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Here is a one-page notice that appeared in the Transactions of the American Philosophical Society vol. 6 Part 1 (Philadelphia, 1804), p. 25.
(See below for a link to copy of the entire volume. The account is on page 77, or page 25 of the PDF)
In it, Jefferson describes in spectacular detail a UFO encounter that he and other witnessed Apr. 5, 1800 over Baton Rouge.
Thomas Jefferson letter discovered describing 1800 UFO encounter - Last Reporter (http://lastreporter.com/2011/02/thomas-jefferson-letter-discovered-describing-his-1800-ufo-encounter/ - broken link)
In it, Jefferson describes in spectacular detail a UFO encounter that he and other witnessed Apr. 5, 1800 over Baton Rouge.
Thomas Jefferson letter discovered describing 1800 UFO encounter - Last Reporter (http://lastreporter.com/2011/02/thomas-jefferson-letter-discovered-describing-his-1800-ufo-encounter/ - broken link)
I was amazed to hear that Thomas Jefferson was in Spanish Louisiana while he also vice president of the United States. I knew that he and President John Adams had a falling out, but didn't know that it drove him all the way to Baton Rouge!
But upon reading the material in the attached link, it is apparent that Jefferson is only relaying information from another source - he never himself saw the apparition.
Quote:
Description of a singular Phenomenon seen at Baton Rouge, by William Dunbar, Esq. communicated by Thomas Jefferson, President A.P.S.
A PHENOMENON was seen to pass Baton Rouge on the night of the 5th April 1800, of which the following description I have been able to obtain.
My first thoughts as well. However, a number of very un-meteoric characteristics were mentioned, not the least of them the vivid red color. Also, if the description of "as big as a house" is even accurate within a couple of orders of magnitude, there would be a significant crater there to this day. Meteors are rarely visible for more than a couple of seconds, and even that long only if they leave a glowing trail of sparks, presumably absent in this instance. If this object remained in sight for 15 seconds, it was traveling at only a small fraction of the speed of a meteor.
Only three characteristics were described that would suggest meteor. Glowing, passing overhead, hitting the ground. Nothing else fits.
Regrettably, he did not describe the dimensions of the burned area in the forest. Unless the house-sized description was extrapolated later from the evidence on the ground.
Well then, it was probably a flying, flaming house.
We have nothing to go by except a description, with all witnesses now expired and no longer available for cross examination. On that basis, I find conflicts with a typical meteor, and also, upon rereading, I've reconfirmed my recollection that the witness did not say it WAS a house.
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