[meteorite-list] Thomas Jefferson on Meteorite

[MARK BOSTICK]

Hello Al and Jeffrey,

Thanks for the posting Jeffery.  This is a subject I was wondering about 
last month and tried doing a little research into the manner.

The transcript, Jeffrey provided, does show Jefferson questioned meteorites.

According to our folklore story, Jefferson had read about the Yale 
professors verifiying the meteorites.  My research was spawned before of 
newspaper articles.  I have found three Weston NPA's so far and all three of 
them mention the Yale professors.

All three newspapers are dated in January 1809.  Jefferson left office in 
March 1809. So this would mean the conversation would have had to take place 
while Jefferson was in the final months of his office, second term.

I also seem to remember the conversation happened "at a dinner party".  I 
could note here that after Jefferson left office, he did not attend many 
dinners, but rather invited people to his famous home, Monticello.  (Which 
some non-American might be interested in knowing, we sport this famous 
building on the backs of our nickels...well not this or last year....but 
thats another story).

Jefferson was a proud southerner....or Virginian as it was.  It is not that 
hard to imagine him using the term "Yankee", meaning a north-eastern 
American.

So, I am going to lean on the side that the conversation did happen, 
although I completely recognize this could be just "folklore".  The letter 
of Jefferson questioning meteorites pushes me a little in the "it did" or 
"it might have" happened direction.

Clear Skies,
Mark Bostick
Wichita, Kansas
www.meteoritearticles.com
www.kansasmeteoritesociety.com