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Chapter 11
The Final Years: 1826-1828
Documentary History of the Construction of the Buildings at the University
of Virginia, 1817-1828 |  |
Discontentment of Professor Emmet
On an early fall day of 1827, the proctor received what must have been a meddlesome letter
from Professor John Patton Emmet concerning the unfinished state of Pavilion I and the
workmen's indifferent attitude toward finishing the work at the house:
since you and he were together about it—You must be aware that I have no
room in my house, except the dining, to receive friends; and I assure you the
delay has occasioned the greatest disappointment to the family—The unfinished
& filthy state of my Pavilion at the time when I took possession of it, being then
occupied by two Societies & some students, has frequently been noticed by me;
it has even been stated to the Visitors at their last meeting when applying for
permission to make sundry additions to the House, & in Consequence of the
Communication money was actually appropriated for the purpose of finishing
the Pavilions. I am now prevented from becoming settled from the unfinished &
dirty state of my House as well as the indifference of the workmen—Mr.
Crawford first admits & then denies that he has any thing to do with the
job—Mr. Antrim then Calls with you & apparently undertakes it, and it is not
until after a week or two of very inconvenient delay that I learn that he does not
intend doing the work—Every thing in the mean time lies in Confusion—I have
written to beg for the last time, that steps may be taken to finish my House and
the Cornice in particular—If the figures Cannot be made, let all the others be
taken down & the plain Cornice painted &c by doing so you will much
oblige.[787]
The poor proctor, forced to attend to the work himself, tried to rob the finished cornice of
Pavilion VII of its ornaments in a desperate attempt to pacify Emmet. When he attempted to
take down the ornaments, however, the proctor discovered that it could not be done without
"breaking them all to pieces as they are not only nailed but stuck on with putty or White
lead." Rather than disfiguring the cornice at Pavilion I by taking down the ornaments
already fastened in place—as Emmet suggested—Brockenbrough decided to paint those
ornaments and to have enough cast in lead to finish out the cornice. "tomorrow I shall
procure lead if to [be] had in Charlottesville, to try & get them cast—The other part of your
drawing room, that is injured by the cracking of the Wall I directed Brand to repair
yesterday, I know of no other finishing that your house wants except the painting of the
Portico ceiling which will be done when Mr Vowles can procure paints."[788] These efforts
placated Emmet only until the following summer, however, when he took it upon himself to
engage a bricklayer to begin adding a room to the pavilion without informing the
proctor.[789]
787. Emmet to Brockenbrough, 20 September 1827, ViU:PP. Receipts in the loose receipts
for 1827 in ViU:PP indicate that Joseph Antrim was busy with plaster work at the university
around this time. Antrim was paid $30 on 1 September for plaster work on an unidentified
building, and on 15 September he drew an additional payment of $75 "on account of the
Plastering of the Rotunda." Antrim signed a receipt on 12 December for $160 "on account
of & in full of the Plastereing done by me at the University of Va." No receipts for payments
for plaster work on Emmet's pavilion have been identified, however. Michael F. Crawford
apparently still was engaged in making shutters for the buildings' doors and windows at this
time.
788. Brockenbrough to Emmet, 23 September 1827, ViU:PP. The proctor apparently found
the lead in Richmond because a receipt in the loose receipts for 1827 in ViU:PP shows that
on 15 November Thomas Brockenbrough received $18.80 from his brother as payment "in
full for a large Ledger and some Sheet Lead furnished for the Virginia University as per Bill
in Septr. last." On 17 November Thomas Brockenbrough also wrote receipts, which can be
found in the same location, for Brockenbrough & Harvie for $153.54 for Brockenbrough's
payment "in full of our Acct. against the University of Virga," and for $38.52 "in full of amt
Recd. due the late Firm John Van Lew & Co." Thomas Brockenbrough was agent for the
defunct firm. Burwell Colburn's receipt of 17 November 1827 in ViU:PP for $20 "on
account of Painting at the University of Va." may include the repairs and painting of
Emmet's pavilion.
|
Chapter 11
The Final Years: 1826-1828
Documentary History of the Construction of the Buildings at the University
of Virginia, 1817-1828 | |