Thomas Jefferson | An engrossing letter about Jefferson's management of Monticello, including a lament for the death of an enslaved servant

Thomas Jefferson

Autograph letter signed ("Th: Jefferson") as Vice President, to Richard Richardson, an overseer at Monticello, lamenting the death of enslaved person Jupiter Evans and giving directions for the management of Monticello

One and half pages (247 x 199 mm) on a single leaf of laid paper (watermarked 1794), Philadelphia, 10 February 1800; mounting remnant at left margin verso, small repair at lower left corner not affecting text, a couple very short fold separations or marginal tears, pinholes at intersecting folds. Half brown morocco folding-case, chemise.

"I am sincerely concerned for the death of Jupiter. …"

A significant letter, revealing Jefferson's distress at the loss of his longtime enslaved servant and companion Jupiter, who had died after insisting on making a journey from Monticello to Fredericksburg despite Jefferson's efforts to dissuade him. Written in the midst of Jefferson's rebuilding of Monticello to reflect the architectural lessons he had learned while serving as United States Minister to France—and full of specific directions to enslaved persons and hired workmen alike—this letter begins with Jefferson expressing sincere regret for what he saw as his role in the death of a longtime attendant: 

"Your favors of Jan. 7th. and 18th. have both been recieved. on the 12th. of January I made a remittance to mr Jefferson, and directed him to pay out of it 329. dollars to your order as I notified you in my letter of the 13th. which I presume you recieved on the 22d. I am sincerely concerned for the death of Jupiter, which I am persuaded might have been prevented could I have prevailed on him to give up going with me to Fredericksburg, or to have stopped the 2d day, and permitted a man to go on with me whom I engaged for that purpose, proposing to him to stay by the way. I suppose the journey to my brother’s compleated the business."

Born at Shadwell the same year as Jefferson, Jupiter Evans was an enslaved person who acted as a personal servant and traveling attendant to Jefferson during his studies at William and Mary. But he also had responsibilities as a valet, coachman, hostler, and stonecutter. For almost sixty years, Thomas Jefferson and Evans were in close contact, and while it would be inaccurate to describe their relationship as that of friends, Jefferson was clearly affected by Jupiter's death. 

In a letter written less than a week earlier to his son-in-law Thomas Mann Randolph, Jefferson also wrote at length about Evans's death, "By a letter recieved to-day also from mr Richardson I learn the death of Jupiter. he has fallen a victim to an imprudent perseverance in journeying. I was extremely against his coming to Fredsbg with me & had engaged Davy Bowles, but Jupiter was so much disturbed at this that I yielded. at the end of the second day’s journey I saw how much he was worsted, & pressed him to wait at Hyde’s a very excellent house till the horses should return, & I got the promise of a servant from thence. but he would not hear of it. at Fredericksburg again I engaged the tavernkeeper to take care of him till he should be quite well enough to proceed. and it seems that immediately on his arrival at home, he took another journey to my brother’s where he died. I am sorry for him as well as sensible he leaves a void in my domestic administration which I cannot fill up" (Papers 31: 360). 

Jefferson may have found Jupiter's death so jarring not only because he felt some guilt about it, but because the two men were the same age. But Jefferson's qualms about the cause of Jupiter's death were misplaced, at least according to his daughter. Martha Jefferson Randolph wrote to Jefferson on 30 January 1800, relative to his inquiries about "poor Jupiter": "he too has paid the debt to nature; finding himself no better at his return home, he unfortunately conceived him self poisoned & went to consult the negro doctor who attended the George’s. he went in the house to see uncle Randolph who gave him a dram which he drank & seemed to be as well as he had been for some time past; after which he took a dose from this black doctor who pronounced that it would kill or cure. 2½ hours after taking the medecine he fell down in a strong convulsion fit which lasted from ten to elevin hours, during which time it took 3 stout men to hold him, he languished nine days but was never heard to speak from the first of his being seized to the moment of his death" (Papers 31: 347).

In the remainder of the letter, Jefferson evinces a more severe attitude towards the enslaved persons at Monticello, ordering Richardson to assign Jupiter's responsibilities to others: "I hope you will have care taken of the things in his charge, such as the carriages, harness, saddles &c as it is proper somebody should sleep so as to guard the house, perhaps it would be best for Joe [Fossett?], Wormely [Hughes] & Burwell [Colbert], or any two of them to sleep in the North square cellar. I take John to be a great nightwalker. besides I have no idea of letting him off from his share of labour with the men. he is beginning to be idle, and I consider his labouring with the rest in the winter to be necessary to keep him to his duty. at that season there is nothing to be done in the garden but what the old people can do with his direction. I think therefore it would be better that Burwell should feed the horses. if a supply of forage is kept ready, it need interrupt his day’s work but a short time. I shall be glad if you will keep the key of the corn crib in the stable, and see that the corn is always locked up in that. under this arrangement, the sheep might remain on John’s hands, without hindering him." Hughes, Colbert, and Fossett (if the latter is indeed the Joe that Jefferson meant) were all nephews of Sally Hemings.

The letter continues with further guidance for Richardson about managing Monticello, including resupplying the quarters of an enslaved man and running the blacksmith shop: "as I understand Ned [Gillette?] lost every thing in his house, & of course his bedding, give him three new blankets, and a hempen roll bed. I am in hopes you have sent down the three ton of half crown rod, as my merchant here agrees to take it in Richmond as cash. of course it is important it should be there immediately as it will save my paying him 120.£ cash soon to become due. I hope you have recieved the 4. tons of nail rod sent on in December, which with the 3. tons recieved before I came from home will be a supply till summer. … If you would write to me always the day after you recieve a letter from me, so that it might come by return of the same post, I would do the same here, so that a letter written by each about every three weeks would keep me possessed of the progress of the several works & enable me to give directions. I should have been very glad of the smith you mention to me; but Powel is engaged to come, tho’ not till next winter. I wrote to mr Eppes to try to engage him to come the 1st. of July, & expect an answer from him. if he does not I should be willing to take this one for the present year." John Wayles Eppes was another of Jefferson's sons-in-law.

Jefferson concludes with exacting instructions on planting pecan trees and a request, approaching a demand, for a progress report from James Dinsmore, the joiner responsible for most of the elegant woodwork at Monticello. "I have sent on a bag of a particular kind of nut, called the Paccan. as soon as ever they arrive John must plant them in the nursery in rows 2. feet apart, and 6. Inches from nut to nut in the row. Congress propose to rise the 1st. of April. if they do, I shall be at home between the 8th. & 15th. of that month. I want to hear from mr Dinsmore as to the progress of his work."

Richard Richardson, to whom this letter was directed, began working at Monticello as a bricklayer in 1796. Jefferson sent him to Philadelphia to learn stonecutting and plastering, and he eventually advanced to a position as overseer, although he left Monticello when he inherited a sugar plantation in Jamaica. 

REFERENCE:

Papers of Thomas Jefferson, ed. Oberg, 31: 363–364; cf. Lucia Stanton, Those Who Labor for My Happiness: Slavery at Thomas Jefferson's Monticello (University of Virginia Press, 2012); cf. "Thomas Jefferson Encyclopedia" (https://www.monticello.org/research-education/thomas-jefferson-encyclopedia/)