Mazzei, << maht TSA ee, >> Philip (1730-1816), was an Italian physician and merchant who supported the American Colonies during the Revolutionary War (1775-1783). He was a friend of Thomas Jefferson, who became the third President of the United States.
Mazzei was born on Dec. 25, 1730, in Poggio-a-Caiano, Italy, near Florence. He was trained as a surgeon and practiced medicine in Turkey until 1755, when he moved to London and became a wine merchant. In 1773, Mazzei went to America. He conducted agricultural experiments and established a wine, olive oil, and silk company in Virginia. Jefferson was a partner in the firm, and Mazzei lived near Monticello, Jefferson’s estate.
Mazzei wrote many articles that demanded independence for the American Colonies. Jefferson translated these articles from Italian into English. In 1779, Mazzei went to Italy, where he collected political and military information for Virginia’s leaders. He returned to Virginia after the war but moved to France in 1785. In 1791, Mazzei went to Poland, where he served as an adviser to the king. He returned to Italy in 1792 and spent the rest of his life there. He died on March 19, 1816.
