Rare books once belonged to Thomas Jefferson are found at Washington University in St. Louis

Anne Posega, Head of Special Collections at the Washington University Olin Library, holds a book once owned by Thomas Jefferson, in St. Louis on February 24, 2011. The Thomas Jefferson Foundation and Washington University in St. Louis announced the discovery by Monticello scholars that a collection of books, long held in the libraries at Washington University in St. Louis, originally were part of Thomas Jefferson’s personal library. 74 of Thomas Jefferson¹s books have been identified in the library's special collection department. These books, held at the university’s library for 131 years, have been confirmed by Monticello scholars as having belonged to Thomas Jefferson himself. They are part of the university’s rare books collection, and were not identified by the books’ donor in 1880 as a part of Jefferson’s personal collection. Jefferson’s books were auctioned off in 1829 after his death to settle debts on his estate, Monticello.There are no known surviving records of the buyers, but a letter from Jefferson’s grandson-in-law, Joseph Coolidge, included a detailed listing of books he and his wife Ellen Wayles Coolidge wished to purchase from the sale. The books were discovered by International Center for Jefferson Studies scholar Ann Lucas Birle, who found an article from 1880 that noted that the Coolidge family donated their library to Washington University. She shared this information with her colleague Endrina Tay, who has been tracking down all of the books Jefferson owned, read and recommended during his lifetime. UPI/Bill Greenblatt

Rare books once belonged to Thomas Jefferson are found at Washington University in St. Louis

Anne Posega, Head of Special Collections at the Washington University Olin Library, holds a book with numbers written in by Thomas Jefferson in St. Louis on February 24, 2011. The Thomas Jefferson Foundation and Washington University in St. Louis announced the discovery by Monticello scholars that a collection of books, long held in the libraries at Washington University in St. Louis, originally were part of Thomas Jefferson’s personal library. 74 of Thomas Jefferson¹s books have been identified in the library's special collection department. These books, held at the university’s library for 131 years, have been confirmed by Monticello scholars as having belonged to Thomas Jefferson himself. They are part of the university’s rare books collection, and were not identified by the books’ donor in 1880 as a part of Jefferson’s personal collection. Jefferson’s books were auctioned off in 1829 after his death to settle debts on his estate, Monticello.There are no known surviving records of the buyers, but a letter from Jefferson’s grandson-in-law, Joseph Coolidge, included a detailed listing of books he and his wife Ellen Wayles Coolidge wished to purchase from the sale. The books were discovered by International Center for Jefferson Studies scholar Ann Lucas Birle, who found an article from 1880 that noted that the Coolidge family donated their library to Washington University. She shared this information with her colleague Endrina Tay, who has been tracking down all of the books Jefferson owned, read and recommended during his lifetime. UPI/Bill Greenblatt

Rare books once belonged to Thomas Jefferson are found at Washington University in St. Louis

Anne Posega, Head of Special Collections at the Washington University Olin Library, points out memos written in a book by Thomas Jefferson in St. Louis on February 24, 2011. The Thomas Jefferson Foundation and Washington University in St. Louis announced the discovery by Monticello scholars that a collection of books, long held in the libraries at Washington University in St. Louis, originally were part of Thomas Jefferson’s personal library. 74 of Thomas Jefferson¹s books have been identified in the library's special collection department. These books, held at the university’s library for 131 years, have been confirmed by Monticello scholars as having belonged to Thomas Jefferson himself. They are part of the university’s rare books collection, and were not identified by the books’ donor in 1880 as a part of Jefferson’s personal collection. Jefferson’s books were auctioned off in 1829 after his death to settle debts on his estate, Monticello.There are no known surviving records of the buyers, but a letter from Jefferson’s grandson-in-law, Joseph Coolidge, included a detailed listing of books he and his wife Ellen Wayles Coolidge wished to purchase from the sale. The books were discovered by International Center for Jefferson Studies scholar Ann Lucas Birle, who found an article from 1880 that noted that the Coolidge family donated their library to Washington University. She shared this information with her colleague Endrina Tay, who has been tracking down all of the books Jefferson owned, read and recommended during his lifetime. UPI/Bill Greenblatt

Rare books once belonged to Thomas Jefferson are found at Washington University in St. Louis

Anne Posega, Head of Special Collections at the Washington University Olin Library, holds a book with the initials of Thomas Jefferson written in by him, in St. Louis on February 24, 2011. The Thomas Jefferson Foundation and Washington University in St. Louis announced the discovery by Monticello scholars that a collection of books, long held in the libraries at Washington University in St. Louis, originally were part of Thomas Jefferson’s personal library. 74 of Thomas Jefferson¹s books have been identified in the library's special collection department. These books, held at the university’s library for 131 years, have been confirmed by Monticello scholars as having belonged to Thomas Jefferson himself. They are part of the university’s rare books collection, and were not identified by the books’ donor in 1880 as a part of Jefferson’s personal collection. Jefferson’s books were auctioned off in 1829 after his death to settle debts on his estate, Monticello.There are no known surviving records of the buyers, but a letter from Jefferson’s grandson-in-law, Joseph Coolidge, included a detailed listing of books he and his wife Ellen Wayles Coolidge wished to purchase from the sale. The books were discovered by International Center for Jefferson Studies scholar Ann Lucas Birle, who found an article from 1880 that noted that the Coolidge family donated their library to Washington University. She shared this information with her colleague Endrina Tay, who has been tracking down all of the books Jefferson owned, read and recommended during his lifetime. On the lower right, Jefferson added a “T” in front of the “I” (for J in the Latin alphabet) in certain places in books was one way he marked his books, as shown in Opera omnia, Graece et Latine by Dionysius of Halicarnassus. UPI/Bill Greenblatt

Rare books once belonged to Thomas Jefferson are found at Washington University in St. Louis

Thomas Jefferson added a “T” in front of the “I” (for J in the Latin alphabet) in certain places in books he once owned as shown in Opera omnia, Graece et Latine by Dionysius of Halicarnassus book at the Washington University Olin Library, in St. Louis on February 24, 2011. The Thomas Jefferson Foundation and Washington University in St. Louis announced the discovery by Monticello scholars that a collection of books, long held in the libraries at Washington University in St. Louis, originally were part of Thomas Jefferson’s personal library. 74 of Thomas Jefferson¹s books have been identified in the library's special collection department. These books, held at the university’s library for 131 years, have been confirmed by Monticello scholars as having belonged to Thomas Jefferson himself. They are part of the university’s rare books collection, and were not identified by the books’ donor in 1880 as a part of Jefferson’s personal collection. Jefferson’s books were auctioned off in 1829 after his death to settle debts on his estate, Monticello.There are no known surviving records of the buyers, but a letter from Jefferson’s grandson-in-law, Joseph Coolidge, included a detailed listing of books he and his wife Ellen Wayles Coolidge wished to purchase from the sale. The books were discovered by International Center for Jefferson Studies scholar Ann Lucas Birle, who found an article from 1880 that noted that the Coolidge family donated their library to Washington University. She shared this information with her colleague Endrina Tay, who has been tracking down all of the books Jefferson owned, read and recommended during his lifetime. UPI/Bill Greenblatt