Back to Collection: Jefferson Exhibit
Timeline
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Title
Timeline
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Department of Special Collections and Carl Jacobs, Washington University Public Affairs
Identifier
Jefferson timeline.pdf
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Text
1895
1905
2010, Oct. 20
2010, Nov.
“LIBRARY AND READING ROOM. Room No. 10 of the East Wing, University Hall [on
Washington Ave., built 1861, enlarged 1871 – east wing would have been towards 17th
Street], is used as a reference library and reading room. Here all necessary books of reference are provided, and also a good selection of periodical literature. No attempt is made
at present to gather a general library. During the year 1880 a gift of about three thousand
volumes was received from the family of the late Joseph Coolidge, of Boston. The collection, known as the Coolidge Library, is especially rich in excellent editions of Italian and
French authors, and is a very material addition to the usefulness of the library.” (Catalog
of the officers and students in Washington University, with the courses of study for the
academic year 1895-96 (1895), p. 94)
Books comprising the Joseph Coolidge Library move, together with the rest of the holdings of the Washington University library, from the University’s original location on
Washington Avenue in downtown St. Louis to the current campus west of the city. They
are housed in the newly built Ridgley Library from 1905 until 1962, when the main library
moves into a larger five-storey building—the John M. Olin Library.
Monticello researcher, Ann Lucas Birle discovers the Harvard Register reference to the
1880 gift. She shares this with Monticello librarian Endrina Tay, who has been tracking
down extant Jefferson books from the 1829 sale.
Tay searches for each of the known titles that were acquired by Coolidge in 1829, and gives
a candidate list to Washington University’s Curator of Rare Books, Erin Davis.
Jefferson typically marked his books by adding his initial “T” to the I-quire signature, and
his initial “I” (for J in the Latin alphabet) to the T-quire signature. This, along with other
characteristics, helps experts determine Jefferson’s ownership. Tay requested Davis to
check for the presence of this distinctive ownership mark.
2011, Jan.
Dean Shirley Baker and Professor David Konig with Monticello Scholars From left: Endrina Tay,
David Konig, Ann Lucas Birle, and Shirley Baker.
Concise Timeline for Joseph Coolidge Library &
Discovery of Books Owned by Thomas Jefferson
at Washington University
“Remember that his library will not be sold again,
and that all the memorials of T. J. for myself and children,
and friends, must be secured now!—this is the last chance!”
— Joseph Coolidge to Nicholas P. Trist, 11 Feb. 1829
Davis at Washington University finds Jefferson’s bookmark in 74 volumes, representing
28 titles.
Miranda Rectenwald, Archives assistant at Washington University, locates an undated
library ledger bearing “c” annotations, likely designating volumes that were part of the
Coolidge Library. This ledger represents the only known catalog of the Joseph Coolidge
Library.
2011, Feb. 21
1796, Oct. 13
Washington University and Monticello formally announce the discovery on national
media.
1798, Oct. 30
Ann Lucas & Endrina Tay
revised July 8, 2011
1809
1809-1825
Eleanora Wayles Randoph (Ellen) is born, the fourth child of Thomas Mann Randolph
and Martha Jefferson Randolph.
Joseph Coolidge Jr. (Coolidge) is born, the second child of Joseph Coolidge and Elizabeth
Bulfinch Coolidge.
Jefferson retires from the presidency to Monticello.
From age 13 to 28 Ellen lives at Monticello along with her mother and siblings. There she
is taught by her mother and her grandfather, mastering Greek, Latin, French, and Italian.
1815
1817
1824, May
1824, Nov. 24
1825, May 27
1825, fall
1826-1831
1826,
Mar. 16-17
1826, July 4
1826, ca. Oct.
1828, Dec.
1829, Feb. 11
- Mar. 11
Jefferson sells some 6,700 volumes from his library at Monticello to the United States
Congress to replace the congressional library destroyed when the British burned the
Capitol in 1814. He continues acquiring books and begins his Retirement Library collection at Monticello.
Coolidge graduates from Harvard.
Coolidge arrives at Monticello, with a letter of introduction from Harvard professor
George Ticknor, and meets Ellen.
Coolidge returns to visit Monticello. He watches the reunion of Jefferson and the Marquis
de Lafayette on Monticello’s lawn and is among the 400 men who dine with Lafayette the
following night in the unfinished Rotunda at the University of Virginia.
Ellen marries Coolidge in the parlor at Monticello.
Ellen and Coolidge arrive in Boston. Ellen’s baggage from Monticello is sent by sea to
Boston and sinks en route. Everything is destroyed, including her books, papers, and writing desk. Jefferson sends Coolidge the desk on which he wrote the Declaration of Independence as a replacement for all that Ellen has lost. Ellen uses it for her correspondence
with her family at Monticello.
Ellen gives birth to six children, including one set of twins. Her eldest child, and the only
one born before Jefferson’s death, is Ellen Randolph Coolidge (1826-1894).
1829, Feb. 27
1829, July 16
& Sept. 16
1855 , Jan. 24
1879
1880, Mar.
1880, Mar. 3
1880, Mar. 8
Jefferson wills his library to the University of Virginia.
Thomas Jefferson dies at Monticello. His library catalogue at the time of his death listed
931 titles, representing some 1,600 volumes.
Jefferson’s grandson and executor, Thomas Jefferson Randolph, deposits Jefferson’s books
at the University of Virginia for safekeeping, with the understanding that they may need
to be sold to settle Jefferson’s debts.
1880, Apr. 15
1880, Aug.
Randolph reclaims Jefferson’s books from the University of Virginia for sale.
Coolidge requests Nicholas Philip Trist (who also married another of Jefferson’s granddaughters, Virginia Randolph) to buy specific books of interest to him and Ellen at the
auction sale in Washington, D.C. of Jefferson’s library.
1880, Dec.
Jefferson’s library is sold in Washington, D.C. at the auction rooms of Nathaniel Peabody
Poor. There are no known surviving sale records from this 1829 dispersal sale of Jefferson’s
library.
Coolidge receives books Trist acquires for him during the sale.
Edmund Dwight (1824-1900) marries Ellen Randolph Coolidge in Boston.
Joseph Coolidge Jr. dies in Boston, three years after his wife. His estate is divided between
his four surviving children, including his daughter Ellen Coolidge Dwight.
Ellen and Edmund Dwight present Joseph Coolidge’s library to Washington University
in St. Louis. University chancellor, William Greenleaf Eliot (1811-1887), receives the gift
from the Dwights. At the time of the gift, there were no references in contemporary reports that Jefferson’s books were among the 3,000 volumes.
St. Louis Globe-Democrat cites a meeting held by Eliot in which he reports “additional
library room is also found necessary by the acquisition by the University of the Coolidge
library of 3,000 volumes.”
“The President [WG Eliot] reported that he had received from Mr. & Mrs. Edmund
Dwight of Boston a gift of about 3000 volumes being the Library of Joseph Coolidge,
dec[eased] … it was resolved ... that the Books be properly labeled and placed in suitable cases, and that the alcove in which they stand shall be known as the Joseph Coolidge
alcove of the Library.” (Washington University Board of Trustee’s Minutes, Book B, p. 59)
“Edmund Dwight, Esq., of Boston has just donated 3,000 rare volumes, to be known as the
“Joseph Coolidge Library.” (St. Louis Globe-Democrat)
“Rev. Dr. W. G. Eliot (t. 1834), chancellor of Washington University, says in a recent report, “A valuable gift has just been received through Edmund Dwight [Harvard, 1844] of
Boston, being the library of Joseph Coolidge [Harvard, 1817], lately deceased, and numbering about three thousand volumes, many of which are rare, and of great value. They
will be properly labelled, and arranged in a separate alcove, which will be known as the
‘Joseph Coolidge Library.’” (Harvard Register, Vol. 2, no. 2 (August 1880), p. 168)
“About a year ago, Chancellor Eliot received for the use of the university more than 3,000
volumes from the family of the late Joseph Coolidge, of Boston, who was a man of wealth
and culture. New cases were at once procured, and a rearrangement of the Library-room
was made. Cosy alcoves gave us additional room for books and more retired and comfortable places for study.”
(Student Life, Vol. 4, no. 3 (December 1880), p. 41-42)
1905
2010, Oct. 20
2010, Nov.
“LIBRARY AND READING ROOM. Room No. 10 of the East Wing, University Hall [on
Washington Ave., built 1861, enlarged 1871 – east wing would have been towards 17th
Street], is used as a reference library and reading room. Here all necessary books of reference are provided, and also a good selection of periodical literature. No attempt is made
at present to gather a general library. During the year 1880 a gift of about three thousand
volumes was received from the family of the late Joseph Coolidge, of Boston. The collection, known as the Coolidge Library, is especially rich in excellent editions of Italian and
French authors, and is a very material addition to the usefulness of the library.” (Catalog
of the officers and students in Washington University, with the courses of study for the
academic year 1895-96 (1895), p. 94)
Books comprising the Joseph Coolidge Library move, together with the rest of the holdings of the Washington University library, from the University’s original location on
Washington Avenue in downtown St. Louis to the current campus west of the city. They
are housed in the newly built Ridgley Library from 1905 until 1962, when the main library
moves into a larger five-storey building—the John M. Olin Library.
Monticello researcher, Ann Lucas Birle discovers the Harvard Register reference to the
1880 gift. She shares this with Monticello librarian Endrina Tay, who has been tracking
down extant Jefferson books from the 1829 sale.
Tay searches for each of the known titles that were acquired by Coolidge in 1829, and gives
a candidate list to Washington University’s Curator of Rare Books, Erin Davis.
Jefferson typically marked his books by adding his initial “T” to the I-quire signature, and
his initial “I” (for J in the Latin alphabet) to the T-quire signature. This, along with other
characteristics, helps experts determine Jefferson’s ownership. Tay requested Davis to
check for the presence of this distinctive ownership mark.
2011, Jan.
Dean Shirley Baker and Professor David Konig with Monticello Scholars From left: Endrina Tay,
David Konig, Ann Lucas Birle, and Shirley Baker.
Concise Timeline for Joseph Coolidge Library &
Discovery of Books Owned by Thomas Jefferson
at Washington University
“Remember that his library will not be sold again,
and that all the memorials of T. J. for myself and children,
and friends, must be secured now!—this is the last chance!”
— Joseph Coolidge to Nicholas P. Trist, 11 Feb. 1829
Davis at Washington University finds Jefferson’s bookmark in 74 volumes, representing
28 titles.
Miranda Rectenwald, Archives assistant at Washington University, locates an undated
library ledger bearing “c” annotations, likely designating volumes that were part of the
Coolidge Library. This ledger represents the only known catalog of the Joseph Coolidge
Library.
2011, Feb. 21
1796, Oct. 13
Washington University and Monticello formally announce the discovery on national
media.
1798, Oct. 30
Ann Lucas & Endrina Tay
revised July 8, 2011
1809
1809-1825
Eleanora Wayles Randoph (Ellen) is born, the fourth child of Thomas Mann Randolph
and Martha Jefferson Randolph.
Joseph Coolidge Jr. (Coolidge) is born, the second child of Joseph Coolidge and Elizabeth
Bulfinch Coolidge.
Jefferson retires from the presidency to Monticello.
From age 13 to 28 Ellen lives at Monticello along with her mother and siblings. There she
is taught by her mother and her grandfather, mastering Greek, Latin, French, and Italian.
1815
1817
1824, May
1824, Nov. 24
1825, May 27
1825, fall
1826-1831
1826,
Mar. 16-17
1826, July 4
1826, ca. Oct.
1828, Dec.
1829, Feb. 11
- Mar. 11
Jefferson sells some 6,700 volumes from his library at Monticello to the United States
Congress to replace the congressional library destroyed when the British burned the
Capitol in 1814. He continues acquiring books and begins his Retirement Library collection at Monticello.
Coolidge graduates from Harvard.
Coolidge arrives at Monticello, with a letter of introduction from Harvard professor
George Ticknor, and meets Ellen.
Coolidge returns to visit Monticello. He watches the reunion of Jefferson and the Marquis
de Lafayette on Monticello’s lawn and is among the 400 men who dine with Lafayette the
following night in the unfinished Rotunda at the University of Virginia.
Ellen marries Coolidge in the parlor at Monticello.
Ellen and Coolidge arrive in Boston. Ellen’s baggage from Monticello is sent by sea to
Boston and sinks en route. Everything is destroyed, including her books, papers, and writing desk. Jefferson sends Coolidge the desk on which he wrote the Declaration of Independence as a replacement for all that Ellen has lost. Ellen uses it for her correspondence
with her family at Monticello.
Ellen gives birth to six children, including one set of twins. Her eldest child, and the only
one born before Jefferson’s death, is Ellen Randolph Coolidge (1826-1894).
1829, Feb. 27
1829, July 16
& Sept. 16
1855 , Jan. 24
1879
1880, Mar.
1880, Mar. 3
1880, Mar. 8
Jefferson wills his library to the University of Virginia.
Thomas Jefferson dies at Monticello. His library catalogue at the time of his death listed
931 titles, representing some 1,600 volumes.
Jefferson’s grandson and executor, Thomas Jefferson Randolph, deposits Jefferson’s books
at the University of Virginia for safekeeping, with the understanding that they may need
to be sold to settle Jefferson’s debts.
1880, Apr. 15
1880, Aug.
Randolph reclaims Jefferson’s books from the University of Virginia for sale.
Coolidge requests Nicholas Philip Trist (who also married another of Jefferson’s granddaughters, Virginia Randolph) to buy specific books of interest to him and Ellen at the
auction sale in Washington, D.C. of Jefferson’s library.
1880, Dec.
Jefferson’s library is sold in Washington, D.C. at the auction rooms of Nathaniel Peabody
Poor. There are no known surviving sale records from this 1829 dispersal sale of Jefferson’s
library.
Coolidge receives books Trist acquires for him during the sale.
Edmund Dwight (1824-1900) marries Ellen Randolph Coolidge in Boston.
Joseph Coolidge Jr. dies in Boston, three years after his wife. His estate is divided between
his four surviving children, including his daughter Ellen Coolidge Dwight.
Ellen and Edmund Dwight present Joseph Coolidge’s library to Washington University
in St. Louis. University chancellor, William Greenleaf Eliot (1811-1887), receives the gift
from the Dwights. At the time of the gift, there were no references in contemporary reports that Jefferson’s books were among the 3,000 volumes.
St. Louis Globe-Democrat cites a meeting held by Eliot in which he reports “additional
library room is also found necessary by the acquisition by the University of the Coolidge
library of 3,000 volumes.”
“The President [WG Eliot] reported that he had received from Mr. & Mrs. Edmund
Dwight of Boston a gift of about 3000 volumes being the Library of Joseph Coolidge,
dec[eased] … it was resolved ... that the Books be properly labeled and placed in suitable cases, and that the alcove in which they stand shall be known as the Joseph Coolidge
alcove of the Library.” (Washington University Board of Trustee’s Minutes, Book B, p. 59)
“Edmund Dwight, Esq., of Boston has just donated 3,000 rare volumes, to be known as the
“Joseph Coolidge Library.” (St. Louis Globe-Democrat)
“Rev. Dr. W. G. Eliot (t. 1834), chancellor of Washington University, says in a recent report, “A valuable gift has just been received through Edmund Dwight [Harvard, 1844] of
Boston, being the library of Joseph Coolidge [Harvard, 1817], lately deceased, and numbering about three thousand volumes, many of which are rare, and of great value. They
will be properly labelled, and arranged in a separate alcove, which will be known as the
‘Joseph Coolidge Library.’” (Harvard Register, Vol. 2, no. 2 (August 1880), p. 168)
“About a year ago, Chancellor Eliot received for the use of the university more than 3,000
volumes from the family of the late Joseph Coolidge, of Boston, who was a man of wealth
and culture. New cases were at once procured, and a rearrangement of the Library-room
was made. Cosy alcoves gave us additional room for books and more retired and comfortable places for study.”
(Student Life, Vol. 4, no. 3 (December 1880), p. 41-42)
Citation
Department of Special Collections and Carl Jacobs, Washington University Public Affairs, “Timeline,” WUSTL Digital Gateway Image Collections & Exhibitions, accessed July 4, 2024, http://omeka.wustl.edu/omeka/items/show/225.