Thomas Jefferson said what?

I've stumbled across another quotation that appears to be bogus. In this case, it appears to be a quotation misattributed to Thomas Jefferson.

I ran across this issue in the course of examining the David Paszkiewicz/Matthew LaClair issue.

New Jersey History teacher Paszkiewicz submitted a letter to his local paper in the midst of the fracas, resulting in considerable noise from his critics.

In his letter, Paszkiewicz stated something to the effect that "separation of church and state" was only mentioned once--I won't get into any argument at present over the proper context in which to understand that statement.

In reaction, a number of critics derided Paszkiewicz's understanding of history.

The following quotation appeared a number of times as though to contradict Paszkiewicz.

Because religious belief, or non-belief, is such an important part of every person's life, freedom of religion affects every individual. Religious institutions that use government power in support of themselves and force their views on persons of other faiths, or of no faith, undermine all our civil rights. Moreover, state support of an established religion tends to make the clergy unresponsive to their own people, and leads to corruption within religion itself. Erecting the "wall of separation between church and state," therefore, is absolutely essential in a free society.
(no peeking yet)

The passage, we are told, comes from a letter Jefferson wrote to Virginia Baptists on November 21, 1808.

But you won't find it here.

And you won't find it in the text of the Jefferson's letter to the Virginia Baptists, either.

To the General Meeting of Correspondence of the Six Baptist Associations Represented at Chesterfield, Virginia. Washington, November 21, 1808.

Thank you, fellow citizens, for your affectionate address, and I receive with satisfaction your approbation of my motives for retirement. In reviewing the history of the times through which we have passed, no portion of it gives greater satisfaction, on reflection, than that which presents the efforts of the friends of religious freedom, and the success with which they were crowned. We have solved by fair experiment, the great and interesting question whether freedom of religion is compatible with order in government, and obedience to the laws. And we have experienced the quiet as well as the comfort which results from leaving every one to profess freely and openly those principles of religion which are the inductions of his own reason, and the serious convictions of his own inquiries. It is a source of great contentment to me to learn that the measures which have been pursued in the administration of your affairs have met your approbation. Too often we have had but a choice among difficulties; and this situation characterizes remarkably the present moment. But, fellow citizens, if we are faithful to our country, if we acquiesce, with good will, in the decisions of the majority, and the nation moves in mass in the same direction, although it may not be that which every individual thinks best, we have nothing to fear from any quarter.
I thank you sincerely for your kind wishes for my welfare, and with equal sincerity implore the favor of a protecting Providence for yourselves.

So what's going on?
As I was doing my research, I discovered that Jim Allison had beaten me to it, and Jim did an excellent job of it.
Jim found the quotation in a collection of Jefferson's material, but in the form of a later author's commentary (now go check what you weren't supposed to peek at). He surmised that somebody lifted what they supposed was the letter to the Virginia Baptists from that source and subsequently the quotation was taken as Jefferson's work.

So, it looks as though Paszkiewicz was correct about the letter to the Danbury Baptist being the sole (Jeffersonian, at least) source of the "wall of separation" imagery.