Answer:
Thomas Jefferson (1743 - 1826) did not feel confident about building the Erie Canal, because such an ambitious project was impossible to complete.
Explanation:
Fortunately, Dewitt Clinton (1769 - 1828), who was the Mayor of New York City at that time, was in favor of the idea and when he became governor, he pushed through legislation to start building canal in 1817. Canal was completed in 1825 and it ignited first great western migration and made New York City a commercial powerhouse.
