 | Documentary History of the Construction of the Buildings at the University
of Virginia, 1817-1828 |  |
Charles Yancey to Thomas Jefferson
your highly esteemed favor of July last enclosing a draft for our Court house was duly
received, and I owe an apology for not answering it earlier, which is As follows--upon the
Submission of your plan to the board of Commissioners, it was disapproved, much to my
mortification, and a plan adopted Similar to the Albemarle Court house, I still indulged the
hope that before the work progressed too far to Make a Change of the plan, that the Strong
objections to the plan would be manifested, and fortunately two of our Commissioners were
Called over to Charlotteville last month, while there they saw & heard from the Members of
the Court & bar the Strong objections to the plan of your Court house, that they have
Changed their op[in]ion, & on Saturday last I obtained A board, when your plan was
adopted entire with one dissentient only,--we have directed a wing on each Side, of 16 feet
Sqr. attached to the Main building by an entry of eight feet with an Arch on each Side, flat
roof & Colums to the Wings, the propriety of which I doubt as they will not finish well to
the porticoe of the main building, & being So Much lower will obstruct Air &C--their being
no partion wall to Support the outer walls we have thought it but to make the latter two
bricks thick--Mr. Brookes a tinner at the university has offered to do our roof, but having
heard you had dismissed him for extravagance in price although A good tiner; we returned
him for Answer that, we would employ him to do our Court house if he would Submit the
price of the Work to you, in his proposals I think he offers to do the work for About $6.30 A
Sqr. the roof--guttering piping &C Another Charge but I do not recollect the prices--we have
determined to Cover with Tin, As you advised, & any information you May Choose to
Afford us, either in relation to Mr. Brookes, the price of Such work, & whether other
persons than Mr. Brooks, equally Skilled in Tining Cannot be had; will be thankfully
receved by Me who has already tresspased too Much on your Valuable time, patience &
goodness with real & Sincere regard, yr. H Servt.
Charles Yancey--
ALS, DLC:TJ, 3p, with address "The honorable Thomas Jefferson Monticello" and TJ
docket "Yancey Charles Buckinghm. July 4. 22." The word in angle brackets is mutilated.
| Documentary History of the Construction of the Buildings at the University
of Virginia, 1817-1828 | |