In 1800 a Jefferson supporter for President,Reverend John Leland was so happy after his election he had his flock celebrate the event by producing the largest cheese the world had ever seen.Every man and woman who owned a cow was to give all the milk on a certain day,only no federal cow was to give a drop.
When the cheese dried it weighed 1600 pounds,it took three weeks to drive it to Washington,all the country had heard of the big cheese and came out to to look at it as it drove along.
The massive cheese had Jefferson’s favorite motto etched into it “Rebellion to Tyrants is Obedience to God”.
Interestingly Lelands visit to the White House occurs on Jan.1,1802,the same day Jefferson wrote the letter to Lelands fellow Baptists assuring them that because of “separation of church and state”they had nothing to fear fRom government limiting their religious practices or expressions.