Thomas Jefferson Dinner Invitation Signed "Th: Jefferson."...

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Thomas Jefferson Dinner Invitation Signed "Th: Jefferson." One page, 7.75" x 4", n. p. [Monticello], April 6, 1821. The invitation to William Huntington reads, in full: "Th: Jefferson asks the favor of Mr. Huntington to dine with him on Sunday the 8th."

William Huntington was a native of Connecticut who settled in Charlottesville, Virginia in 1818. He purchased some land and opened up a dry goods store on Main Street. The former president was a regular customer, buying books for his extensive collection, as well as silks and porter. The region around Charlottesville suffered an economic downturn shortly before Huntington set up shop. He was never overly successful and had to sell off property to pay off debts. He recovered briefly, however, and purchased more land, but was forced to sell it off in 1822. Mr. Huntington disappears from the historical record after 1824 and is assumed to have moved on.

As of 2006, "The Papers of Thomas Jefferson: Retirement Series" lists a total of six such invitations to William Huntington between 1818 and 1823. Heavily dampstained on both the left and the right side, but the text is unaffected. Folds are weak and have begun to separated in two places at the intersections with minor loss of paper, no text is lost.