The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1882-04-30
MONTICELLO.


The Grave of Thomas 5eGerson-An In.
tcrestIng letter from his Great
GranddRughter-A Little Graveyard
all that Remains ofJenersOn'sE Estate.
When the Senate JOINT resolution appro-
priatlng $40 600 for tho erection of suitable
ment over the grave OF Thomas Jefferson was updor
consideration by the House OF Representatives MIR.
Manning Of Mississippi submitted the following In
terestlng letter addressed TO him by Mics Sarah N
Randolph. the great granddaughter Of Jefferson and
now the distinguished head Of the ratapsco Institute,
In the state OF Maryland!
Pdtdpsco Institute, ERtcou cur, M, March
20, lSs2,-Dcar Sir; Allow me TO make the follow
Ing statement as to tho present condition of tho Mon
tcellO graveyard and the tomb OF Jefferson and also
respectfully to express the feelings OF his descendants
on the subject.
Monticello sold year after Jeferson's death
for the paty sum Of g. 800, thus disappointing the
fond hope In which he died that amid tho wrecks of
his fortune this home at least secured to his
daughter my grandmother. In the deed conveying
the paceto the purchaser the graveyard and the right
session OF my grandmother and my father both Of
whom signed the deed my father being JeIrerson's
executor. That right now belongs to my father de-
scendants
Some years after JeTcrson's death monument In
strict conformity with the simple directions lett by
him was erected over his grave ut my fathers OK
pcnse. The zeal or vulgar mania Of tourists FOR relies
has long ago battered that monument, simple
granite obesk, Into q shapeless mass. AS such II
now stands q modification alike to his descendants
and his countrymen.
At your suggestion resolution was introduced by
MIR. Cox, OF New York, on JeircrsUn's birthday,
April 49, 1878, apprOprating sum for the erection
OF u monument Oh condition that the owners OF the
graveyard should quitClaim to the United States
Government the grave and lot two rods square con-
tanning It, The resolution passed without dissent
ing voice. and the Secretary OF State, Mr. Evarts, had
gone so far as to have contracts for the work ready TO
be signed, whom Mr.. jefferson Levy nephew of the
late owner of Monticello wrote to him and stated that
the heirs OF Jefferson had no right nor claim TO his
grave nor to the graveyard that both belonged to the
heirs Of tho late owner OF Monticello, who objected to
the erection of monument. copy OF this letter was
Forwarded tO and substantially augwpfp1
my sending the Secretary OF state authenticated
copy of tho deed which showed that the graveyard be-
lOnged to my fathers descendants. Later the place
was sold and bought by Mr.. jefferson Levy.
In the meantime, to prepare for the erection of the
new monument and iron railing which was to inclosc
the graveyard, the high brick wall which had formed
the Enclosure, but was falling down, was removed
The graveyard Is now Enclosed by plain plank fence
When the quiclaim came to he arranged Jefferson
Ill scendants naturally felt reluctant to deed away
even to the Government grave; and some OF them
who had relatives buried In the lot demanded by
the Government, felt that deciding their graves away
would he almost greater sacrifice than thu, v could
make; Still feeling and sentiment might have sned,
but other obstacles In the way OF granting the quit
claim arose Many OF my fathers heirs arc minors,
and before the lot could be decided away the matter
would have to 20 through the COURTS which would in
volve great delay. Then again qultcaim could not
he given by the owners Of the graveyard without get
ting the consent of the Legislature of Virginia, which
would be another delay. From these statements II
Will be easily seen how long II would be before the
monument could he erected IL the qutclaim is in
sisted on and In the meantime the graveyard must
remain In the sad state of neglect and ruin which /,
now SO morifyinE Under these circumstances IL Is
believed that N the facts of the laid before
the committee that their enlightened patriotism will
make them at once appreciate how reasonable is the
suggestion that the modest should be made
conditional donation In honor OF the memory of one
OF that great and remarkable historical group of mel
whom Americans are wont to delight In calling
Fathers OF the Republic The case Is unique ant
exceptional that there is but little probability of it,
being cited hereafter aprCccdent.
The little graveyard at Monticello-only one hun.
dred feet squares all of the TO- 900 of land
owned by Jefferson when he entered public life whicl
Is now left In the possession of his descendants II,
sleeps, amid scenes of surprising beauty and grandeur
on that lovely mountain side, surrounded by I'll,
graves OF his children and grandchildren to the fifth
generation. At his side lies his wife, whom he loved
with such singular devotion. few feet from him
rests the cherished friend of his YOUTH young Dab
ney Carr, whose motion In the Virginia House vi Bur.
geSses TO establish committees of correspondence be-
tween the sister colonies leading 1t did, to the
meeting of the First Congress, has given his
enVlable place In American history A little further
OIL lie the remains OF another devoted and distin
guiShed friend, Governor Wilson Cary Nicholas o.
Virginia, while at his feet sleeps another Governor
the old Commonwealth, his own son .in-law, Thomas
Mann Randolph The modesty of the spot Is In strik
Ing contrast with the celebrity of Its dead and ther
are, perhaps Few In America OF greater historic in
terest or more deserving of the nations care.
one circumstance connected with the monument,
proposed four years ago, deserves to be mentioned
soon after the appropriation was made by Congress
Mr.. w. w. Corcoran, the distinguished phianthrO.
phist, with characteristic munihCenCe, endowed
professOship Of natural history In the University
Virginia condition that that institution should ak
care of the graveyard at Monticello, thus very appro
priately placing the of JeiTeTson's tomb In tb
hands of this the child OF his old age and tile last
alton of his genius. with an apology for the length
| of this letter, yours. very respectfully,
| Hon. Van II. Manning