To Thomas Jefferson from Thomas Appleton, 22 March 1805
From Thomas Appleton
Leghorn 22nd. March 1805
Sir
About five years since I requested my brother in law Samuel Emery of Philadelphia to make enquiry for a certain Carlo Bellini, a tuscan by birth, and who left this country nearly forty years ago for Virginia.—By information he rec’d from you Sir, it appear’d, that this person was then professor of languages in St. Mary’s college, and a short time after, a letter was handed me from Bellini containing one for his sisters in Florence.—from that period, they have not had any direct intelligence from him; but they have been lately inform’d by Mr. Mazzei, that their brother is since dead.—I mention these circumstances to apologize for my now inclosing you a Memoria which I have this day receiv’d from his Excellency the Governor of Leghorn, by order of the government of Florence and in behalf of the two sisters Bellini,—I should not trouble you Sir on this business if through any other channel I could obtain for them the information which is the object of the Memoria. I therefore now inclose you the original, and have ventured to assure the Governor, that in due time I shall be able to reply to it.—
I have this moment receiv’d from Mr. Fabbroni the inclosed book and letter which he desires I would transmit to you.—
I have the honor to be with Sincere respect your devoted Servant.—
Th: Appleton
RC (DLC); at foot of text: “Thomas Jefferson. esq. President of the U: States of America”; endorsed by TJ as received 22 May and so recorded in SJL. FC (Lb in DNA: RG 84, CR, Leghorn); dated 21 Mch.; at foot of text: “sent by the Scho. Dolphin Capt. Williams.” Enclosures: (1) “Memoria,” 21 Mch., from the government of Etruria to Appleton, relating a request from Luisa and Aurora Bellini to confirm the death of their brother Carlo Bellini; they ask when his passing took place, whether he made a disposition concerning his estate, and who might be in possession of any inheritance he left; the government asks Appleton to report any answers in due course (MS in DLC: TJ Papers, 148:25805; in Italian). (2) Giovanni Fabbroni to TJ, 15 Mch., and enclosure.
St. Mary’s college: Carlo Bellini had been a professor at the College of William and Mary (Vol. 38:214n).
In his letterbook, Appleton included a note of 21 Mch. to TJ, covering the enclosure of Giovanni Fabbroni’s book and letter. A received copy has not been found, and the letter is not recorded in SJL (FC in DNA: RG 84, CR, Leghorn; at foot of text: “Thos. Jefferson, esqr. President of the U: States of America Washington” and “Sent Via Scho. Dolphin”).