latrobe had his wife, mary e lez bit hazelburst latrobe inform mrs. madison as well in 1809 they had found india stone china in blue and white and a similar set of nankin or nanking china ordered for the dessert service for philadelphia. she also sternly mentions there was an impossibility of finding french china which may or may not have been a employ of latrobe latrobe's. latrobe was working furiously, as i said, at the end of 1809 trying to get the white house prepared. he was finishing marble chimney pieces, installing doors, constructing stairwells, assembling a coach house, installing a pump into the well on the other side of the house in addition to the furnishings. mrs. madison's parlor and the dining room had been finish since the spring of 1809 and really it was the elliptical room that was holding everybody up including the finlaylies. by december everything was set for the ceremonial new year's day reception that had become a tradition president thomas jefferson had started. although crowds would come from near and far to catch a glimpse o