Documentary History of the Construction of the Buildings at the University of Virginia, 1817-1828

The surviving records reveal little of the other remaining tasks that surely must have need to
be completed over the winter as the university awaited the arrival of the professors and the
opening of the school to its first class of students.[676] When the first week of the new year
passed without bringing the last of the foreign professors to the university Jefferson became
almost frantic that his cherished institution would not open as scheduled. He confided to
Joseph Carrington Cabell: "We are dreadfully non-plussed here by the non-arrival of our
three Professors. we apprehend that the idea of our opening on the 1st. of Feb. prevails so
much abroad . . . that Students will assemble on that day, without awaiting the further notice
promised. to send them back will be discouraging, and to open an University without
Mathematics or Natural philosophy would bring on us ridicule and disgrace. we therefore
publish an advertisement stating that, on the arrival of these Professors, notice will be given
of the day of opening the institution."[677] Professors Bonnycastle, Key, and Dunglison,
along with the wives of the latter two, had embarked on the Competitor at London in
October 1824 but unfavorable winds had kept their vessel from sailing out of the English
Channel for six weeks, and it was February before the vessel dropped anchor in
Norfolk.[678] A week later the party was greeted in Richmond by enthusiastic university
supporters, but before the professors and their wives could begin the trek to their final
destination severe winter weather forced them to sit still for several more days.[679]

[676]

676. For the opening of the university and its operation until the time of Jefferson's death in
1826, see Malone, Jefferson and His Time: The Sage of Monticello, 411-25, 483-88.

[677]

677. TJ to Cabell, 11 January 1825, ViU:TJ; see also Cabell, Early History of the University
of Virginia, 330-32, and Lipscomb and Bergh, Writings of Thomas Jefferson, 16:97-100. On
9 January Jefferson sent Brockenbrough instructions to insert the advertisement in the
Richmond and Fredericksburg papers (ViU:PP). When writing to Brockenbrough on 11
January to inform him that he was sending from Richmond the "Books & Instruments,
imported by Gilmer, for the University," Bernard Peyton said that the "other three Professors
have not yet arrived, nor are they heard from" (ViU:PP).

[678]

678. See Cabell to TJ, 30 January 1825, in DLC:TJ; see also Cabell, Early History of the
University of Virginia, 336-37, and Malone, Jefferson and His Time: The Sage of
Monticello, 413.

[679]

679. See Robley Dunglison to TJ, 10 February 1825, in Dorsey, Jefferson-Dunglison
Letters, 11, the Richmond Enquirer, 17 February 1825, and Cabell to TJ, 18 February 1825,
in ViU:JCC; see also Cabell, Early History of the University of Virginia, 346-47, and
Malone, Jefferson and His Time: The Sage of Monticello, 6:413. Bernard Peyton wrote to
Brockenbrough on 16 February to say that wagoner William Mills was headed for the
university with "thirteen boxes, three trunks, two baskets, one bundle & one small leather
trunk" belonging to professors (ViU:PP). Two more loads of the professors' possessions
were delivered to the university by wagoners Abraham Danner and Robert Hanna (see
Peyton to Brockenbrough, 24, 26 February, in ViU:PP). Simeon B. Chapman, who was to
manage Hotel A, told Brockenbrough in a letter of 22 February that "I have several times
seen & am pleased with the professors now at this city I am detained necessaryly at this
place a few days longer than I expected . . . The Weather here has been such dureing the
greater part of the last 2 weaks that it has been almost impossiable to attend to any kind of
Business, I hope it has not been the case at the U.V." (ViU:PP).

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Professors Expected