Our Collection

At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. More than 85,000 items cover five hundred years of American history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World through the end of the twentieth century.

Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826 to John W. Eppes

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC00315 Author/Creator: Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826 Place Written: Charlottesville, Virginia Type: Autograph letter signed Date: June 3, 1812 Pagination: 2 p. : Height: 25 cm, Width: 20 cm Order a Copy

Eppes planned to sell his estate which Jefferson wanted to buy. Jefferson also mentions that indebtedness from his Washington residence has been nearly paid. Eppes rejected the proposal. At the end of the letter, Jefferson talks about the plans of Peter Carr (his nephew) for "enlarging the plan of his school" -- this is the Albemarle Academy which became the University of Virginia.

Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826
Eppes, John Wayles, fl. 1799-1812
Carr, Peter, 1770-1815

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