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Start Over Creator Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826 Access Online access
The George Washington Presidential Library at Mount Vernon

Wayne Rickert collection of founders' autographs, 1770/1831

41 Sheets (2 boxes)

The collection contains 41 manuscripts dating 1770-1831. Many of the manuscripts date from the era of the American Revolution, and several are directly relevant to the course of the war. Among the documents are single letters by John Adams, Aaron Burr, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, John Hancock, Patrick Henry, John Jay, Thomas Jefferson, Lafayette, James Madison, John Marshall, James Monroe, Paul Revere, and George Washington, as well as letters and other documents that include the signatures of signers of the Declaration of Independence.

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Letter, Thomas Jefferson to William Gordon, 1787 2 pages Box 1, Folder 22

Thomas Jefferson writes, while he was the U.S. Minister to France, to William Gordon about the actions he has taken to assist Gordon's efforts to write a history of the American Revolution, and conveys his thoughts on what market may exist for the publication in France. Gordon conducted part of his research for his history at Mount Vernon. Gordon published The History of the Rise, Progress, and Establishment, of the Independence of the United States of America: Including an Account of the late War, and of the Thirteen Colonies from their origin, to that period, 4 vols. (London: William Gordon, 1788). Letter also mentions Marquis de la Fayette. Autograph letter, signed. 1 page.

University of Virginia, Special Collections Dept.

The University of Virginia Jefferson Papers, 1751/1898

14.2 Cubic Feet 1 legal document box, 1 half-width legal document box, 6 oversize flat boxes, 2 filing cabinets (4 drawers each).

This collection consists of letters written by and addressed to Thomas Jefferson, as well as architectural plans and studies that were created or endorsed by Jefferson, created by other individuals associated with him, deeds, plats, and maps, some of which pertain to the subjects of the architectural studies, and other miscellaneous materials.

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Proposed list of instruments for the classes of Natural philosophy and Mathematics, Thomas Jefferson [ViU-2025-0126], 1824 0.03 Cubic Feet One letter-sized file folder Folder 1824 April 26

This is one eight-page manuscript is entitled "Proposed list of instruments for the classes of [N]at[ural] philosophy & Mathematics," written by Thomas Jefferson around April 26, 1824. The instruments recommended by Jefferson were to outfit the departments of science in the Academical Village classrooms and laboratories at the University of Virginia, which held its first term in 1826. The listed is organized through headings by equipment requirements for each scientific department at the University: "Genl purposes," "Mechanics," "Hydrostatics," "Optics," "Electricity Etc.," "Astronomy," and "Miscellaneous." Jefferson's list includes a "very accurate set of weights" outlined with a table, a "model of Braham's fire engine," "a good Kaleidoscope," a "simple Planetarium, 3f diam. with Sun, moon & earth only," a "Lithographic press," an "Electric battery," a "Turning lathe with Tools for working in wood & brass," a "Magic lanthern," "12 f of brass chain for electrical machine," a camera lucida, a variety of pumps, a charcoal furnace, and many other scientific dependencies. For his request of "a very large supply" of glass tubes, Jefferson included three simple drawings of his preferred tube types. This list of proposed instruments was penned by Jefferson shortly before Francis Walker Gilmer, an emissary of Jefferson, was dispatched to Europe to gather mechanical and scientific instruments, as well as recruit professors from London, Cambridge, and Edinburgh colleges for the forming University of Virginia. Gilmer returned to Virginia at the end of 1824 with five professorships filled. Three small paper fragments from the manuscript are also present.

  1. Thomas Jefferson letters and manuscript, 1792

The University of Virginia Jefferson Papers, 1751/1898 14.2 Cubic Feet 1 legal document box, 1 half-width legal document box, 6 oversize flat boxes, 2 filing cabinets (4 drawers each).

Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826

This collection consists of letters written by and addressed to Thomas Jefferson, as well as architectural plans and studies that were created or endorsed by Jefferson, created by other individuals associated with him, deeds, plats, and maps, some of which pertain to the subjects of the architectural studies, and other miscellaneous materials.

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