Jefferson, Thomas (1743-1826) [Legal document granting power of attorney for John Paradise to Nathaniel Burwell]
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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC01974 Author/Creator: Jefferson, Thomas (1743-1826) Place Written: Paris, France Type: Autograph manuscript signed Date: 8 August 1788 Pagination: 2 p. ; 31 x 20 cm. Order a Copy
Signed by John Paradise but written in Jefferson's hand, while Jefferson served as American ambassador in Paris. Paradise signs over his financial affairs, including the payment of his creditors to Burwell. Signed as a witness by Jefferson, William Short, and Philip Mazzei. Top of document is scalloped. With red seal of John Paradise.
Paradise, a Greek born American patriot, married Lucy Ludwell of Williamsburg, Virginia, a heiress to one of the largest colonial estates in Virginia. Short was the Secretary to the United States Legation in France and Jefferson's private secretary. Mazzei was Virginia’s Agent in Europe during the last years of the American Revolution. Though born in Italy, he was a naturalized citizen of Virginia.
Know all men by these presents that I John Paradise of James city county in the Commonwealth of Virginia, but now at Paris in the kingdom of France, do by these presents constitute and appoint Nathaniel Burwell esquire of Carter's grove in the same county & commonwealth my lawful attorney for all my property in the said commonwealth, real & personal, in possession & in action, giving to him full power for me, & in my behalf, to superintend & direct the management of my said property, to sell or otherwise dispose of all parts thereof which I could myself sell or dispose of, to receive & apply as shall be hereinafter directed the proceeds of such sales, to purchase and take conveiances for me of property of all kinds, to prosecute & defend all actions & suits in which I may be concerned in my own or in any other right, to employ such persons for the transaction of my business as he may think proper, to settle with them, & all others, all matters of account now existing, or which may hereafter exist between them & me giving to whatsoever he shall do in the premises the same force & validity as if done by myself. And I do further declare that the true intent of these presents is that the said Nathaniel Burwell shall out of the profits & proceeds of the said estates in possession & action pay to Edward Bancroft & William Anderson in the city of London & kingdom of England, or to such other person or persons as I shall appoint by letter or other writing signed by myself the sum of two hundred & forty pounds sterling money of Great Britain [2] annually in quarterly paiments [sic] of sixty pounds sterling each to be made in the [inserted above: said] city of London on the first days of January, April, July and October in every year ensuing the present year, which said sum being for the subsistence of my wife and myself is to be paid in preference to all other demands whatsoever: and that he shall pay all other profits & proceeds of my said estates in possession & in action, as they shall come to his hands for the discharge of my debts contracted before the day of my departure from England in the last year together with lawful interest, taking therein such arrangements with my [struck: said] creditors as to him & them shall seem reasonable, and the surplus after the said debts shall be satisfied to pay or apply as I shall direct from time to time: these presents to remain in full force during the whole time of my absence from the said commonwealth of Virginia, unless sooner revoked by deed. Indented, executed by myself, attested & authenticated according to the forms prescribed by the laws of the said commonwealth of Virginia for deeds executed in foreign countries. In Witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name & affixed my seal at Paris aforesaid this eighth day of August in the year one thousand seven hundred and eighty eight.
John Paradise [seal]
Signed, sealed, and in delivered in the presence of
Th: Jefferson
W. Short
Philip Mazzei
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