Jefferson, Thomas (1743-1826) to James Dinsmore re: architecture and building projects at Monticello
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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC04956 Author/Creator: Jefferson, Thomas (1743-1826) Place Written: Washington Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 1806/12/28 Pagination: 1 p. 24.7 x 20.2 cm Order a Copy
The document is overall tanned. Jefferson discusses the style of doors for the North Pavilion at Monticello, mentions Poplar Forest's window frames, and suggests dismissing the worker Stewart. Dinsmore (d. 1830) was a housejoiner who worked and lived at Monticello from 1798 until 1809. He was the principal joiner for the remodeling at Monticello and was responsible for important interior finish work. He also worked for James Madison and John H. Cocke. See Jefferson Memorandum Book p. 985, note 63.
Notes: Dinsmore (ca. 1771-1830) was one of the most important house joiners working at Monticello. House joiners are workers in wood who do lighter and more ornamental work. Dinsmore worked at Monticello until 1809 and then latter at Montpelier and the University of Virginia where he was master carpenter for many structures. He also trained the slave joiner John Hemmings (1775-1830). See Susan R. Stein, The Worlds of Thomas Jefferson at Monticello (1993), pp. 273-75, 277-78.
Washington Dec. 28. 06.
Sir
In answer to your letter of the 20th. I would prefer that the door of the North pavilion should be a folding one, opening from the outer architrave into the jamb, so as to enter the room but a little below the chairboard, within, it is to be plastered. The cornice to be Tuscan of the form of that used in the bedrooms of the house, but proportioned to the height of the room, that is to say, calling the height from the chairboard to the cieling [ceiling] 105 minutes, give 43½ of them to the cornice according to Palladio's drawing. If the space between the top of the architrave of the windows & the cieling is equal to 104½ of those minutes, we may have an architrave & fire [?] as well as cornice. The window frames at Poplar Forest may be of poplar dug out of the solid, with locust sills; tho' I do not know why the sides & top might not also be of locust dug out of the solid. I will send you the 20. D. by the next post. Stewart's conduct is so intolerable that I must soon dismiss him. I wish you therefor to put up the Venetian blinds of the Porticle of the S. E. Piazza, as he alone can probably make those hinges. Give to the top a thorough repair and would it not be better to cover it with sheet iron of such thickness as to have but one tuck? Accept my best wishes.
Th: Jefferson
Mr. Dinsmore
Notes: Dinsmore (ca. 1771-1830) was one of the most important house joiners working at Monticello. House joiners are workers in wood who do lighter and more ornamental work. Dinsmore worked at Monticello until 1809 and then latter at Montpelier and the University of Virginia where he was master carpenter for many structures. He also trained the slave joiner John Hemmings (1775-1830). See Susan R. Stein, The Worlds of Thomas Jefferson at Monticello (1993), pp. 273-75, 277-78.
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