been restored along the right edge, and the affected "on" of Jefferson's signature has been retouched to create the appearance of a full signature. Minor chipped edges along the top and bottom have been reinforced with tissue backing. Isolated ink haloing, and pencil inscriptions from a collector verso mentioned just for accuracy. Else near fine. 7.625" x 10."
Letters written by Jefferson using polygraph are very, very scarce and only two or three have surfaced on the market in the last 40+ years. The polygraph operated by attaching a second pen at a prescribed distance away from the pen that Jefferson wrote with himself, thus enabling him to make an identical copy of the letter on a separate sheet of paper. Letters written via polygraph are essentially written by Jefferson, because his hand movements made the exact same impressions on the extra sheet of paper. They are virtually indistinguishable from letters directly written by Jefferson, and look exactly the same as if they were not done by this method. Several factors suggest that this is a letter Jefferson executed by polygraph: first, the presence of Jefferson's docket indicates that it was a filed letter; and second, Jefferson's file copy was written on a recycled sheet of paper already marked with handwriting which has been identified elsewhere as that of Patrick Milligan's, the Georgetown book dealer who helped Jefferson appraise and sell his personal library to the Library of Congress. Thus, we know that this copy of the letter was destined solely for Jefferson's records.
Jefferson addressed this letter to Patrick Gibson (ca. 1775-1827), a Richmond, Virginia merchant who had emigrated to the United States by 1797. In 1804, Gibson became business partners with George Jefferson (1766-1812), Thomas Jefferson's first cousin once removed, and the owner of a prosperous flour and produce mercantile firm. "Gibson & Jefferson" served as Thomas Jefferson's Richmond agents between 1797-1820.
Jefferson wrote in part, with original spelling and punctuation:
"Monticello Oct. 26. 17.
Dear Sir
Mr Colclaser one of my mill tenants informs me he has sent forty odd barrels of flour, to be delivered to your order, and that he shall make it up 50. (a quarter's rent) and if the river does not admit my sending 50. barrels more from the d mill within a few days, I must get an order for that quantity on his stock in Richmond in exchange for so much of mine now in the mill. These supplies are necessary to cover a draught for 190.D. I now make in favor or Mr Southal, draughts for my taxes here + in Bedford, and some further draughts I must make the 1st. week of next month. The residue of my flour will not go down until December, unless any further occasions should arise of drawing on you. Accept the assurance of my continued friendship + respect
Th: Jefferson
Mr. Gibson."
The entirety of this letter appears in J. Jefferson Looney, editor, "The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Retirement Series, Vol. 12, 1 September 1817 to 21 April 1818" (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2015), p. 139.
As we can see by this letter, the 74-year-old former President struggled to keep his accounts in the black during the fall of 1817 by relying on a complex relay system of payment and credit. In the letter, he mentions one of his creditors, Valentine W. Southall (ca. 1793-1861). Southall was a lawyer, tax collector, and state politician as well as one of Jefferson's frequent guests at Monticello.
Jefferson had considerable collateral: not only Monticello and its property and infrastructure, but also a second property called Poplar Forest located in Bedford County, Virginia and referred to in this letter as "in Bedford." Poplar Forest was a nearly 5,000-acre tract of land Jefferson had inherited from his father-in-law in 1773. The 100 enslaved people at Poplar Forest harvested primarily tobacco, while back at Monticello, Jefferson had diversified his land holdings to promote other cash crops like wheat. Jefferson erected two flour mills on the banks of the Rivanna River near Monticello; one was reserved for commercial leasing, and the other was for Jefferson's private use.
Although Jefferson was rich in land and slaves, he was chronically in debt for much of his life. He had inherited a significant amount of debt from his father-in-law. He also lived beyond his means, spending large sums on constructing and furnishing Monticello, pursuing pet projects, granting lavish loans to friends, and enjoying the life of a gourmand. Farming was not a solution to such long-term debt, as price fluctuations on commodities rendered his farm income inadequate and unreliable.
At the time of his death in 1826, Jefferson was more than $107,000 in debt. Ultimately, Jefferson’s grandson Thomas Jefferson Randolph inherited the debt. In 1827, Jefferson’s 130 slaves, furniture, and crops were sold at auction, and in 1831, Monticello itself; but these sales still did not cover all of Jefferson’s debts. Descendants made the last payment on the principal fifty years after Jefferson’s death.
Accompanied by a full Letter of Authenticity from Beckett Authentication Services (BAS).