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1813

This webpage reproduces a section of
The Journal
of
John Sevier
published in Vols. V and VI
of the Tennessee Historical Magazine,
1919‑1920

The text is in the public domain.

This page has been carefully proofread
and I believe it to be free of errors.
If you find a mistake though, please let me know!

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1815
This site is not affiliated with the US Military Academy.

John Sevier's Journal

Vol. VI
p54 January, 1814.

Sat. 1 went to complement the President. . . .

. . . . . .

Wed. 12 . . . Wt. to House dined at the French minister's.

Wed. 26 . . . Went to the House. In the evening went to the P. Levee.

. . . . . .

Sat. 29 went in Co. with Misses Harriott & Casa Smiths & Maryan Bartley to the Navy Yard to see the ship Argus launched.​a

. . . . . .

February, 1814.

Tues. 22 Went to House — in the evening to Ball at Tomlinsons — pd. $5 for ticket. Won $25. . . .

Wed. 23 . . . Went to the Levee in the eveng.

. . . . . .

March, 1814

Tues. 1 day of March very cold. Stayed in lodging. Pd. up Thomas Cook for stableage to this day being $11.50 the ballance due for my mairs feed, & 1 dollar for Lieut. A. Sevier. $12.50 in all. Alexander Sevier set out for Tennessee.

Thurs. 3 Paid printer $5 for Commodore Perry's likeness &c. . . .

Fry. 4 Dined at the Presidents. . . .

. . . . . .

Sun. 13 Went to the Catholic meeting.

. . . . . .

Thurs. 17 Attended the House — in the evening went to George town, where there was a ball being St. patricks day. — fine day.

. . . . . .

Wed. 30 Went to the Presidents Levee.

Thurs. 31 Attended the House Rained. went to a parrty at Mr. Gales in the evening. Lost $10.

April, 1814.

. . . . . .

Sun. 3 Went to the Catho. meeting. dined with the Secretary of the Treasury, Secretary of War & Vice President.

. . . . . .

Tues. 5 . . . Bought of W. Cooper a ticket in the Washington monument lottery (second class) pd. $12. — the number 24209.

. . . . . .

Fry. 8 Attended the House — paid A. Cochran $10 towards my lyquor account, $2.25 yet due Mr. Cochran.

Sat. 9 Went to Georgetown in Co. with Genl. John G. Jackson. — purchased a half curbed bridle, plated bits pd. $7.

. . . . . .

Mon. 18 Attended the House — Congress adjourned to meet again on Monday the last day of October.

. . . . . .

May, 1814.

 p55  Sun. 8 . . . Set out with James S. Gaines for Tennessee.

. . . . . .

June, 1814.

Wed. 1 . . . Memo. The sirute of antonmy from 8 to 12 grains taken at night in a little honey or sugar observing not to drink for two hours after you have take the sirute is good for diarrhea — about 1 spoonful of sweet oil to the yolks of four eggs well beaten up together in form of plaster & renewed is an excellent cure for bad burns. — Tea made out of the May apple root 1 wine glass 3 times per day is excellent for diarhea or to half appetite.

. . . . . .

July, 1814.

[memoranda]

. . . . . .

Tues. 12 . . . Memo. Boil milch directly from the Cow, add one oz. sheep suet, 2 ditto of loaves sugar a handfull of alspice, & one of lew (?) mallows to the quart — live up on it — previous to taking the boiled milch observe to take a good purge of Castor oil.

. . . . . .

September, 1814.

. . . . . .

Sat. 17 Drove 18 m to the City & put up at I. Queens at Davis Hotel — K. Davis. Expenses from home to this place for stage hire $40.52. Due lodging &c &c $25.52.

. . . . . .

Mon. 19 House met being a quorum in both. . . .

. . . . . .

Thur. 22 Visited the Presid. Sect. of War & the Secretary of the Treasury. . . .

October, 1814.

. . . . . .

Sat. 15 . . . This day the H. of R. Negotiated a bill for the removal of the seat of Government.

. . . . . .

November, 1814.

. . . . . .

Wed. 2 Went to Georgetown in the evening went to the Presidents levee.

. . . . . .

Wed. 23 Elbridge Gerry vice president deceased.

Thu. 24 intered Mr. Gerry, myself one of the pall bearers. . . .

. . . . . .

December, 1814.

. . . . . .

Tues. 20 Attended the House — spent the evening at Shooks in Co. with Alxr. Sevier & Capt. MacCarmick.º Won of Capt. McCarmackº in the Faro bank $160. . . .

. . . . . .

Dec. 31 I went to the office of Secretary of State & deposited two  p56 deeds of release one for 40000 acres of land in the bend of Tennessee — one track laying on limestone Creek, the other on Mulbery creek — also one other of 10000 acres on the Tennessee at the mouth of Blew water. one as attr. for James Sevier of 1000 acres — & my power of attr. to the United States &c. My release for 10000 acres I have made in it a reserve to be allowed two years from its date, (ºbeing on yesterday 30th) to make my election to either receive certificates of stock or make application to the U. States for the land (the same being my commissioners claim).

Thayer's Note:

a The U. S. Department of the Navy's official Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships states, without giving a source, that

During the War of 1812, Argus — an 18‑gun sloop of war laid down at the Washington Navy Yard in 1813 — was still on the ways when the British advanced on the National Capital late in the summer of 1814. To prevent her capture by the enemy, she was burned on the ways on 24 August 1814. — DANFS, s.v. Argus-I.

— which appears to contradict the Diary; although Sevier never reports, at least not in the text as we have it here, that the Argus was actually launched.

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Page updated: 4 Dec 17