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Washington statue and state capitol model records, 1784-1803. Accession APA 666, State government records collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.
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In 1784 the General Assembly authorized the sculpting of a statue of George Washington. At Thomas Jefferson's urging, Jean Houdon of Paris was hired for the work. Before Houdon came to the United States in 1785 to measure Washington for the statue, he insisted that the state purchase an insurance policy on his life for the travel abroad. During this time, Jefferson ordered a plaster model of the capitol building, which was constructed in Paris by Charles-Louis Clérisseau.
This series documents several of Jefferson's endeavors in France, primarily the purchase of weapons, the commissioning of Washington's statue, as well as the creation of the plaster model of the capitol building. These records contain accounts, correspondence, receipts, and vouchers. The accounts contain the names of persons to whom payments were made, the amounts, and the dates paid. Each receipt contains the date, the amount received, and the reason for the payment. The vouchers include the names of persons to whom money was owed, the amounts, and the dates the vouchers were submitted. Included in the correspondence are letters from Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe, Charles-Louis Clérisseau, Andre[w] Limozin, John Pendleton, and Thomas Barclay, and the business partners St. Victour and Bettinger.
This collection is arranged chronologically.
Voucher paid to Jefferson for 8957 livres, 11 sols.
Life Insurance policy taken out for Houdon. He paid a premium of 27 pounds for a six month premium for the assurance of 670 pounds for Houdon for his passage across the Atlantic.
Receipt to Thomas Barclay for the sum of 166666 livres in specie from Virginia in exchange in a timely manner for weapons. Translated in December 1786.
Letter to Jefferson regarding the purchase and shipment of weapons and goods.
Letter to Jefferson regarding the purchase and shipment of weapons and goods.
Letter to Jefferson regarding the shipment of weapons.
Letter to Jefferson notifying him that there is a plan to dispatch 1500 rifles from France to Virginia.
Letter acknowledging the shipment of weapons, the total amount due, and inquiries as to who to contact for payment.
Account balances for the manufacturing and shipment of arms from France to Virginia.
Account for the transportation of and duties paid on the model of the capitol building.
Letter acknowledging the arrival of one of the shipments of weapons, includes a copy.
Letter acknowledging the receipt of weapons, the total amount due, and inquiries as to who to contact for payment
Letter acknowledging the arrival of one of the shipments of weapons, includes a copy.
Receipt and letter for weapons shipments.
A list of expenses for Houdon and his travel, including passage to Southampton, equipment, and a mattress.
Letter stating enclosed documents regarding previous transactions and a request for payment, including letter to Bandfield from Bettinger.
Includes the amount of expenses and shipping information for twelve cases of merchandise from Limozin on the ship Portsmouth, to the Governor of Virginia. Includes a note informing Jefferson of new debts to his account for transportation, and one about Mr. Rucker staying in London due to him being unable to honor Robert Morris's drafts.
Letter from Thomas Barclay regarding his account balance and payments owed to him.
Letter from Thomas Barclay adding payments owed to his account for extra expenses, including Brandy purchased for Jefferson. Barclay also updates Jefferson on news from America, and his intention to clear his name from slanderous accusations.
Receipt made to Thomas Jefferson, Ambassador to France.
Houdon's receipt for the cost of a bust of the Marquis de Lafayette.
List of expenses for the Houdon, with a note from Jefferson.
List of expenses for Limozin and his transportation on the ship, Le Sally, including the shipment of a bust of Marquis de Lafayette.
Letter and bill from Clérisseau to Jefferson. The letter thanks Jefferson for his friendship and their mutual appreciation of antiquity. The bill totalled 12 Louis, or 288 livres, for his assistance with the model of the capitol building.
Bill to Jefferson for work done repairing columns and other sculptural work.
Three account balances: one totalling 25 livres and 18 silvers; the second totalling over 650 livres; the third amounting to 16 livres and 4 sols
Account balance listing all expenses from 1785 to 1789 including numerous bills, accounts, and receipts included in this collection. Includes line items such as transportation of Washington's portrait, Houdon's life insurance, muskets, the bust of Lafayette, the coffee pot "as a present to Clérisseau for his trouble with the drawings of the public buildings," amongst other expenses.
A list of expenses dates to 1793, and certified by Jefferson in 1796. On this it lists the costs for the statue of Washington, the busts of the Marquis de Lafayette, and the weapons purchased.
Letter from Monroe regarding the statue of Washington which was left unresolved upon Jefferson's return to Virginia from France. Monroe is happy to make inquiries and report back to Governor Brooke as soon as possible.
Letter from Jefferson to John Pendleton, the Auditor of Public Accounts, notifying them that he was "astonished" to see that he still owed money to the state and would still owe that sum unless told otherwise by Pendleton. He had anticipated a return to France rather than assume the role as Secretary of State and was thus so caught up in his new position that it his "mind never recurred to the subject of [his] settlement."
Description by Pendleton of the balance owed by Jefferson to the state of Virginia.
Letter from Monroe stating that he hoped the statue of Washington arrived safely at Richmond. He also discusses the amount owed to Houdon which he will be happy to fulfill Jefferson's wishes in this matter, "whatever they made be in this respect."
Copy of letter originally dated from 1795 but was returned to Jefferson. The letter is regarding the balance owed to Grand and Company by the state, which Jefferson found to be 6931-9-6.
Certificates asserting the claims by Houdon that the payment originally paid in Assignats was only worth 6200 livres and that Houdon did sustain a loss of 2800 livres.
Copy of certificate asserting Houdon's claim, and a note stating that the sum of 2800 livres was received by Houdon from Monroe on behalf of Virginia.
Letter from Monroe to Governor John Page apologizing for not writing as of late, and relaying that he paid Houdon the amount requested for his services on the statue. In the ltter Monroe asks for reimbursment for his payment to Houdon, and expresses his hope to write more frequently to his friends in Richmond. Includes a copied extract from the letter regarding the payment made to Houdon.