Republican Party Committee of Correspondence, in Virginia 1800

On January 23, 1800 friends of Thomas Jefferson met in Richmond to decide on a course of how best to elect their candidate in the presidential election to be held in November of that year. Other stated goals were to elect Republican [now the Democratic party] candidates to other elective offices in the Old Dominion and the United States Congress. This convention determined that a “general committee of correspondence to consist of five persons in or near the city of Richmond whose duty it shall be forthwith to inform the several persons agreed upon as Electors, that a poll will be taken for them at the ensuing election in confidence of their attahcment of Liberty….” Of course this committee needed people to correspond with, and county committees were formed. These committees consisted of the following individuals:

“The following persons were appointed a general Standing Committee, viz:

Philip Norborne Nicholas, Meriweather Jones, Benjamin Hatcher, Gervias Stors, and John Courtney.

“Resolved that John H. Foushee be appointed Secretary to the General Committee in the city of Richmond; and should any vacancy hereafter happened in this office, the Standing Committee shall be authorized to make such other appointments as they shall think proper.

“The following persons were appointed Corresponding Committees in the different counties, to wit:

Accomack: George Layfield, Wm. Marshall, Solomon Marshall, Wm. Waterfield, and Elijah Shay

Albemarle: Thomas Mann Randolph, Milton; Peter Carr Nicholas, Lewis Francis Walker, and Rice Garland

Amelia: Edmund Harrison, Amelia C.H.; Thos. Randolph, Archer Jones, John Archer, and Abram Green.

Amherst: Wm. S. Crawford, Cabellsburg; Landon Cablle, Joel Franklin, John Archer, and Abram Green

Bath: John Lewis, Warm Springs; Jacob Warwick, James Laird, Moses Mann, and Elisha Williams

Berkeley: Gen. William Darke, Charlestown; Geo. Hite, Thomas Rutherford, Ferdinand Fairfax, and Daniel Bedinger.

Botetourt: Martin McFeren, Botetour C.H.; Thomas Rowland, Andrew Tapscott, George Schelering, and John H. Madison

Brooke: Col. John Connel, West Liberty; Robert Caldwell, William McKennon, Thos. Beck, and William Laidley.

Brunswick: Sterling Ruffin, Gholston’s; Thos. Claiborne, Willie Harrison, Aaron Brown, and Theophilus Fields.

Buckingham: William Perkins, Jr., Westminster; Matthew Branch, Anthony Dibrell, John Patterson, and John Pitman.

Campbell: John Dabney, Lynchburg; Daniel B. Perrow, Archibald Robinson, John Walker, and Edmund Winston

Caroline: James Taylor, Bowling Green; Jas. Upshaw, John Hoomes, John Taylor, and Richard Hawes.

Charles City: John Bradley, Forge; John Walker, John Colin, John Tyler, and Dabney Bradley

Charlotte: Quin Morton, Charlotte C.H.; Thomas Spencer, William L. Morton, Bernard Todd, and Sam’l White

Chesterfield: Thos Goode, Manchester; Isaac Sallie, Thos. Wilkins, George Woodson, and John W. Eppes

Culpeper: Philip R. Thompson, Culpeper C.H.; French Strother, Lewis Conner, John Shackelford, and Mord. Barbour

Cumberland: Wm. Daniel, Jr., Cumberland C.H.; Thomas Deane, John Hatcher, Randolph Harrison, and Blake H. Woodson

Dinwiddie: Geo. Hay, Petersburg; Edward Pegram, Williamson Coleman, Joseph Goodwyn, and William Hardway

Elizabeth City: Geo. Wacy, Hampton; Augustine Moon, Sr., Thos. Jones, Capt. Wm. Armistead, and Sam’l Selden

Essex: William Brockenbrough, Tappahannock; Stretchley Reynolds, Robert Baylor, Tunstall Banks, and Thomas Pitts, Jr.

Fauquier: Augustine Jennings, Fauquier C.H.; Gustavus H. Horner, Rich’d H. Foote, Hanock Lee, and John Blackwell (Tin-Pot)

Fairfax: Elisha C. Dick, Alexandria; Roger West, Francis Peyton, Thompson Mason, and Walter Jones, Jr.

Frederick: John Smith, Winchester; Robert Machie, Charles Catlett, James Singleton, and William Headley

Franklin: Henry Calloway, Rocky Mount; Moses Greer, Benjamin Cook, Sam’l Harston, and Ro. Innes

Fluvanna: John Quarles, Columbia; Sam’l Richardson, James Payne, Jos. Haden, and Allen Bernad

Gloucester: Matthew Anderson, Gloucester C.H.; Richard Baynham, Mann Page, Nathniel Burwell, and William Hall

Goochland: Thomas Miller, Goochland C.H.; James Carter, Archlaus Perkins, Wm. Miller (Lcker) and Smith Payne.

Grayson: Philip Gaines, Austinville; John Fielder, Enoch Osborne, Minitree Jones, and Greenbury C. McKenzie

Greenville: Francis Hill, Hicksford; Joseph Wilkins, John Camp, and John Goodwyn, with liberty to associate.

Halifax: George Carrington, Halifax C.H.; Berryman Green, William Terry, George Camp, and Charles Meriweather

Hampshire: James Daitey, Romney; Osborne Sprigg, John Higgins, Lewis Dunn, and Andrew Mislagle

Hanover: William Pollard, Hanover C.H.; Nathan’l Pope, Edward Garland, Sam’l Richardson, and Parke Street.

Hardy: Geo. Stump, Moorfield; John L. Sehon, Henry India, and Randolph Shobe, Jr.

Harrison: John Webster, Clarksburg; John Black, David Sluth, John Ratcliffe, and Uriah Ashcraft

Henrico: Joseph Selden, Elisha Price, Joseph Duval, George Williamson, and Tarply White

Henry: George Waller, Jn’r, Henry C.H.; John Alexander, Joseph Hopson, Peter Garland, and Brice Martin, Jn’r

Isle of Wight: John Goodrich, Smithfield; Emanuel Wills, Francis Boykin, Richard Cocke, and John Barker

James City: John Ambler, Williamsburg; Champion Travis, Littleton W. Tazewell, Wm. Lightfoot, and John Goodall, Jn’r.

King & Queen: Anderson Scott, Dunkirk; Thomas Roanes, Richard Brooke, Benjamin Dabney, and John Hoskins

King George: Colo. John Taliaferro, Fredericksburg; Stephen Hansford, John A. Stuart, Wm. P. Flood, and Aaron Thornley

King William: John Roane, Todd’s; Wm. Penn, Wm. Aylett, William Gregory and James Ruffin

Lancaster: Richard Selden, Lancaster C.H.; Martin Shearman, William Kirk, John Carpenter, and John Smith

Lee: Benjamin Sharp, Abingdon; Peter Fulkerson, John Littlejohn, Albert Russell, and Thomas Jones, Jr.

Louisa: Wm. O. Callis, Yanceyville; Ro. Yancey, John Poindexter, Thomas Meriwether, and Dr. Watson

Lunenburg: Waddy Street, Lunenburg C.H.; Francis Eppes, Christopher Robinson, Sterling Neblett, and Walter Taylor

Madison: Abram Murray, Orange C.H.; William Mallory, Adam Banks, Wm. Eve, and Barnett Watts

Matthews: Jos. Billups, Matth. C.H.; James Spark, Henley Gayle, Thomas Brooks, Joshua Brown

Mecklenburg: Richard Kennon, Meck C.H.; Mark Alexander, William Munford, Abraham Keese; and Wm. Taylor, Jr.

Middlesex: Thomas Roane, Urbanna; William Segar, William George, Thomas Muse, and Wm. Robinson, son of Charles

Monogalia: John Stailey, Morgantown; Richard Claiborne, David Scott, &c

Monroe: James Alexander, John Byrnsides &c.

Montgomery: Daniel Trigg, Montgomery C.H.; Charles Taylor, Jas. P. Preston, Daniel Howe, and Bird Smith

Nansemond: Josiah Riddick, Suffolk; Richard Yarborough, Edward Browne, Robert M. Riddick; and Joseph Godwin, Sr.

New Kent: James Semple, N.K. C.H.; Burwell Bassett, William Chamberlayne, Robert Armistead, and Edmund Parke

Norfolk: R’d E. Lee, Norfolk; James Matthews, Josiah Butt, Robert Brough, and James Bennet

Norfolk Borough: Wm. Bland, &c

Northampton: Caleb Fisher, Northampton C.H.; Matthew Guy, William Fisher, and John Elliott

Northumberland: Catesby Jones, Heathsville; Mattram Ball, William Nelmes, John H. Fallin, and Thomas Hurst

Nottoway: Freeman Eppes, Nott. C.H.; Edward Bland, Jas. Jones, John Eppes, and Peter Bland.

Ohio: Capt. John Morgan, West Liberty; Ro. Stuart, Jos. Thornton, John Mills, and Joseph McCune.

Orange: Ro. Taylor, Orange C.H.; Robert Miller, Belfield Cave, Thos. Ellis and Thomas Rose

Patrick: Samuel Staples, Pat. C.H.; Gabriel Penn, William Carter, Joseph Renfro, and Wm. Banks

Pendleton: Robert Davis, Pendelton C.H.; Mr. Capito, John Slavein, Moses Henkle &c

Pittsylvania: Isaac Coles, Pittsylvania C.H.; Wm. Tunstall, Joseph Carter, Nathaniel Williams, and Edmund Tunstall

Powhatan: Richard Crump, Powhatan C.H.; Sam’l Pleasants, James Poindexter, Littlebury Mosely, and Jordan Harris

Prince Edward: Archibald McRoberts, P. E. C.H.; Tarlton Woodson, John Kelsoe, Theodorick B. McRoberts, and Philemon Holcombe, Jr.

Prince William: Benjamin Botts, Dumfries; Matthew Harrison, Geo. Graham, John D. Orr, and Wm. Tyler

Prince Goerge: Doctor John Shore, Petersburg; Archibald Thweatt, Geo. Ruffin, Richard Bland, and William Parham

Randolph: John Haddon, &c

Richmond: Richard Barnes, R’d C.H.; Ezekiel Levi, Vincent Branham, Wm. McCarty, and George Yerby

Rockbridge: John Bowyer, Lexington; James Caruthers, John Leyburne, William Moore, and John Caruthers

Rockingham: Andrew Shanklin, Rock’m C.H.; John Carthy, jn’r, Reuben Moore, Jacob Custard and Jacob Biar

Russell: Nathan Ellington, Russell C.H.; James McFarlane, John M. Arston, Francis Browning, and Sam’l Ritchel

Shenandoah: James Allen, Woodstock; Jacob Rinker, Jared Williams, Philip Shamgler, and George Fravil

Southampton: Sam’l Kello, So. C.H.; James Wilkinson, John Taylor, James Gee, and Augustine C. Cocke

Spotsylvania: John Minor, Fred’ksb’g: Mann Page, Francis T. Brooke, John Chew, Sen’r, and David C. Kerr

Stafford: Col. John Cooke, Aquia; John T. Brooke, John Fox, Robert Rose and Rob’t Henning

Surry: Nicholas Faulcon, Surry C.H.; Wm. Boyce, Sam’l Bailey, Benjamin Edwards Brown, and Canfield Swan.

Sussex: John Mason, Petersburg; Nath’l Wyche, John Briggs, Benj’n Wyche, and George Reeves

Tazewell: David Ward, Henry Bowen, Sam’l Walker, Henry Harman, Jr. and George Peery

Warwick: Rich’d Cary, York; Wm. Dudley, Wm. Diggs, ju’r, William Allen, ju’r, and Rich’d McIntosh

Washington: Francis Preston, Abingdon; Claiborne Watkins, Ro. Preston, Sam’l Edmondson and Andrew Russell

Westmoreland: Alexander Parker, W. C.H.; John P. Hungerford, Sam’l Templeman, Thomas Plummer, and Ransdale Pierce

Williamsburg: Ro. Saunders, W’msburg; James Southall, Litteton W. Tazewell, James Semple, and Benjamin Waller

Wood: Harman Blannerhasset, Marietta; Hugh Phelps, Wm. Louther, Hoseh. Buhsey, and Daniel Kinchaloe

Wythe: Alex’r Smith, Wythe C.H.; Daniel Sheffie, David Sawyers, Wm. Davis, and David Straunger

York: Col. Wm. Nelson, York; John Gayle, Rob’t Shield, Edward C. Howard, and Hawkins Reid