Perhaps no man who held the office of President of the United States was as well-rounded or accomplished as Thomas Jefferson. Before he became our third president, Jefferson had been a successful lawyer and colonial representative. He was a delegate to the Continental Congress, drafted the Declaration of Independence and then signed it on behalf of his state of Virginia. He governed Virginia during the Revolution then became the minister to France, Washington's Secretary of State and John Adams' Vice President.

     As the third president, he augmented the United States by purchasing large tracts of land from France, beat the Barbary Pirates in the Mediterranean Sea and sent Lewis and Clark on their famous expedition to the Pacific. After he left office, he founded the University of Virginia and his vast library formed the basis of the Library of Congress. The cornerstone of this tribute to the third president is the 3 x 12 ¼ inch lower portion of a naval appointment document signed by Jefferson and Secretary of the Navy Robert Smith. Jefferson has signed as "Th Jefferson" and Smith as "Rt Smith". Beside a portrait of Jefferson is an engraved plaque which notes his birth and death date and quotes his tombstone: "Here was Buried Thomas Jefferson Author of the Declaration of Independence, of the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom and Father of the University of Virginia". All three elements have been impeccably matted and framed to a dimension of 15 x 22 inches. This item comes with a LOA from PSA/DNA (X03946).

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