Departing from the precedent set by George Washington of delivering the State of the Union in person, President Thomas Jefferson chose not to do so, preferring throughout his presidency to send the report to Congress in written form only.  The last President who declined to present the State of the Union in person was President Jimmy Carter, who sent a lengthy written report to the Congress on January 16, 1981 -- four days prior to the inauguration of Ronald Reagan on January 20, 1981.

Bonus Question:

Which President following Thomas Jefferson re-instituted the practice of delivering the State of the Union in person?

Answer: President Woodrow Wilson