Previously Unpublished Family Letters

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WINTER 2014 www.monticello.org VOLUME 25, NUMBER 2 Previously Unpublished Family Letters Now Available Online with New Jefferson Quote Database “Grandpapa, Cornelia and myself make as complete a trio of ignoram[us]es as I do know. and I do not believe our three heads combined contain as much medical knowledge as would save a sparrow.” In July 1819, while Jefferson and his illuminate aspects of Jefferson’s life granddaughters Ellen and Cornelia seldom touched on in his own writ- were visiting his Poplar Forest retreat, ing and provide vivid accounts of life Burwell Colbert became terribly ill. at Monticello and Poplar Forest. The Colbert was the enslaved grand- archive, from which these materials son of Betty Hemings. He was also are drawn, has been praised by schol- Jefferson’s most trusted personal ars including Cynthia A. Kierner, servant and butler. But at the end Annette Gordon-Reed and Virginia of Jefferson’s letter to Martha on Scharff, and is relied upon for acces- the 28th of July, he noted only that sible and reliably transcribed primary “we have been near losing Burwell sources by K-12 teachers and students. by a stricture of the upper bowels; The archive also puts hundreds but he has got about again and is of quotes by and about Thomas now only very weak.” It is instead Jefferson at your fingertips. Interested Ellen’s letter of the same date that in what Jefferson had to say about describes Burwell’s “dreadful illness,” Liberty, Government, Architecture, Jefferson’s distress at the possibil- Women or Family? Simply select ity of losing him, his efforts on that term and verified quotes with Burwell’s behalf, and his relief once citations will appear. A companion Burwell was recovering. to the Papers of Thomas Jefferson: The newly launched website, Retirement Series, produced under Jefferson Quotes & Family Letters the auspices of the Thomas Jefferson (tjrs.monticello.org) brings to light Foundation’s Robert H. Smith a rich collection of correspondence International Center for Jefferson to and between Thomas Jefferson’s Studies, the Jefferson Quotes & Family children, grandchildren and Letters archive adheres to the same extended family members, most high standards that are central to the never before published. The letters Retirement Series. Ellen W. Randolph Coolidge to Martha Jefferson Randolph, 28 July 1819 University of Virginia: Ellen Wayles Randolph Coolidge Correspondence, page 3 Monticello is a newsletter published twice yearly by the Thomas Jefferson Foundation, Inc., the private, nonprofit corporation that has owned and operated Monticello since 1923. Its mission is preservation and education. Questions, comments and address changes should be directed to: Monticello Newsletter, P.O. Box 217, Charlottesville, Virginia 22902; [email protected]; or (434) 984-9822..

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