The American Aristocrat

Written by Becca Windle | Winter 2025 |

Thomas Jefferson once wrote to his granddaughter a list of canons that she should try to strive for in life, one of which was “take care of your cents: Dollars will take care of themselves”. For a man who died $107,000 in debt due to his frivolous lifestyle, he surely did not “take care of …[his] cents,” however, this is the nature of Thomas Jefferson. He states one thing but does another. There is reason for skepticism of the claim that Jefferson acted like the aristocrats of Europe. Jefferson was known publicly as someone who advocated on behalf of the simple republican planter and strived for societal equality. However, privately, Jefferson lived a life of luxury that was very much influenced by his travels around Europe. In particular, “French culture was infused into many of his endeavors”. Although Jefferson might have espoused values of a modest, agrarian man while in the public sector, his private life was quite the contrast. By examining his food, dinner parties, clothing, and more, we will meet the true Thomas Jefferson: a high-society American aristocrat.

When it comes to whether Jefferson was an aristocrat in his personal dealings, we must first observe who he was publicly. To do this, we must analyze the core principle of who he was, and Jefferson was a republican. There is much speculation about what it means to be a republican in Jeffersonian terms. However, in Barry Balleck's article, When the Ends Justify the Means: Thomas Jefferson and the Louisiana Purchase, Jefferson's republican values are highlighted loud and clear: "individualism" and "agrarianism". To truly live a republican lifestyle, one must either be a landowner engaged in farming or an "artisan who labored in support of farmers" in the industries of "carpenters, masons, [and] smiths". In Jefferson's mind, a farmer did not need to "rely on other men" for their "basic existence"; these people ruled over their lives independently of others. In addition to his belief in independence, Jefferson understood that the ideal republican society should be agrarian. Jefferson had seen past republics fail due to the creation of cities, which allowed for the "societal decay" of a nation, and he was determined to keep America from befalling that same fate. Therefore, the agrarian lifestyle of farming or that of a common "household [manufacturer]" would keep people from amassing in large cities and turning America towards industrialization. In Jefferson's writing, Notes of the State of Virginia, he conveys the idea that "those who labour in the earth are the chosen people of God" and that "the mobs of great cities …[are like what] sores do to the strength of the human body," which weakens men before others and destroy them.

Furthermore, Balleck illustrates Jefferson's belief in these core principles of republicanism by examining the Louisiana Purchase and the backlash he received. People criticized Jefferson for breaking his political beliefs of "states' rights" and "strict constitutionalism"; however, Balleck demonstrates that these were not part of Jefferson's ideals when it came to what republicanism was, but "provided such defenses" when it came to ensuring the principle of it. However, the Louisiana Purchase allowed more land to be used agriculturally by expanding west. Therefore, Balleck's writings demonstrate that republicanism did not mean 'states' rights" and "strict constitutionalism" but "independence" and "agrarianism".

When investigating why Jefferson was seemingly aristocratic in his personal life but a republican in his public life, one must look at the years he inhabited the White House as President of the United States. In the White House, Jefferson would have been forced to walk a fine line between his anti-monarchical values and his aristocratic tendencies due to the fact that a president's private life was constantly in the public view. In Robert Davis’s journal article, Pell-Mell: Jeffersonian Etiquette and Protocol, Davis outlines Jefferson's ceremonial changes during his time in office. Doing away with the concepts of bowing, fanciful dress, distinguished rank, and levees, Jefferson quickly removed European court aspects from the White House standards. Replacing bowing with the shaking of hands, levees with close-knit dinner parties, rank with equality, and posh clothing with the cloth of an ordinary man, Jefferson believed that "when brought together in society, all are perfectly equal, whether foreign or domestic, titled or untitled, in or out of office". In this light, one can see Jefferson's strict adherence to republicanism and anti-monarchical values in his changes to the established etiquette order. Davis continues his article by stating that these changes in etiquette and protocol were received from the international community. He does this by narrating Anthony Merry's, the English Ambassador, response to being received by Jefferson. Described as being appalled by the lack of ceremony in the introduction, Merry understood "the federal city [to be] … perfectly savage". However, this was not the only instance that Jefferson's new etiquette displeased the Ambassador. When it came to dinner parties, Jefferson's abolishment of an "established … seating arrangement based upon rank" made the Ambassador and his wife feel slighted and that respect was not being given in accordance with their titles. Nevertheless, Jefferson viewed his dinners as "at …[a] common table," where there would be no room for rank and the pleasantries that went with it. This total upheaval while President illustrates that while in the public light, Jefferson would adhere to a protocol similar to that of a common man.

Jefferson's displeasure with the ceremonial aspect of the White House may have stemmed from his time as Minister to France. In G.S. Wilson’s Jefferson on Display, chapter one explores the concepts of fashion, rank, and etiquette that Jefferson would have been subjected to while in France. Describing the events of the first time Jefferson met King Louis XVI, it is illustrated to the reader that an "ambassador [would] execute three low bows as …[they] approached the king" and then would "retreat" in the same manner they entered. Furthermore, George Shackelford writes in his book, Thomas Jefferson's Travels in Europe, that it was very likely that "Jefferson was not 'done with bowing' until two o'clock in the afternoon". The French court "placed [an] extraordinary emphasis on appearance," which caused Jefferson to have to spend copious amounts on "shoes, stockings, gloves, buckles, handkerchiefs," and various other clothing for him and his daughter Martha. Being subjected to pompous ceremonies and the "sacrifice …[of] custom and fashion" caused "Jefferson [to] … dislike the grandiose style of the" French Court, and most likely led Jefferson to his anti-monarchical sentiments of protocol in the White House and could have been part of the root for his drastic changes to it.

Jefferson not only combated European tendencies that had befallen the White House's etiquette during his predecessor's presidencies. While "serv[ing] in the [Virginia] legislature,” Jefferson publicly fought against English laws that continued to allow for a type of hereditary aristocracy to survive in post-revolutionary America. Believing that the "concentration of wealth and influence in the hands of a privileged class" could be "dangerous," Jefferson worked to redefine inheritance law in the Virginia Constitution. In 1776, the inheritance law in Virginia stated that "lands … [can] be divisible equally among all [a man's]… children," thus allowing Jefferson to believe that he had helped "[eradicate] … ancient or future aristocracy" in America. With the availability for more men to inherit land from their fathers, Jefferson moved Virginia towards "a foundation … for a government truly republican". The more men that owned land, the more possibilities there were for Americans to live an independent agrarian lifestyle and not in the "feudal and unnatural distinctions" of European society.

Despite trying to keep European-style court practices from encroaching upon the White House, Jefferson avoided the fancy French cuisine he would have experienced in the Court of Versailles. French cuisine at the White House is discussed in James Conroy's book, Jefferson's White House: Monticello on the Potomac. In chapter eight, A French Way of Cooking Them, the book exemplifies Jefferson's use and implementation of French cuisine at the White House. Jefferson hired a French chef to head the White House Kitchen and added "adjustable heat-sensitive, coal fire stoves and Dutch ovens" to recreate the grub he would have relished while in France. In addition to French food, Jefferson spent heavily on "imported wines … [to be sent to] the President's House". Describing wine as "foreign," Conroy highlights that despite "risk … [of] wars and pirates," Jefferson would continue to import fine European wines and "[spend] nearly USD $3,200 … each year of his first term" on the substance. In Erika Gibson's work, Frenchified, she highlights the impact of French cuisine that Jefferson allowed to encroach upon the White House. Noting that Jefferson "customized the design of the kitchen to optimize cooking and serving meals in the French-style," it is clear that French food was one aristocratic delight that Jefferson did not give up while he served in office. Importing fancy wines and adopting French kitchen practices is not something one would equate with the republican agrarian lifestyle Jefferson promoted. However, it was an expense that one would see a European noble casually throw money at without caution. Later in the work, Gibson discusses the dinner culture at the White House and how it "took its inspiration from the French Salons". Salons were social and political gatherings in France, and one may argue that the implementation of this in the White House illustrates Jefferson's aristocratic leanings due to a Salon's "hierarchy and strict social rules" that nobles and commoners followed. However, just like Jefferson removed the ceremonial tendencies from White House etiquette, he "did away with many of the formalities of French salons" and made dinner "a truly egalitarian event". Although salon culture reinforces Jefferson's public republican mantra, his obsession with French cuisine and the kitchen at the White House allows one to see his aristocratic tendencies start to shine through the cracks.

Another way one can tell the patrician nature of Thomas Jefferson is through an examination of his expenses throughout his lifetime. Julian Boyd, the author of Jefferson's French Baggage, Crated and Uncrated, describes the many packages that Jefferson returned home with after being minister to France and the monetary load that the shipment would have acquired. Jefferson returned to America after five years in France to drop his daughter Martha off with some relatives and only traveled with "50 hampers, boxes, trunks, and bales". By anyone's standards, this was an excessive amount of luggage to travel with, but it was barely a dent in possessions that he had amassed while in France. "Jefferson fully expected to return to his ministerial post;" therefore, when he was called to be Secretary of State, he realized that he must secure passage for the rest of his belongings from France. Not only were the packages brought from France a daunting number, but the expense Jefferson had to pay to have them shipped was no small sum either. The shipping cost of such a bounty alone was "$544.53, which was almost as much as …[Jefferson's] quarterly salary," not including the vast material and physical cost of packaging the cargo. Boyd's work illustrates that despite the cost, Jefferson lived a luxurious life filled with French goods. This starkly contrasts with the simple republican lifestyle he believed an American should follow. In addition, the mere cost associated with such purchases and delivery would not be one that a regular person could afford randomly; however, one would have to be of great pomp and circumstance to finance it.

In addition to the implementation of French cuisine at the White House, Jefferson brought it home to Monticello, too. In the book Dining at Monticello, an essay called Like Clockwork, French Influences in Monticello's Kitchen highlights the "half Virginian, half French style" food served and kitchen layout in Jefferson's home. Implementing "an eight-operating stove, counter-like work surfaces, and an extensive inventory of specialized cookware," Jefferson ensured that his kitchen had the best French cooking gadgets so he could continue producing the French cuisine he had come to love. In addition, Jefferson had employed one of his slaves, James Hemmings, to "[learn] French cooking methods," which he later taught to his brother Peter, "who served as cook at Monticello from 1796 to … 1809". This finery in the dining experience at Monticello does not fit the narrative of an everyday American at the time. A personal cook, trained in the art of French cuisine, would be something that only someone with money could afford, someone with deep pockets like an aristocrat.

Another point that needs to be examined is the clothing Jefferson wore. Upon his arrival in France, Jefferson had to outfit himself in over-the-top French fashion to be accepted at Court, and upon his return to the States, he "usually wore the clothing he brought back from France" and continued with the "showy apparel in Virginia well into the nineteenth century". Described in portraits before his Presidency as "well-groomed and fashionable," Jefferson was dressed "of the finest materials" as one associated with the upper class would be. However, Jefferson's "classically inspired style" did not continue with him as President. Despite Thomas Jefferson's shopping trips while minister to France, where "he purchased embroidered silk waistcoats, … fine clothes, …[and even] a French fashion publication," Jefferson's love of European clothing had no room in a republican White House. During his Presidency, there are many reports that Jefferson "was dressed …" shabbily"" and had "no pretentions to elegance," however, this could be due to his new protocol and etiquette for the Executive Branch. Therefore, before his public life, Jefferson's dress would have been one of a gentleman; however, only when he took the Presidency was his fashion called into question. This reaffirms that it was for the sake of republicanism and the public view that his fashion choices changed compared to when he was a private citizen.

In David Waldsteicher’s book, Beyond the Founders, he writes a chapter on Why Thomas Jefferson and African Americans Wore Their Politics on Their Sleeve, where he argues that "Jefferson's…refusal of finery as president… was more than a symbol of republican simplicity, [but a]… political battle … waged … through practices of dress". This notion of political warfare through clothing can be seen during Jefferson's second term as President. Jefferson's lack of "pomp" in his attire compared to when he was a private citizen has been discussed earlier in this paper. However, Jefferson's public display of republicanism and promotion of agrarianism would revolutionize American textiles during the later years of his Presidency. During Jefferson's second presidential term, "American shipping interests were getting caught up in the hostilities between Britain and France". Due to the continual peril that American trading ships incurred, Jefferson believed "an agricultural base, independent … of commercial activity of Europe" would be best for America, so Jefferson imposed the Embargo Act. Stifling trade with European nations, the once heavy importations of the European textile industries ceased in America, leading people to look elsewhere to purchase necessary materials for their clothing. In true republican fashion, Jefferson endorsed the concept of making such goods independently from large manufacturers at home. This became known as the homespun movement. The concept of American "homespun [clothing] became fashionable," however, this latest fashion trend could have just been another way for Jefferson to move the country away from federalist politics and tendencies. However, suppose Jefferson hoped to steer the country away from federalist policies. In that case, his ideas about American manufacturing and the Embargo Act might have set his republican ideals up for failure. Jefferson, in his writing, Notes of the State of Virginia, asserts that it "is better to carry provisions and materials to workmen there" and that "operations of manufacture…[should ] remain in Europe". This is another form of classic republicanism displayed by Jefferson because with manufacturing came cities, and cities killed republics. However, his desire to keep manufactures in Europe, coupled with the combination of embargoes on European goods, could have led to the creation of large-scale American manufacturing, which would have challenged Jefferson's steps to ensure republicanism in America.

The letters of Thomas Jefferson give continual insight into his strong belief in the notion of homespun clothing. Writing to Abraham Bishop in the fall of 1808, Jefferson requested getting a coat made by a man named Col. Humphreys, who apparently had "the best fine cloth … in the US". Within this letter, Jefferson alludes to what he believes has become the new fashion sense by stating that "homespun [has]… become the spirit of the times" and "that it is a duty to encourage it by example" — wearing such clothing made in republican fashion while President would have illustrated Jefferson's political beliefs to the public. Furthermore, in another letter to Mr. Bishop, inquiring about the readiness of his homespun garment, Jefferson alludes to the idea of having it for the "new year's day exhibition" due to his belief that "every one will be in homespun, and [he]… should be sorry to be marked as being default". Not carrying the homespun movement alone, Jefferson also encouraged his family to partake in the same style of dress. Writing to his grandson to question the possibility of an "intermission of [his] … lectures about Christmas" time, and the possibility that he might visit, Jefferson made sure to mention that his grandson should fashion himself in American-made clothing because others' "mean[t] to exhibit …[them]selves … on New Year's day in homespun". Furthermore, in a correspondence about the plants at Monticello, one of Jefferson's granddaughters even mentions that her "mama has made 157 yards since October," which meant one of Jefferson's daughters had produced about 26 yards of fabric a month since this letter was written in March. Based on previous descriptions of Thomas Jefferson's wardrobe, one can allude to the obsession with homespun apparel while President, and this had to do with his political dealings.

However, not everyone was thrilled about the lack of “pomp" and finery that came with American-made clothing. In his personal letters, Jefferson writes to family members about the lack of "patriotism of the ladies of Williamsburg who are not disposed to submit to the small privations to which the embargo will subject them". These seem like harsh words coming from a man who was a large importer of European goods himself. However, Jefferson returns to his hypocritical state of nature later in this letter. He goes on to allude that the overall lack of trade with Europe will allow people "to supply all [their]… real wants at home, and … not run into debt" due to the no one being able to "[spend their] … money before [they]… had it". Jefferson here could speak from a place of personal experience due to his tendencies of being a big budget spender, and maybe returning to a place of republican simplicity of living off what you made and homespun clothing could have caused Jefferson not to die in debt. Nevertheless, these letters all took place in the year 1808, when Jefferson was still president, and since homespun goods went hand in hand with republicanism, it probably caused Jefferson to lean into the movement.

However, just because Jefferson strategically dressed in a republican manner and supported the homespun movement did not mean that occasionally his aristocratic leanings during his time in office did not appear through clothing. Of course, Jefferson would not have made the mistake of dressing in monarchical attire as a republican president; however, who needs to when you can reinforce your rank based on the clothing your servants wear? By dressing them in European livery, these "blue coats trimmed with scarlet cloth" were not for the benefit of the servant but "intended to enhance the person served," demonstrating Jefferson's aristocratic rank in society that coupled itself with traditional European culture.

Thomas Jefferson, the author of the Declaration of Independence and a simple Virginia planter, illustrated his non-monarchial republican mindset and actions throughout his public life. Seen as adopting a less monarchical White House etiquette, homespun clothing, equality in rank, and stopping the rise of hereditary aristocracy in Virginia, one could argue he was fiercely dedicated to republicanism. However, Jefferson's love of French cuisine, gentlemanly clothing, wine, and spending, which give subtle hints at his wealth and power, can be seen through his personal life and some parts of his Presidency and illustrate a lifestyle attained by an aristocrat.

Jefferson was a hypocrite in other areas of his life, too. For example, he preached abolition yet owned hundreds of slaves. It is easy to say yes, that this is just one of Jefferson's hypocritical moments, and no further discussion is needed. However, there may be another cause to explain Jefferson's behavior, and it has to do with his belief that America should have a natural aristocracy, which is "a political elite based on merit rather than genealogy". In his October 28th, 1813, letter to John Adams, Jefferson distinguishes the differences between his ideas and those possessing hereditary and natural aristocracy. Defining the former as a class "founded on wealth and birth, without either virtue or talents," he then goes on to depict the natural aristocracy as those who possess "virtue and talents," whom he deems "as the most precious gift of nature". In another letter to Joseph C. Cabell, Jefferson states that those who possess "natural aristocracy of talents and virtue …[should be] preparing it by education". Thomas Jefferson himself exhibited the "talents and virtues" he previously described by being a "statesman…, student of language, architecture, religion, philosophy," and so much more, which was continually fostered by his “formal studies …until age sixteen” and his personal education on topics in his later days. With Jefferson fitting his own criteria for what type of people should become a natural aristocracy, he probably believed himself to be a part of the handful of Americans who would attain this aristocratic title. Therefore, it could be probable that Jefferson did not view his private lifestyle as hypocritical in comparison to his republican beliefs, but in accordance with his position in society of being part of the Natural Aristocracy of America, while the rest of America was not, and therefore should pursue a republican lifestyle.

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