David Hosack

Today, in 1806, the botanist David Hosack wrote to Thomas Jefferson about Lewis and Clark. 

If his note brings a smile, it's because Hosack sounds just like every gardener through the ages. Here's what he wrote:

"If sir the gentlemen who are at present on their travels to the Missouri discover any new or useful plants I should be very happy in obtaining a small quantity of the seeds."

Like many botanists of his day, Hosack had been trained in medicine. If you've seen the musical Hamilton, you might recall that Hosack was the doctor who tended to Alexander Hamilton after his duel with Aaron Burr.