Washington District of Columbia

Letter to President Thomas Jefferson A letter of support from the Mechanics and Laborers of the Washington Navy Yard to President Thomas Jefferson on the occasion of his second inauguration dated 4 March 1805. The letter has 118 workers signatures. Furnished by : John G. Sharp

		Thomas Jefferson Portrait painted in 1805

Introduction It was our third president, Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), who really fostered the development of the Washington Navy Yard. From the Yard's founding political influence was crucial to workers employment and job security. The first Yard worker's high regard for their stable employment and their anxiety to show their support for the new administration is evident in their March 4, 1805 letter written to President Thomas Jefferson on the occasion of his second inauguration. The Yard workers letter of support was signed by 118 WNY mechanics and laborers and stated their backing and appreciation of his administration. The workers enthusiastic support however was closely tied to Jefferson's determined efforts to make the Navy Yard the focal point of his strategy of defense which called for smaller overall naval appropriations but building and holding new gun boats at WNY and the retaining of a number of small naval vessels in reserve there as well. On the day of his 2nd inauguration WNY workers proudly marched with President Jefferson, who rode his horse, the workers walked whole parade rout accompanied by military music (supplied by the U.S. Marine Corps Band) and the tools of their respective occupations from the new Congress Building to the White House, thereby founding our inaugural parade as a tradition. One British observer described the group as "very mixed" and some of it as "uncouth" and procession on the road "low persons" 1 Some of President Jefferson's contemporary Federalist critics suggested that his popularity among the Yard mechanics and laborers was solely related to the amount of shipbuilding his administration had secured for the yard prior to the election of 1804 although similar charges of political patronage or favor would be hurled repeatedly at most administrations during the Yard's first century. Though very few of the WNY workers could actually vote in 1804's election, due to the restrict suffrage of the era2, the workers marched in the firm belief that in Jefferson's administration they were ensured "the Honest Industry of the Mechanic is Equally Supported with the Splendor of the Wealthy"

Transcription: There is considerable reason to believe this letter of support to President Jefferson was well received, although there is no written record of Jefferson responding (probably it was verbal ) the Yard workers letter was retained among his papers and now makes up part of the Library of Congress, Jefferson Papers. This transcription was made from the Library of Congress, Thomas Jefferson Papers 1606 -1827: http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/jefferson_papers/ digital image of the "Washington, D. C., Navy Yard Employees to Thomas Jefferson, March 4, 1805." In transcribing this list I have striven to adhere as closely as possible to the original in spelling, capitalization, punctuation and abbreviation including the retention of dashes, ampersands and overstrikes. This list of workers only of WNY workers signatures and is not a complete roster of 1805 WNY employees these employees were composed of supporters of President Thomas Jefferson. This list of signatories probably excludes most Yard master mechanics, some employees of the Navy Constructor and all free and enslaved African Americans. Many of the signatures were difficult to read and I have attempted to ensure the accuracy of this transcription however all errors that remain are mine. John G. Sharp         June 15, 2008

To Thomas Jefferson President of the United States of America    [1805, Mar.4]
The Subscribers Tradesmen of the Different Callings Exercised in the United States Navy Yard in this City beg leave to Offer to your Excellency a Small Expression of the Sentiments with which in common with their Fellow Citizens they are Fully Impressed on this Happy Occasion On Addressing you in Consequence of the Event of your being Re Elected by the Almost Unanimous Voice of your Country to the Important and Arduous Task of Chief Magistrate of a Great and Free People - They would be insensible were they not to Appreciate the Value of the Privilege which as Americans they Enjoy They Cannot but Reflect with Gratitude on that Supreme being who has Placed him in a Land of Equal Rights and Liberty's, Where the honest Industry of the Mechanic is Equally Supported with the Splendor of the Wealthy Fully impressed with these Sentiments they Pray you may long be Spared a Blessing to your Country for whose ease and Safety you Continue Nobly to Sacrifice your Own
[Signed] James Owner John Davis of Abel Shadrach Davis William Smith John Nowland John Deleon Robert Armistead Bernard Parsons John Davis William Davis Robert Brown John Biot Wm Kimbell Wm Moudy Samuel Longdon William Sanders James King Richard Able Francis Richards Joseph Kill Thomas Jarvis Francis Ford Nicholas Foster George Cox George Lake James B. Polk Sherman Nevitts Stephen Champion Rich Allen David Waldron Stanislaus Coleman John Baron Richard Helme Thomas Summers James Boddington Lanston Smallwood Robt Grubb Samuel White Shaddrick Murry George Book Kimble Easley Kimble Easley Junr Henry Woods Wm Bushby Jeremiah Vorkins James Gardner James Kelly Saml Kelly John Nicholson Joseph Morton John Jones Ralph Barkar Rodger Ressuch Francis Grunwill William Easby Wm Smylie John Evans George Dixon John Peters		[Signed] Ben King Elisha Padgett Thomas Herbert Thomas Allen Stephen Kinnan Simon Toole George Garnet James Murray Cornelius Williss John Cummins Richard Clark John Beaty John Colson James Murphy William Parsons William Smith Robert Patrick John Conelin Charles Sanders Thos Randle Thos Notlick George Downes Robert Rose Thomas Mc Clain John Green John Dunlop Rich Bignal Henry Sanatt John Williams William Smith Saml Thompson James Cummins Wm Sanderson Michael White John Douglas Rich Bignal Henry Sarratt John Williams William Smith Saml Thompson James Cummins Wm Saunderson Michael White Jason Jones Peter Gardner Joseph Barnes George Gardner William Gardner Thos Hunter Tom Winter Isaac Davis Jnt Mc Carty William Brooks Michael Williamson James Fry James Henderson John Haislet Isaac Gillesby John Goff

Endnotes 1Dumas Malone, Jefferson The President Second Term 1805 -1809 Little Brown and Company Boston 1974 p. 4 2Green, Constance Mc Laughlin Washington A History of the Capitol 1800-1950 Princeton University Press, Princeton New Jersey 1962 pages 31,88,89,158&159.

© 2008 Genealogy Trails     by Wayne Hinton