THE
MONTICELLO
ASSOCIATION

Cornelia Jefferson Taylor to Colonel Jefferson Randolph Kean, chatting about conditions at the graveyard one and a half years after the organization of the Monticello Graveyard Association. Quoting from Olivia Taylor's biographical sketch of her Aunt Nely in Collected Papers. .., 1965, pages 196 and 197: "During the decade between the sale of Edgehill and the birth of the Monticello Association, Cornelia Taylor assumed the chief burden of the task of caring for the Monticello Graveyard and, with the assistance of Dr. and Mrs. William Mann Randolph, did all that slender resources and other duties permitted to perform this work." She continued her watch over the graveyard, although "During the first decade of the Association the physical care of the graveyard had been put in the hands of a local contractor who cut grass and performed routine maintenance. ..." (Robert H. Kean, in Collected Papers. .., 1965, page 29) until her move to Washington in 1919. She was Vice-President of the Association from its founding in 1913 until her death in 1937. At that time she was its oldest member.

Lego
October 31- 1914

My dear Ranny,

I am just back from a visit to the Monticello Graveyard -and as our President I am sending you a report of its condition, Which is really very gratifying. The only exception is the need of painting to the railing -and that I will tell you of later. The place is smooth enough and almost entirely covered with grass. Indeed it took a close examination to find the places that were missing -and the markers give a look of being cared for that rather surprises me when I see it. To show you how it now strikes a stranger; while I was there an automobile party [arrived] One of the party remarked on the well kept appearance of the place, and said "1 suppose Mr Levy keeps it up." My answer, naturally was -"He has no more to do with it than you have. It is cared for by Mr Jefferson's descendants." ...And I told them that the owners were the heirs of our Grandfather. ...In fact I acted as a gracious hostess, asserting my rights. I scarcely ever go there that something of the kind does not happen -and thanks to you, Dear Cousin, and the Association you organised, I can do so with satisfaction. About a month ago I had a letter from Virginius [Virginius R. Shackelford was Secretary and Treasurer of the Association] saying that Williams had offered to paint the railing, scraping first and putting two coats of paint on. I wrote Virginius that I did not believe in giving the job to any but a real painter, who would put the best work on. I asked the leading painter in Charlottesville, Burgess, who sent a man up who measured and examined it and then wrote me that he would scrape [and] paint 2 coats for $90 -and use the best material. He said that at that he would only clear as profit $7 -but that he was an Albemarle man, a great admirer of Jefferson and he would like to do it -and would do it at once. Williams bid was $75 -which Virginius said he found to be very cheap. Burgess guarantees to use the best paint and is a prompt workman. Williams is certainly a procrastinator[.] He is not a painter and I would not trust him to get good paint; so I wrote Virginius that I did not believe in getting any but a reliable painter to do the work. Cheap paint will not last and it is most probable that Williams would use tar paint that would be shabby in a year or two. And I thought if possible we ought to pay the $ 15 extra to get the work well done. Burgess ten years ago painted it by Levy's orders. He then was paid $115 -but that was because Levy first had the points gilded as they were before and changed his mind and had them painted black. I wrote to Virginius at once giving my opinion -but he has never answered. What do you think of the matter?

Another piece of Graveyard news -I told you that I had had some correspondence with Cousin Wilson Cary of Baltimore, regarding the shabbiness of Wilson Jefferson Cary's stone. A short while ago I had a letter from his Brother John in which he says that Cousin Wilson died in September[ ;] that he had very much at heart that his Grandfather should have a suitable slab [ ;] that he, John Cary , wished to carry out his brother's wishes, which he had not been able to do himself as his health had been bad for the last eight months so he was going at once to write around and get the money from W. J. C.'s descendants -so that the slab should be put as soon as possible. They propose to put a granite slab. -I am delighted at the idea of making Monticello the summer house for the Presidents. And everyone I hear speak of it agrees with that opinion.

Is not this War terrible[?] It seems to me strange that the Kaiser after doing so much for the industrial development of a Peaceful Germany should wilfully precipitate a war carried on with Attala's methods and more barbarous than Alexander's (1 have just been reading Rollin.) I hope Bobby has continued to improve. My love to all of you. I do not know whether you have one of the lottery tickets for Mr Jefferson's benefit. You can use it as you choose -put it in your scrapbook -or if you are a little ashamed of it, as I was, when I first saw it burn it.

Yours affectionately

Nely Taylor

(The envelope is postmarked "Charlottesville, Nov. 2, 6 p.m." Col. Kean wrote on it "Recd Nov 4 1914" at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas!)