Title: To George Washington from Jonathan Boucher, 21 May 1770
From: Boucher, Jonathan
To: Washington, George

Sir
St Mary’s [Caroline County], May the 21st 1770.

So hurried as You know Me to be at present, I flatter myself You will not even now expect more of Me than the Outlines of a Plan of Travelling: the filling it up may be the Work of further Leisure, & maturer Consideration. And, as I have Nothing to lay before You, but mere Conjectures & Opinions, unsupported by any Experience of my own, let Me again have Leave to remind You not to pay any greater Deference to These, or to any Opinions, than They are found fairly to deserve. It is a Project of sufft Importance to warrant yr collectg the Opinions of all who may be suppos’d to have ever attended to, or thot of the Matter.
Travelling, You are well aware, is still & long has been much in Vogue in our Mother Country; yet has it so frequently been attempted & executed in so absurd & preposterous a Manner, that it is now become a Question, whether, it be really useful or not. And as warm an Advocate as I profess myself for this method of completg an Educatn, I yet readily own that it is only some Persons to whom Travelling can possibly be useful—& that there are perhaps equally many to whom it wd certainly be pernicious. The light, giddy, fantastical frothy & frivolous Characters amongst Us, wd only be made worse, & rendered incurable: but, let Sedentary Men talk as much as They please of the Loss of Time, the Expence, & the unsettled & roving Habits acquired by Travel, to Me it is beyond a Dispute, that to an observant Mind, & to a Person Endued wth Judgmt to draw profitable Knowledge fm the various Objects wc. various Countries are perpetually presentg, there is not ano[the]r so eligible a System to be taken to form & polish the manners of a liberal Youth, & to fit Him for the Business & Conversa[tio]n of the World. And if You will be pleased to apply this Remark to some living Instances to be met with even here, I am mistaken if it will not account for that Objec[tio]n so often started by the Opposers of this Plan—that Such, & Such an one have travelled without being any better for it. Depend upon it, They were either originally unfit for the Experiment, or it has been conducted on wrong Principles. Let This be sd witht any Suspicion of my aimg to reflect on any Individuals: the Reflexion is not confin’d to

Virginia. But there is a certn Captiousness in some of yr Countrymen wc. I cannot but lament, tho. I very freely pardon as being but the Ebullitions of Zeal for thr Country, wc. will hardly allow a Foreigner (& such I must be called, in Spite of my sincere Attachmt to Virga & Virginians) to find Fault wth any Thing belonging either to Them or to their Country. But, as I am well convinced This is not the Case wth You, I return to my Subject.
It being then agreed, at least by You & Me, that, generally speaking, Travelling is useful & necessary, to young Persons in all Countries, let us, as more immediately interesting us, now more particularly enquire, if it be not peculiarly so to a Virginian & to Mr Custis. The peculiar Advantages wc. result to Youth from Travel, are sd to be first, an Easy Address, the wearing off national Prejudices, & the findg nothg ridiculous in national Peculiarities; &, above all, that supreme Accomplishmt wc. we call a Knowledge of the World. A Service so useful as to supersede or disgrace all the Rest: for I understand not the Phrase in the Sense in wc. Fops or Rakes use it, but mean by it that easy that elegant, that useful Knowledge wc. results fm an enlarged observan of Men & Things, fm an Acquaintance wth the Customs & Usages of various & distant Countries, fm some Insight into their Policies, Governmt, Religion & Manners: in a word, fm the Study & Contempla[tio]n of Men, as They present Themselves on the grt Stage of the World, in various Forms, & under diffg Appearances. This is that Master Science, wc. every G[entle]man shd know, & wc. yet no School nor College can teach Him. To apply this to the Country We live in where will You point out to Me another so circumscrib’d in its Intercourse wth Mankind at large, as Virga? Saving here & there a needy Emigrant from Gt Britain, an illiterate Captn of a Ship, or a subaltern Mercht, to whom can a Virga Youth apply for a Specimen of the Manners &c. of any other People? Thus limited in the Oppty for observan, must not his Ideas necessarily resemble Those of a Caribbee Indian, mentioned by Lafitau, who, offended at being called a Savage, exclaimed, I know no Savages but the Europeans, who adopt none of our Customs; or Those of the Inhabitants of the Marian Islands, who, being persuaded that Theirs was the only Language in the Universe, concluded from thence that all other Men knew not how to speak? He finds his Lot cast in a Country amazingly fertile, & thence learns to

conclude that even the rich Plains watered by the Nile, the Grecian Temple, the Roman Campania, the Spanish Andalusia, are all mean & contemptible wn compar’d wth his low Grounds; &, pursuing this Train of Reasoning, soon supposes also like the Baron Thonder ten Tronck, that both his Country & Countrymen, are the finest of all possible Countries & People. Now, if it were only for the Sake of Truth & Decency, if it were but to avoid the Ridicule to wc. these palpable Absurdities expose Them, one cannot but wish our Youth cd be taught to open thr Eyes, & extend Them beyond thr own foggy Air & dirty Acres. But, This is not all: there is not a Country in the World, where a Man of Capacity cd be more eminently useful by promotg & Encouraging the Arts, than in Virga. Till very lately You cou’d hardly any where see a piece of Land tolerably plough’d, or a person who cd be persuaded that plowing made any Difference: & even yet it is more than probable, even Those who have made the greatest Improvemts in this most natural, most useful, & most amusing Art, fall infinitely short of Some other Countries. In a political View then, Travelling appears to be exceedingly necessary: since a Man may thus learn to double the Value of his Estate.
I mentioned too the Improvemt of Manners; by wc. I mean an Ability for ingenious, manly, & useful Conversatn. For a Traveller who makes a proper Use of his opportunities, will be all of a piece, & return as polished in his Mind & Understanding, as in his Person. To this it is frequently objected that wt is gain’d in Civility & Politeness, is lost in real Goodness & Virtue, by the various temptg Scenes of Vice to wc. a Youth must be exposed in the Course of his Travels. In Ansr to This, let Me observe that there are Some Tempers who cd not possibly be preserved fm the Taint of Vice, even wth the Benefit of a private Educatn. Or, grant it were practicable to retain the purity of their Morals by such narrow Regulans; do not You think that if, by this Means, They shd chance to have fewer Vices, They wd also have fewer Excellencies? And it shd be remembered that solitary Virtue, however pure & immaculate, is but imperfect Virtue: We are formed for Society, & the Business of the World is a Duty we owe to Society: & it is therefore our Duty to qualify ourselves for the performance of these Duties in the Best manr wc. is by prudent, & well conducted Travel.

Let us now, if You please, as a Contrast to This, for a Moment figure to Ourselves the future History of our pupil, shd this Expedient not be approv’d of. The chief failings of his Character are that He is constitutionally, somewhat too warm—indolent, & voluptuous. As yet these Propensities are but in Embrio. Ere long, however, They will discover Themselves, & if not duly & carefully regulated, it is Easy to see to what They will lead. At best, He will soon lose all Relish for mental Excellence—He will unwillingly apply to any Improvemts either in Arts or Sciences. Sunk in unmanly Sloth, his Estate will [be] left to the Managemt of some worthless overseer; & Himself soon be entangled in some matrimonial Adventure, in wc. as Passion will have much to say, it is not very likely Reason will be much listened to. I appeal to You, Sir, if This Acct be exaggerated, & if it be not sadly verified by many living Instances that have fallen under yr own observatn.
The Contrast is so striking, to Me, at least, it seems so, that I can not think it possible for any one to hesitate a Moment in determing. Let Me then hasten just to repeat wt I yesterday mentioned to You of the Manner in wc. I cou’d wish my Scheme to be executed. In the first Place then, I wou’d have him make the Tour of N. America, at least, the Northern Colonies, wc. might very well be done in six Months. And This chiefly to avoid the Absurdity of going so far to get acquainted wth other Countries ere He knew any Thing of his own. After This, He shd go to Engld, & there immediately be enter’d in one of the Universities, not so much fm any Prospect of Advantages to be gain’d by Study in the little Time He cd stay there, as that it wou’d be by much the safest Place for Him. After a Winter or so spent there, He shou’d be conducted thro’ the principal Counties & Towns of the three Kingdoms, which wou’d possibly take up nearly a Year: After This He might conveniently spend six Months in the Metropolis, & from thence set out on his Tour thro’ Some of the principal Countries on the Continent, wc. He shd travel thro’ not as a Virtuoso to collect Rarities, or as a Connoisseur, to gaze at excellent Pictures or magnificent Buildings, but rather like a Really sensible & Sentimental Traveller, such as Horace intimates Ulysses was, who travell’d thro’ many Cities to see the Manners of many Men. These are the Outlines of my Plan, which however I no otherwise recommend to You, than as my first

Thoughts, wc. I shall be proud to see improv’d by Yrself or others. The Expence of the Undertaking yet remains to be spoken of, in estimating of which, I am even more at a Loss than in what I have heretofore mentioned. However, as I had much rather have my Judgemt called in Questn than my Inclinatn to comply wth every Request of Yours, I hesitate not to give You my Opinion, such as it is. I cannot then believe that it can possibly be executed in any such Manner as You wd wish, or as it ought, for less than £1000 sterlg ⅌r ann: if so little; which I calculate in this Manner. It cannot be thot unreasonable that my appointmt, if finally I shd be pitch’d upon to accompany Him, shd at least be equal to wt I relinquish here; as I take not into Acct the Injury I may thus eventually do to my future Prospects in Life, since This, I think, ought to be charg’d to the Pleasure I propose to myself fm the Scheme. This then I set down at £250: My Expences & those of a Servt & a pr of Horses, at as much more: His own, & servt &c. at £250—the remaining £250 I allot to Cloathg Him, & sundry other unforeseen Expences, such as Purchasg Curiosities, visitg public Places, &c. &c. For Aught I know, This may be too much—tho’ I hardly think it is: shou’d it be so, as I know his Circumstances, it shd be my Study to propor[tio]n his Expences, as far as They possibly could, to his Income. And, whoever be his Preceptor, shd have it strictly in Charge Punctually to render You a faithfull Acct of every Disbursemt, that so You might have it in yr Power to subject Him to whatever new Regulans You might judge expedient.
I am much Ashamed to lay before You so confused & ill digested a letter, wc. I beg You to impute to my Hurry, & my being constantly interrupted by Company: If, however, You can only collect from it the Substance of my Plan, & if That only appears tolerably plausible to You, I am not very anxious for the rest, relying so entirely as I do, on yr Candor to excuse any Inaccuracies You may meet wth in wt I have wrote. This only I have to request of You, that wn You consult any of yr Friends on this Matter, You will be so good as not to produce this Letter, which tho’ I am not afraid to trust to You, I am yet unwilling shd be perused by Strangers.
As to Mr Custis’s living wth Me in Annapolis, shou’d I resolve to remove thither, as I suppose I shall, I have not any Thing to add to wt I yesterday told You. I purpose calling on Mrs Washington

in my Way to Maryland, & shall then request Her immediately to write to You her Sentiments, so that I shall hope to be oblig’d wth your final Resolution before I leave Annaps, which will hardly be before the Middle of next Month. I am, with much Esteem, very truly, Sir, Yr most Obedt & most Hble Servt

Jonan Boucher


Title: To George Washington from Capel & Osgood Hanbury, 21 May 1770
From: Capel & Osgood Hanbury
To: Washington, George

Esteemed Friend
London 21st May 1770

We did ourselves the pleasure of writg Thee the 25th October last ⅌ the Hanbury Capn Esten, since which we have not received any of Thy favors, which we are sorry for, being always glad to hear of Thy welfare. The principal occasion of this is to advise that we have sent Captain Necks in a new Ship call’d the

Lunn & Lloyd for the accomodation of our friends, whom we earnestly solicit will give her a quick dispatch as the sale of her cargo greatly depends thereon, should it be convenient & agreeable to Thee either by him, or any other opportunity to favor us with any part of thy Crop, Thee may depend on the utmost of our abilities being exerted in the disposal of it to thy advantage—We hope before this comes to hand Capn Esten will have taken his departure for this Port, & that such of our friends who have favor’d us with their Tobo by him, will reap the advantage of an early market the present prices of Tobacco being from 3⅛ d. to 4d. ⅌ lb. for exportation, & from 10¼d. to 11½d. ⅌ lb. home consumption, the very finest sorts will produce more.
We shall hereafter duly attend to the directions Thee gives us of inclosing the Letters &c. of John Park Custis, under cover to Thee untill we receive Thy instructions to the contrary.
We beg leave to advise that the business of the House will be continued as usual, under the firm of Osgood Hanbury & Co. from the 1st of August next to which time all our friends Accots Currt will be made out and forwarded as soon after as possible. We are sorry to advise that the duty on Tea is not likely to be taken off this sessions, whatever it may be the next every thing has been done that possibly could to get the whole Act repeal’d, but without success—It will afford great pleasure to hear of thy welfare by the return of Capn Necks, & remain with great regard & esteem—Thy assured Friends

Capel & Osgood Hanbury


Title: To George Washington from William Peareth, 25 May 1770
From: Peareth, William
To: Washington, George

Sir
London the 25 May 1770

In May last I troubled Coll Hunter to get forwarded to you Messrs Colvill & West as Exectutors to the late Mr Colvill a letter from Newcastle, covering the Pedigree of Dulcibella Stott & Certificate of her then residing there which, had been formed in consequence of an Advertisment put into the News Papers by the direction of the Will of the said Mr Colvill.
I then represented to you the distressed Circumstances this poor Woman was laboring under & how salutary a speedy relief would be to her, but above all beged to have some answer to satisfy her about her great Expectations, which I fear by Coll Hunter’s account given me will never profit her much.
I can hardly suppose my letter has miscarried as it was forwarded by one of this Gentlemans friends: I have seen him since I came to Town & he has assured me that if I would write to you, you would have the goodness to enquire if my letter was ever received, & to send me an answer thereto.
If there is a possibility of getting anything for this poor old woman, I hope you will be so charitable as to use your Interest in her Behalf; I however flatter myself that you will very soon favor me with an answer to this, directed to Newcastle upon Tine, setting forth the State of the Case, that I may satisfy her how Things are, which Coll Hunter say’d I might depend upon your doing, if I made use of his name, the same as if he had given me a Line to you himself, to desire you would take this Trouble.
I do ⟨as⟩sure ⟨y⟩ou I have no other Interest in the affair than a desire of getting this poor woman who now lives upon Charity a certain Information whether she is or is not to expect any advantage from the Will of the late Mr Colvill, for without some advice from one of you Gentlemen concerned there will be [no] satisfying her or making her easy about it.
You will excuse the Liberty I take in troubling [you] with this letter, if you will favor me with a speedy answer to it, you will very much oblige Sir your obt hble Servt

Wm Peareth


Title: To George Washington from Thomas Johnson, 18 June 1770
From: Johnson, Thomas
To: Washington, George

Sir.
Annap[oli]s 18 June 1770

I take the Liberty by the Revd Mr Boucher who as well as others have assured me of your Friendship to the Inland Navigation on Potowmack to inclose you a Subscription Paper which is intended to be put about at our Frederick Court next Week—I have with some though too few others lately taken a View of the River from a little below Fort Frederick to Paynes Falls—in our Voyage down we met with Nothing of any Consequence till we came to Catons Gutt what is called Houses Falls another Rift—between that and Andietum and what is called Shepherds Falls a little below Shepherds Town being the only Obstructions

and which might be easily removed at very small Expence. from Catons Gutt to Paynes Falls about 5 Miles Distance will we think be in prudence our present Object and 2500£ Pensylva. Currency it is thought by an Englishman in whom I have very great Confidence and a German who has been long employed in blowing Rocks will reduce Shannandore to allow a tolerable passage and make a towing Path—If we once get through the Shannandore I need not remark that all the Force above may be easily drawn to a point at Seneca or any other Obstruction below which will admit of Improvement at a tolerable Expence. We choose to blow a passage rather than attempt Naviga. through Locks because the Falls no where appear too steep for Vessells to come down if they had but Room enough and this plan is the more eligable as it avoids a very strong Objection to Locks from the Freshes, &ca ⟨&ca⟩ our Boat came through and we are satisfied loaded Battoes might with safety was there Room enough and a Channel deepned[.] I had the pleasure too to be fully satisfied there’s no weight in a plausible Objection made some Time since that deepning the Water where there are at present Ledges of Rocks would draw off the Water and occasion Shallows above for suppose about 20 or 30 Feet in width is deepned 2 Feet for Instance what Effect can it have on a Body of Water constantly supplied of 200 or 250 Yards width besides an actual sounding and I was attentive to the Circumstance[.] I find the Water deep above those Ledges no where as I recollect less than 5 Feet generally more and sometimes double that depth. but suppose the warfs Timber or Stone might easily be placed in other Breaks of the Ledge of Rocks so as to keep the water to it’s natural height by counteracting the new Draft by in a new Obstruction. Should this Mode of effecting the Navigation be generally approved I am not unapprized that the Scheme of raising Money by Subscription is liable to Objection and I think with many that this River justly claims the Attention of the Legislatures of both Provinces[.] I sincerely wish they could be both brought into one generous and grand Scheme and am sure that the vast Addition to Trade would soon repay almost any Expence but I fancy you and I are too well acquainted with the Difficulties of carrying points of Consequence through the three Branches of one Legisl[ature] to entertain Expectations that both Legislatures will soon concur circumstantially in the

same Scheme for clearing Potowmack—If any Thing should be given in Maryland in a public way a Subscription will certainly be an essential Condition and from what I have understood in Virginia the plan of a Corporation Subscription of Shares & Tolls would be the most agreeable there. A great many of the interested in Maryland are willing to put their Hands into their own pockets at once and I believe the Germans of whom we have Numbers in good Circumstances are much disposed to it so that if the people of your Side can be brought to do their just part, I do not mean an Arithmetical exactness, I flatter myself the Thing is well within our power and that a considerable part may still be done this Year. To convince people of the immediate Advantages to themselves I make this Estimate.

Land Carriage 80 Miles at 1/ Pensylva. Curry per Mile per Ton or 38 Bushels of wheat is

4.

From Paynes Falls to Shannandore Semple now gives for Water Carre per Ton
. 8.

from the Mo. of Connegocheage to Paynes about the same Distance suppose the like
. 8.

Land Carriage from Seneca to the little Falls 12 or 14 Miles say 14
.14.

1.10.

saved by Water Carriage except the small Expence of Carriage from the little Falls to Geo. Town or Bellhaven on each Ton

2.10.

But what has weight with some though not enough are the ⟨immense⟩ future Advantages which you much better that I ⟨illegible⟩ favor and see of in making Poto. the Channel of Conveyance and Connection between the new Country westward and Britain.
If you sr should approve the Scheme of a Subscription and think any Thing can be done that Way in Virginia it will give us new Spirits on this Side—if not I shall be greatly obliged by your communicating your Thoughts on the Subject.
When I had the pleasure of seeing you at the Springs last Summer I mentioned that my Brother had obtained the Secret of curing Fits by simples he had several people under his Care who have been happily relieved the Cure was much slower than he reported and indeed he ⟨even⟩ began to think that he had been deceived but he is now fully satisfied of the salutary Effects

of ⟨the⟩ Medicine which has been considerably improved lately, from his own actual Experiment on several Subjects and if, which I shall indeed be sorry to hear, the young Lady has as yet met with no Relief I shall procure and send you some with proper Directions—Mrs Washington may be assured that no ill Consequence will follow from it. I am sr With great Regard Your most obedt humble Servt

Ths Johnson, Junr


Title: To George Washington from Margaret Savage, 18 June 1770 [letter not found]
From: Savage, Margaret
To: Washington, George

Letter not found: from Margaret Savage, 18 June 1770. On 15 Dec. 1770 GW wrote to Mrs. Savage: “Your letter of the 18th of June came to my hands a few days ago.”


Title: From George Washington to Capel & Osgood Hanbury, 21 June 1770
From: Washington, George
To: Capel & Osgood Hanbury

Gentn
Williamsburg. June 21st 1770.

Of this date I have drawn upon you for Two hundred and Fifty pounds Sterling in favour of Peyton Randolph Esqr., which sum you will please to pay, & place to Acct of Mr John Parke Custis. I am Gentn Yr Most Hble Servt

Go: Washington


Title: From George Washington to George William Fairfax, 27 June 1770
From: Washington, George
To: Fairfax, George William

Dr Sir
Mount Vernon June 27.⟨th⟩ 1770.

Herewith you will receive some Letters which I brought from Williamsburg; which place I left on Saturday in the After noon. The Assembly was not then up, a few Bills remaind unfinished which woud oblige the House to set again this Week—little business of a Publick nature has been transacted—private Bills have engrossd the time of the House almost wholely since the First meeting of it.
A New Association is formd much upon the old Plan, but more relax’d; to which the Merchants then in Town acceded—Committees in each County are to be chosen to attend to the Importations, & see if our Agreements cannot be more strictly adhered to. There was nothing new when I left Williamsburg—Yours & Mrs Fairfax’s Friends were well, as I suppose your

Letters advise—I had many Complimts to you all (Colo. Fairfax Included) which as I am but a poor hand at delivering specially I must beg the favour of having them receivd in a Lump.
I am very much obligd to you for the favour of getting Stone from your Quarries I understand it has assisted me much, as it is got at much easier than with me. My ⟨compliments, in which Mrs Washington, &ca⟩ join’s are tenderd & I shoud be glad to know how you all do—After a little rest, and enquiry into the state of my business; I will do myself the pleasure of seeing you at Belvoir & paying my respects to Sir Thomas. I am Dr Sir Yr Most Hble Servt

Go: Washington


Title: Cash Accounts, July 1770
From: Washington, George
To:

[July 1770]

Cash

July 6—
To Ditto [cash] recd from the Boston’s Burser for my Bull @ 20/
£ 7. 2.0

23—
To Cash of Harrison Manley
27. 0.0

31—
To Ditto of Mr Humpy Peake 6 Dollars
1.16.0

Contra

July 3—
By Charity 15/—Gave the Armr 6
1. 1.0

By Mrs Washington
6.11.3

7—
By Willm Carlin’s acct for self £5.8.6 Ditto for Jno. Parke Custis 3.14.6
9. 3.0

Do—
By Mr [John] Stedlar for Miss Custis 12.18.0 Ditto for J.P. Custis 8.12.
21.10.0

8—
By Miss Custis Pocket Money 2.2. Milly Posey Do .7.6
2. 9.6

16—
By Augs. Darrell Sheriff of the lowr Parish
3.15.6

By Mrs Washington
3. 0.0

By Mr Wm Adam Sheriff of the upper Parish
1. 1.0

20—
By David McCrae for 2 Horses £21.4.0 Saml McChisney for 2 Do 13.10.
34.14.0

21—
By Thos Pursley for Stackg 16 days @ 5/
4. 0.0

By Cornels Palmer workg at Harvest
1.10.2

23—
By John Alton
10. 0.0

By Lund Washington
7. 0.0

25—
By Jno. P. Custis Pocket Money
2.13.0

By Thos Byrd for Cradling at Har[ves]t £2.17.6 for Mowing Hay .9. Makg & fixg Cradles .9.
3.15.6

28—
By Cash paid Edwd Williams
1.10.0

By Ditto to James Cleveland
0.18.9

By Willm Skilling Balle of Accts
1. 4.0

By Charity 10/—Oats &ca 2/
0.12.0


Title: Memorandum List of Tithables, 16 July 1770
From: Washington, George
To:

[c.16 July 1770]

A List of Tithables in Truro Parish Fairfax County—given in July 16th 1770.
George Washington, Lund Washington
Thos Bishop, Wm Skilling, Thoms Davis. Ho. Servants: Breechy, Billy, Giles, Schomberg, Harry, Doll, Jenny, Betty, Moll, Sall, Sarah, Phillis, Winney, Sue, Kitt. Home Plann: Jack [&] Herculas—Ferry men, Joe, Arlington, Peter, Sarah, Frank, Lydia, Phœbe. Tradesmen: Jon[atha]n Palmer, Will, Michael, Davy, Tom, George, Ned, Jupiter, Peter, George, Lewis. Muddy hole: Jno. Alton, Will, Adam, Will, Sam, Morris, Kate, Nan, Sarah, Jenny. Doeg run Pl.: Morris, Matt, Bath, Jupiter, Robin, Bob, Paul, Hannah, Sue, Betty, Jone, Moll, Lucy. Mill Plann: Davy, Ned, Robin, Judy, Lucy, Jenny. In all 69 deduct 2–67.

List of Tithables in Fairfax Parish July 16th 1770.
James Cleveland
Frederick, Essex, Ben, Natt, Will, Neptune, Abram, George, Walley, Schomberg, Ruth, Peg, Murria, Doll, Daphne, Cloe, Nan, Judy, Milly. In all 20.


Title: From George Washington to Thomas Johnson, 20 July 1770
From: Washington, George
To: Johnson, Thomas

Sir
Virginia 20th July 1770.

I was honourd with your favour of the 18th of June about the last of that Month and read it with all the attention I was capable of but having been closely engaged with my Hay & Wheat Harvests from that time till now I have not been able to enquire

into the Sentiments of any of the Gentlemen of this side in respect to the Scheme of opening the Inland Navigation of Potomack by private Subscription—in the manner you have proposed—and therefore, any opinion which I may now offer on this head will be considered I hope as the result of my own private thinking—not of the Publick.
That no person more intimately concernd in this Event wishes to see an undertaking of the sort go forward with more facility and ardour than I do, I can truely assure you; and will, at all times, give any assistance in my power to promote the design; but I leave you to judge from the Tryal, which before this you undoubtedly have made, how few there are (not immediately benefited by it) that will contribute any thing worthwhile to the work; and how many small sums are requisite to raise a large one.
Upon your Plan of raising money, it appears to me that there will be found but two kinds of People who will Subscribe much towards it—Those who are actuated by motives of Publick Spirit; and those again, who from their proximity to the Navigation will reap the salutary effects of clearing the River. The number of the latter, you must be a competent judge of; those of the former, is more difficult to ascertain; for wch reason I own to you, that I am not without my doubts of your Schemes falling through, however sanguine your first hopes may be from the rapidity of Subscribers; for it is to be supposed, that your Subscription Papers will probably be opend among those whose Interests naturally Incline them to wish well to the undertaking & consequently will aid it; but when you come to shift the Scene a little and apply to those who are unconnected with the River & the advantages of its Navigation how slowly will you advance?
This Sir, is my Sentiment, generally, upon your Plan of obtaining Subscriptions for extending the Navigation of Potomack; whereas I conceive, that if the Subscribers were vested by the two Legislatures with a kind of property in the Navigation, under certain restrictions & limitation’s, and to be reimbursd their first advances with a high Interest thereon by a certain easy Toll on all Craft proportionate to their respective Burthen’s, in the manner that I am told works of this sort are effected in the Inland parts of England—or, upon the Plan of Turnpike Roads; you woud add thereby a third set of Men to the two I have

 mentioned and gain considerable strength by it: I mean the monied Gentry; who tempted by lucrative views woud advance largely on Acct of the high Interest—This I am Inclind to think is the only method by which this desirable work will ever be accomplished in the manner it ought to be; for as to its becoming an object of Publick Expence I never expect to see it—Our Interests (in Virginia, at least) are too much divided—our Views too confind, if our Finances were better, to suffer that, which appears to redound to the advantage of a part of the Community only, to become a Tax upon the whole—tho^ in the Instance before Us, there is the strongest speculative Proof in the World of the immense advantages which Virginia & Maryland might derive (and at a very small comparitive Expence) by making Potomack the Channel of Commerce between Great Britain and that immense Tract of Country which is unfolding to our view the advantages of which are too great, & too obvious I shoud think to become the Subject of serious debate but which thro. illtimed Parsimony & supiness may be wrested from us & conducted thro. other Channels such as the Susquehanna (which I have seen recommended by some writers) the Lakes &c.—how difficult it will be to divert it afterwards, time only can show. Thus far Sir I have taken the liberty of communicating my Sentiments on the different modes of establishing a fund but if from the efforts you have already made on the North side of Potomack it shoud be found that my fears are rather imaginary than real (as I heartily wish they may prove) I have no doubts but the same spirit may be stird up on the South side if Gentlemen of Influence in the Counties of Hampshire Frederick Loudoun & Fairfax will heartily engage in it and receive all occasional Sums from those who may wish to see a work of this sort undertaken, altho. they expect no benefit to themselves from it.
As to the manner in which you propose to execute the work, in order to avoid the Inconvenience which you seem to apprehend fr. Locks I profess myself to be a very incompetent Judge of it—It is a general receivd opinion I know, that by reducing one Fall you too frequently create many; but how far this Inconvenience is to be avoided by the method you speak of, those who have examind the ⟨illegible⟩ Rifts, the depth of Water above, &ca must be infinitely the best qualified to determine. But I am inclind to think that, if you were to exhibit your Scheme to the

Publick upon a more extensive Plan than the one now Printed, it woud meet with a more general approbation; for so long as it is considered as a partial Scheme so long will it be partially attended to—whereas, if it was recommended to Publick Notice upon a more enlargd Plan, and as a means of becoming the Channel of conveyance of the extensive & valuable Trade of a rising Empire; & the Operations to begin at the lower Landings (above the Great Falls) & to extend upwards as high as Fort Cumberland; or, as far as the expenditure of the money woud carry them; from whence the Portage to the Waters of Ohio must commence; I think many woud be envited to contribute their mite, that otherwise will not—It may be said the expence of doing this will be considerably augmented—I readily grant it, but believe that the Subscribers will encrease in proportion; at any rate I think that there will be at least an equal Sum raised by this means that the end of your plan will be as effectually answerd by it.
Your obliging offer in respect to Miss Custis we chearfully embrace, & Mrs Washington woud think herself much favourd in receiving those Simples, & direction’s for the use of them, which your Brother Administers for Fitts—Miss Custis’s Complaint has been of two years standing, & rather Increases than abates—Mr Boucher will do us the favour of forwarding the Medicine so soon as you can procure & commit them to his charge which it is hoped will be as soon as possible.


Title: From George Washington to Jonathan Boucher, 30 July 1770
From: Washington, George
To: Boucher, Jonathan

Dr Sir
Mount Vernon July 30th 1770

The Books you wrote for, I hope you will receive in good order by Joe, as I desired Lund Washington to pack them up carefully & see them put into the Portmanteau—No thread came from Mr Addison’s, nor any from Mr Digges’s to which place I sent, thinking it might be contrivd there along with Jacks Key’s. We coud easily have carried down, & most certainly shoud have done so if it had ever got this length.
That there shoud be a dissatisfaction, and Murmuring at the Virginia Association (by those who are more strictly Bound) I do not much wonder at; but it was the best that the friends to the cause coud obtain here, and tho. too much relaxd from the Spirit, with which a measure of this sort ought to be conducted, yet, will be attended with better effects (I expect) than the last; inasmuch as it will become general, & adopted by the Trade. Upon the whole, I think the People of Virginia have too large latitude, & wish that the Inhabitants of the North may not have too little: what I woud be understood to mean by it is, that their Publick Virtue may not be put to too severe a tryal to stand the Test much longer, if their Importations are not equal to the real necessities of the People, whether it is, or is not, I cannot undertake to judge but suppose they are not, by the defection of New York, & attempts (tho. unsuccessful as yet) in other places to admit a general Importations of Goods; Tea only excepted.
So soon as you are able to get the Simples from Mr Johnson Mrs Washington will be much obligd in having Joe sent with them—We set out this day for Fredericksburg & expect to be back about the 9th or 10th of next Month. My love attends Jack. I am Dr Sir Yr Most Obedt Servt

Go: Washington


Title: Cash Accounts, August 1770
From: Washington, George
To:

[August 1770]

Cash

Augt 2—
To Cash of Doctr [James] Craik for the use of the Surveyor of the 200,000 Acres of Ld Grantd the Sold[iers] by Govr [Robert] Dinwiddies Procln
£ 6. 0.0

To Do of Captn [Peter] Hog on the same Acct
9. 0.0

To Do of Mr Jas Mercer in behalf of his Brother Geo: Do
12. 0.0

9—
To Cash won at Cards
0. 5.0

21—
To 3 Guineas of Mr [Walter] Magowan for a Gun Imported for him
3.18.9

To Cash of Jno. Cannon
0. 8.0

29—
To Ditto recd from Mr Hectr Ross
20. 0.0

Contra

Augt 3—
By Mr James Hunter in full for Mill spindles Gudgeon’s &ca.—Mill
10. 5.0

By Mr Heslop for self £3.6.0 for Miss Custis 10.
13. 6.0

4—
By Mr Geo. Mitchell for J.P. Custis
3.16.0

By Mrs Washington
5. 0.0

By Miss Custis
1. 0.0

6—
By Black Everlastg & trimgs 2 pr Bs.
1.10.9

By Mrs Washington to buy a ps. of Paduasoy
5. 0.0

7—
By Mr Brooke for new Carre to my Cht
3.12.0

By Mr Briggs Silk for Miss Custis
4. 6.7

By Barber 1/—Club at Weeden’s 7/3
0. 8.3

By Captn [George] Weeden for a Tent & Marquee
6. 0.0

By repg Watch 5/
0. 5.0

By Mr Hamilton for Miss Custis .8.6 By Doctr [Hugh] Mercer for Do 1.15.
2. 3.6

9—
By Club at Weedens 1/3—By Servants 4/3
0. 5.6

By Expences at Dumfries
0.10.3

11—
By Mr Jno. Ball—Mill
2.10.0

12—
By Onions &ca 6/9
. 6.9

By John Harvey—Mill
1. 0.0

18—
By Jno. Roberts 1042 Bls Oystr Shells @ 18/ M
9. 7.6

21—
By Charity
0. 8.6

By Quit rents pr John Hough
15. 6.6

By—Rigdon on Acct of my Ho. in Alexa.
4. 6.0

29—
By Cash lent Mr Robt Rutherford
20. 0.0

By Doctr [David] Ross for 1 T. 7 C. 3 Q. 24 lbs. of Iron @ 27/ £38.1.9½ Maryld
30. 2.0


Title: Agreement with George Muse, 3 August 1770
From: Washington, George,Muse, George
To:

[3 Aug. 1770]. “Articles of Agreement made and concluded upon this third day of August in the year of our Lord One thousand Seven hundred and Seventy, between George Muse of the County of Caroline . . . & George Washington . . . Witnesseth that the said George Muse hath this day agreed . . . to let the said George Washington . . . have one full third part of all the Land which he the said Muse now is, or hereafter shall be, entitled to under Govr Dinwiddies Proclamation of the 19th of Feby in the yr 1754. . . . In consideration whereof the said George Washington doth hereby agree for himself his Heirs ⟨mutilated⟩ to be at all the cost and charges which shall ⟨arise⟩ in Surveying and securing the said Muses share of the above Grant (the expense of Seating & Settling the same excepted) and permit him . . . to have . . . the other two thirds of the said share, free from any expense or cost . . . .”


Title: To George Washington from Jonathan Boucher, 13 August 1770 [letter not found]
From: Boucher, Jonathan
To: Washington, George

Letter not found: from Jonathan Boucher, 13 Aug. 1770. On 15 Aug. GW wrote to Boucher: “Your favour of the 13th this Instant came to hand.”


Title: From George Washington to John Carlyle, 15 August 1770
From: Washington, George
To: Carlyle, John

Dear Sir
Mount Vernon August 15th 1770

I laid your letter of the 26th Ulto (to me) before the Officers who met at Fredericksburg the first Inst.; but as they were unacquainted with the nature of your pretensions to a share of the 200,000 acres of Land granted in 1754 they did not choose to saddle you with any part of the expence, not conceiving that your commission as Commissary (if it is under that you claim) entitles you to any part of the Land which was offered to the Soldiery as an Encouragement to embark readily in the Service and march to the Ohio in defence of that Country, and whose lives from the nature of their calling, & the service they were to engage in, must necessarily be exposed to hardships and Dangers.
This piece of information I thought it incumbent on me to give you; at the same time I shall add that I am ready to receive any, & every claim, that shall be offered, & will faithfully lay them before the Governor & Council to whom it belongs to judge of the Right from the reason’s which may be offered pro & con. I am Dr Sir Your very humble Servant

G: Washington


Title: To George Washington from Jonathan Boucher, 18 August 1770
From: Boucher, Jonathan
To: Washington, George

Sir
Annapolis, Augt 18th 1770.

Jack comes a Day or two sooner than I intended, in Consequence of an Invitation from Mr Galloway, & Mr Magowan, to go to West River, which He does this Day. He brings You some Samples, which I hardly expect will please. Mr Antho. Stewart has a Cargo just arriv’d, not yet opened, in which, He says, are Assortmts of Coating: Shou’d you rather incline to wait for a choice out of These, if You will be so good as to give Me yr Directions, I will endeavour to attend to Them. Their common Rate of selling, for ready Money, is at 100 ⅌Cent, which I think is cheaper than with You. A Vessel will clear out from hence for London, in abt a Week or ten Days. I will be careful of any Letters You may want to put on Board.
They are still going on wth thr Subscriptn for clearg the Potomac, &, as I am told, wth Spirit. Four hundred pounds are subscribed in this City; nor have They yet got all They xpect. Messrs Jacques & Johnson set off for Frederick to-morrow, & talk of fixing a Day for a general Meeting, before They return. Will it be convenient & agreeable to You to attend—about a Month hence, if You have Notice in Time—at the Spot, i:e: at, or near Semple’s?
Dr Ross yesterday shew’d Me a Letter He had just recd from Croghan at Pittsburg, which informs Him that a new Government is certainly determin’d upon in that Western World—& that either Coll Mercer or one Mr Wharton are to be appointed Governor. He speaks of its Boundaries &c. wth Certainty, as a Matter of Fact. Have You heard of it—& the Particulars? It will be an immense Acquisition, if not immediately to the Wealth, certainly to the Strength of these Governments—& a fine Field for a projectg Spirit to adventure in. I am, Sir, Yr most Obedt Hble Servt

Jonan Boucher


Title: From George Washington to Robert Cary & Company, 20 August 1770
From: Washington, George
To: Robert Cary & Company

Gentn
Mount Vernon Augt 20th 1770.

This Letter accompanies my Invoices for Potomack and York Rivers as also Mr & Miss Custis’s—Agreeable to the several Orders therein containd you will please to dispatch the Goods & by the first Ships bound to the respective Rivers—Those for Potomack will come I hope by a more careful hand than the last did as I neither receivd the Goods nor Letters by Captn Saunderson till the middle of June nor coud ever discover in what Ship—by what Captn—or to what part of the Country they came (the duplicate by Peterson giving no insight into any of these matters but left me in full belief that the Ship was lost as such a lenght of time had elapsd between the date of your Letter and the receipt of it)—In short I do not know to this hour how the Goods came to this River as it was by Accident I heard they were Stored at Boyds hole about 60 Miles from this place and was oblig’d to send for them at my own expence which will often happen if they are sent into any other River than the one they are destind to; but why this shoud have been the case in the Instance before us I am at a loss to guess as there were two Ships Saild from London to Potomack after Johnstoun did; and a little

before, or nearly about the time of the date of your Letter by Saunderson, to wit, Grig in the Service of Mollison and Walker belonging to Deberts, Lee, & Sayre.
When I opend the Packages a piece of Duffield chargd £4.13.0 was found eaten to a honey Comb (by Moth)—whether this was the effect of long lying or carelessness of the Woolen Draper I shall not undertake to determine but certain it is, that I shall not be able to get a single Garment out of the whole piece—By Merchants more accustomd to the Importation of Goods than I am, I have been told that it must have been packd up in the order I receivd it, as there is no such thing as Moths eating in a close Parcel—If this really was the case, it is a species of Dealing which does not reflect much honr upon the reputation of Messrs Mauduit Wright & Co.
By Captn Peterson I have Shipd you 32 Hhds of Mr Custis’s Tobo and all Mine consisting of 17 More the Sales of which I hope and flatter myself will be equal to other Tobacco’s made in the same Neighborhood; but which give, me leave to add, has not been the case hitherto notwithstanding you seem to think that I cannot be otherwise than pleased with the last Acct you rendered.
That 11½d. a lb. is such a price as a Planter (in a tolerable good year) may afford to make Tobacco for I shall not deny; but it does not follow as a consequence that I shoud be satisfied therewith in behalf of myself & ward when a Succession of Short Crops have given a Universal start to Tobo and when I know (if the veracity of some Gentlemen with whom I conversed at Williamsburg when I was down there last is to be credited) that other Crops made in York & James City Counties not six Miles from Mr Custis’s Plantations & mine, have sold at 12d. & 12½ pr lb.; and the common transfer Tobo a large proportion of which we pay towards the support of a minister in York County, when priz’d and ship’d to London fetchd 12d. round What Reason can be Assignd then for my being pleasd with 11d. & 11½ (averaging about £12 a Hhd) when the commonest Arroneko Tobo fetchd this in every Port in Great Britain I know not; as it is by no means presumable that the Tobacco which Mr Valentine now makes, & Stems a fourth or a third of, in order to make it good, shoud be of Inferior quality to the general run of purchasd Tobaco; or worse than that, which he himself has applied

to the Payment of the Minister’s Salery; to do which, and to answer all other Publick Claims it is well known that the most indifferent of our (Inspectd) Tobo is always appropriated—Upon the whole, the repeated disappointments which I meat with has reduced me to a delemma which I am not very well reconcild to—To decline a Corrispondance either altogether or in part which has subsisted for so many years is by no means my Inclination; and to persevere in a Consignment which seems to lead to the prejudice of myself and ward, not only in the Sales of our Tobacco, but the purchase of Goods, is hardly to be expected.
That my Goods are for the most part exceedingly dear bought and the directions which are given for the choice of particular Articles not always attended to, I have no Scruples in declaring—The first is no otherwise to be proovd than by a comparison of the prices & quality—the Second is to be evincd by numberless Instances; two of which I shall give as the most recent and Important—Having occasion for Window Glass for a House I was building I sent for my quantity 9 by 11, & got it in 8 by 10—this was a considerable disappointment, & no small disadvantage to me; but not equal to the one that followd upon the Heels of it: I mean the Chariot, which I begd might be made of well Seasond Materials, and by a Masterly workman; instead of which, it was made of wood so exceedingly Green that the Pannels slipd out of the Mouldings before it was two Months in use—Split from one end to the other—and became so open at the joints, tho. every possible care was taken of it, that I expect very little further Service from it with all the repairs I can bestow.
Besides this, we frequently have slight Goods & sometimes old & unsaleable Articles put of upon us, and at such advancd Prices, that one woud be Inclind to think the Tradesmen did not expect to be paid in haste for them; for it is a fact incontestably true, that Linnens, & other Articles that have their prices proportiond to their respective qualities, are to be bought in the Factors Stores here almost as Cheap as we Import them, after the Merchant has laid on a sufficient advance for his profit—Disagreeable it is to me to mention these things to you, but when it is considered that my own dealings are confind wholely, & my Wards principally to your House, it is not to be wondered at that

I shoud be dissatisfied with the bought Goods, or a more indifft price for Tobo than is given to my neighbours.
I am very glad that by meeting with Colo. Stewart you have got quit of the troublesome Doctr McLean—the nett sum of £302 I shoud have been very well content to have receivd, as I lent this Money to that Gentlemen to be returnd or not, as it suited his convenience; never expecting, or desiring a farthing of Interest for the use of it.
You will perceive in looking over the several Invoices that some of the Goods there required, are upon condition that the Act of Parliament Imposing a Duty upon Tea, Paper &ca for the purpose of raising a Revenue in America is totally repeald; & I beg the favour of you to be governd strictly thereby, as it will not be in my power to receive any Articles contrary to our Non-Importation Agreement, to which I have Subscribd, & shall religiously adhere to, if it was, as I could wish it to be ten times as strict. I am Gentn Yr Most Hble Servt

Go: Washington


Title: To George Washington from John Parke Custis, 30 August 1770
From: Custis, John Parke
To: Washington, George

My dear Sir
August 30th 1770

I have sent you, according to your directions patterns of all Mr Stewarts Beaver-coating with the lowest ready money prices fixd to each of them, which I have directed the Boy to leave with Mr Ramsay; When I cross’d the River (the day I set off) I saw Mr Mason, who told me that Mr Chritian had been to his House, & told him, that he was to teach four Days at our House the next time; therefore I should be glad, if convenient to know before the Time whether I must come over, &c. likewise whether I shall have the lace taken of my green Coat, I think it had better be turnd by which means it will serve me very well this winter. I have nothing knew to tell you off. Mr Boucher has sent your

letter by Captain Gorge Buchanan. Please to give my love to Mamma & Sister, & my compliments to all who enquire after me. I am with the greatest respect your most obedient Son

John Parke Custis


Title: Cash Accounts, September 1770
From: Washington, George
To:

[September 1770]

Cash

Septr 15—
To Ferriage money
£ 0.13.0

26—
To Cash of Mr Hector Ross
93. 3.2

28—
To Do of Mr Gilbt Simpson for Weavg
0.11.3

Contra

Septr 2—
By Thos Bishop
2. 0.0

By Mr Jacob Gooding 20 M[aryland] Dollars
6. 0.0

7—
By Dominicus Gubner
1. 0.0

By Mrs Palmer for Butter
0. 6.0

9—
By Corns Palmer Mill
2. 3.0

By Colo. [Fielding] Lewis to buy Butter with 9 Pistoles
9.13.6

By Charity 3/9—Bishop’s Exps. to P. Tobo 3/
0. 6.9

17—
By Jno. P. Custis
0.17.0

By Hatt from the Hatter in Alexa.
1.18.0

By Dominicus Gubner
0.12.0

By Mr John Muirs acct
14.13.3

18—
By Mr Jno. Hite for Bath Coating &ca
3. 5.8

By Mrs Washington expended in Alexa.
1.17.0

By Ditto for Pocket Money
4. 0.0

21—
By Doctr [William] Rumney’s acct for self £6.4.6 Miss Custis 5.1.0 Colo. [Fielding] Lewis 1.0.0
12. 5.6

22—
By Jno. Hull Mason for Work on my Mill
31.15.4

23—
By Jonathan Palmer
8. 0.0

27—
By Mrs Washington two Guinea’s
2.12.6

29—
By Mr [Thomas] Flemings Servt for Oar’s &ca
0.17.6


Title: From George Washington to Burwell Bassett, 9 September 1770
From: Washington, George
To: Bassett, Burwell

Dear Sir
Mount Vernon Septr 9th 1770

If this Letter reaches you in time, it will serve to ask if you have any commands to Yaughyaughgany, as I purpose to set out for that part of the World about the 3d or 4th day of Octr Next for a Short stay—A Report prevails here that the Ministry have lately granted to a Company in England, a large Tract of Country on the Ohio (Including the Lands we have just given £2500 Sterg for) to be formd into a Proprietary Government immediately—If this is true I suppose our Governor must have Authentick Accts of it; in which case, & you have time, I shoud be glad to get a certain Acct of the matter, & how far it is thought this Grant will affect the several Orders of Council for Lands to the Westward of us—& what in general is said & thought of it.
Patcy is much as usual—Mrs Washington is very well—& the Family tolerable—We all join in best wishes to yourself Mrs Bassett, & little ones & I am Dr Sir Yr Most Affecte Hble Servt

Go: Washington


Title: From George Washington to Botetourt, 9 September 1770
From: Washington, George
To: Botetourt, Norborne Berkeley, baron de

My Lord,
Mount Vernon Septr 9th 1770.

The very obliging offer your Lordship was pleasd to make me in behalf of the Officers and Soldiers, who (under faith of Government) lay claim to the 200,000 Acres of Land on the

Waters of Ohio promisd them by Proclamn in 1754 I postpond availing Myself of because it was evident to me from the knowledge I have of the back Country & the rapidity with which it is settling that any considerable delay in the prosecution of our Plan woud amount to an absolute defeat of the Grant inasmuch as Emigrants are daily Seating the choice Spots of Land and waiting for the oppertunity (when the Office is opend) of solliciting a legal Title under the advantages of Possession & Improvement—two powerful Plea’s in an Infant Country—I therefore hoped My Lord, as the Officers and Soldiers who suffered in the cause of their Country still do hope, that notwithstanding your Lordship was of opinion that you coud not at that time vest them with an absolute Grant of the Land, that you woud nevertheless permit them to take such steps at their own expence and rick as others did for the security of their qty of Land agreeable to the Proclamation under which they claim; especially as the claim of the Soldiery may be considerd to all intents & purposes as a Compact between the Governt & them—that the whole voice of the Country is in favour of it—and that little doubts remd of these Lands falling within the limits of Virginia when the Bounda[r]y coud be establishd.
This My Lord was the light in which I viewd the matter—in this point of view it also appeard to the Officers who lately met agreeable to my Summon’s; but now, a report prevails that a large Tract of Country on the Ohio Including all the Land which this Governt Voted £2,500 Ster. for the purchase & Survey of, is actually granted to a Company of Gentlemen in England & is to be formd into a seperate Governmt immediately. If this report be true, there is no doubt but that your Lordship has recd the most Authentick Accts of it, as it so essensially concerns the Interests and expectations of this Country—dare I therefore My Lord presume to ask if your Lordship has recd any Advice of it? &, if so, whether there is any reserve in favour of all or any of the Orders of Council here? that I may from thence form some judgment of the Predicament we stand in and Govern myself accordingly. Such a piece of Information by Post to Alexa. might do essential Service to the Officers & many poor Soldiers who have confided in me to transact this affair for them, & woud be acknowledgd as a very singular honr conferd on Yr Lordships Most Obedt and Most Hble Servt.


Title: To George Washington from Thomas Hanson Marshall, 17 September 1770
From: Marshall, Thomas Hanson
To: Washington, George

Sir
Maryland the 17th Sepr 1770

The Tenant’s on Mr Alexanders Land (on this side) Are Desirous of knowing what Part of the Lands will be Left, after Laying of the Quantety we are makeing an Exchange for; As you have all the Lands collected in one Plat (If I mistake not)

that is in Dogue Neck; If you will be kind Enuf to Let me know the Quantety of Land I hould (In slipes) on the South side of the Mane Roa⟨d⟩ that Leeds from the head of Dogue Creek (That is, from the ⟨mutilated⟩ Landing Place) to the Gum Spring which Immagin you can Nearly do by your Plat, I can then satisfy the Tenants heare, by Strikeing and Sighting the Line, agreable to the Forme, have sighted in a Ruff Draft of Mr Alexanders Land, sent you. I am yr Verry Hble servt

Tho. Han. Marshall


Title: From George Washington to William Peareth, 20 September 1770
From: Washington, George
To: Peareth, William

Sir,
Fairfax Cty Virga Septr 20th 1770.

Your letter of the 1st of May 1769 Inclosing the Pedegree of Dulcibella Stott came to the Exrs of the late Colo. Thos Colvill about 1st of Decr last as your other Letter of the 25th of May in the present year did to my hands about a Month ago.
I am sorry it is not in my Power to give you, or the poor Woman you seem so anxious to serve, a more favourable Acct of the Surplus Money of our Testators Estate than I am now able to do—The Settlement of this Estate has been greatly retarded by an unhappy Sale made by Colo. Thomas Colvil as Executor of his Brothr Jno. Colvil of a Tract of Land belonging to the latter for the Sum of between two & three thousand pounds Sterlg out of which as a principal Creditor he himself (that is Thos Colvil) was to receive a large part of the money—This Land was sold to a Person neither very able, nor willing to pay for it; Bonds pass’d, but no Conveyance of it made in the life time of Colo. Thomas Colvil and ever since his death we have been plagued with the letigeous person with whom the Contract was made—It is still unsettled—nor can I say when it will be finally adjusted; for want of which we are unable to discharge many of the Legatees & consequently cannot ascertain the Surplusage which is to be appropriated to the residuary Claiments tho^ something

there will be (but how much I really cannot say as I have had but little share in the Executorship of this Estate) and which it will be incumbent on us I believe either to lodge in the hands of the Chancellor, or in some Publick Office in Newcastle that the Person’s claiming under the names of Stott, Wills[,] Richardson & Smith may ascertain the Identity of their Person’s if living, or their leneage if Dead; for we find it will be almost impossible for us to do it in an Epistolary way under a Seven years Corrispondance; so numerous, & confused are many of the Claims which are put in for a share of this Estate under the respective names above mentioned. I am Sir Yr Most Hble Servt

Go: Washington


Title: To George Washington from William Grayson, 23 September 1770
From: Grayson, William
To: Washington, George

Sir
Sniggers Sepr 23rd 1770.

I have met here to day, & so have your Evidences, agreable to appointment, but only two Commissioners have appear’d which is not sufficient; Mr Scott is sent for, and on his arrival we shall proceed to business; when you may depend I shall do every thing necessary, on your behalf.

Mr Thomas Hite has this day acknowledg’d, he has Thomas’s bond for the money the land was sold for, and offered to relinquish his claim to the land provided I would undertake to pay the amount of the bond, which is abt £12 & Interest; this I did not incline to do, as I had no instructions from you relative to such a proposal; and my own opinion was agt it, as I conciev’d Thomas & his heirs were liable for it, & that the land was not subject to it in the hands of an assignee. I am Sir Yr Mo: Obedt servt

Willm Grayson

N.B. They have survey’d the land, but as Marshall is not here I have not seen the survey. W. ⟨G.⟩


Title: Cash Accounts, October 1770
From: Washington, George
To:

[October 1770]

Cash

Octr 9—
To Cash of Lt Jno. Savage his quota of advance towards Surveying the Soldiers Lands
£6. 0.0

16—
To Ditto Recd from Colo. Adam Stephen on the above Acct in part
4.12.6

Contra

Octr 3—
By Cash sent Mrs Green of Annapolis Printg Advertisemt abt Poseys Ferry
0. 6.6

By Luke Kenny Sadler his Acct
2. 6.3

5—
By Cash to Jno. P. Custis 20/—By Do to M.P.C. 20/
2. 0.0


Title: To George Washington from Jonathan Boucher, 1 October 1770
From: Boucher, Jonathan
To: Washington, George

Dear Sir
Annapolis 1st Octr 1770.

I much wish’d to have accompany’d Jack, but cannot: & what is worse, We part on an Uncertainty, which may be disagreeable. I have some Thoughts of setting off for St Mary’s this Week; & if

I do get away, I can hardly expect to return again till I remove finally, which cannot well be sooner than the latter End of next Month. So that, if I do not come by Mount Vernon, Jack needs not come hither, till You or He hear from Me again. A quondam Schoolfellow of Jack’s wrote to Me last Week to apply to Dr Stephenson of Baltimore to take Him to be inoculated. I have done so; & at the same Time mentioned Custis to Him. He seem’d particularly desirous of having an Opportunity of testifying his Esteem for You by shewing Civilities to any person connected with You. And, cou’d You by any means resolve on this Measure, I cannot but think the present a favourable Time, as there are now, or soon will be, many of his Acquaintances there on the same Errand.
   probably, ere long, You will find out that He has lost his Watch; & He deserves to be severely reprimanded for his Carelessness. I have the Watch, but do not care soon to put Him out of Pain.
I heartily wish You an agreeable Tour thro’ yonder Tramontane Regions, & am, very truly, Yr much obliged Frd & Servt

Jonan Boucher


Title: Account of Expenditures for Trip to the Great Kanawha, 6 October–30 November 1770
From: Washington, George
To:

[6 October–30 November 1770]

By Expences in a Journey to the Ohio viz.

[Md. Currency]

[Oct.] 6
At Mosss Ordy
0. 3. 6

Leesburg
0.10. 0

for Sugar there
0. 5. 8

Do Mug
0. 1. 3

A Cirsingle at Leesburg
0. 4. 6

Expences at Caudley’s
0. 6. 0

7—
At [Jesse] Pugh’s
0. 6. 0

8—
Cacapehon
0. 3. 0

Servants at Cresaps
0. 1. 3

10—
Exps. at Romney
1.14. 8

Sadle Cloth & Halter
0.13. 9

Sundries
0. 8. 3

[Va. Currency]

By a Bay horse of—Parson’s
16. 0. 0

a Grey Ditto of—Nevil
13.10. 0

[Md. Currency]

11—
Paid for 4 Bearskins
1. 0. 0

[Pa. Currency]

At Wises’ Mill
0.16. 0

Corn there
0. 2. 6

12—
At Gillam’s
0. 7. 6

Little Meadows
0. 0.10

13—
Great Crossings
0.16. 0

[Md. Currency]

Gave a Servant
0. 1. 3

[Pa. Currency]

Paid at the Widow Miers
0. 3. 9

Servants at Fort P[itt]
0.18. 9

Smith there
0. 1. 0

[Pa. Currency]

Novr 21—
Ferriage at Fort Pitt
0. 7. 6

Jno. Street
0. 9. 0

Smith at Pittsburg
1. 7. 6

Commissary for Provns
10.19. 2

for a Lock
0. 4. 0

Paid the Indians
10.13. 0

Indn Interpreter
5. 8. 0

Saml Semple
26. 1.10

Widow Miers
1.19. 6

Servants
0. 7. 6

[Va. Currency]

24—
By Cash pd Jno. Stephenson in Excha. of Horses
2. 6. 3

[Pa. Currency]

26—
Expens. at the Gt Crossgs
0.19. 0

27—
Ditto at Kiliams
0.10. 0

Do at Cumberland
0. 5. 0

[Va. Currency]

By a Horse of Wm Buffington pd Vale Crawford
15. 0. 0

[Md. Currency]

Gave Vale Crawford
4.12. 6

Servants
0. 3. 0

29—
Exps. at Rinker’s & Snickers
1. 3. 6

30—
Do at Wests &ca
1. 2. 6

Pensa Money
£62.17. 4

[Md. Currency]

is
47. 3. 0

[Va. Currency]

60. 3. 7

By Cash pd Edwd Snickers on Acct of MillStones
20. 0. 0


Title: Bond of John Posey, 14 October 1770
From: Washington, George,Posey, John
To:

[14 Oct. 1770]. “Whereas his present Majesty by his Royal Proclamation given at St James the 7th of October 1763, and Published in the Virginia Gazette on the 12th day of Jany 1764 was Graciously pleased to give & Grant to every Officer & Soldier according to their respective Ranks (as well Provencials as others) certain quantities of waste & ungranted Land in any of his Governmts in North America, wherever the same could be found; And Whereas the above named John Posey by having serv’d as a Captn in the Second Regiment of the Virginia Troops Commanded by the Honble William Byrd is entitled under the said Proclamation to Three thousand Acres of Land in consequence thereof, which Land being inconvenient for him to seek after, he is desirous of selling his right thereto, and for a certain Sum agreed upon with the said George Washington the receipt of which he doth hereby acknowledge. . . .”


Title: To George Washington from Robert Cary & Co., 13 November 1770 [letter not found]
From: Robert Cary & Company
To: Washington, George

Letter not found: from Robert Cary & Co., 13 Nov. 1770. On 20 July 1771 GW wrote to them: “So much in answer to that part of your Letter of the 13th of Novr. . . .”


Title: Invoice from Robert Cary & Company, 13 November 1770
From: Robert Cary & Company
To: Washington, George

London 13th Novr 1770

Invoice of Cost & Charges of Goods Shipd on Board the Liberty James Walker Comr for Virginia upon the Acct & risque of George Washington and Consignd to himself—Vizt

Theo: Crowley & Co. Iron

25 M 4d. Nails 1/9½
[£] 2. 4. 9

25 M 8d. Ditto 3/8
4.11. 8

Cask
. 2.

5 M 30d. Nails 17/
4. 5. 0

Cask
. 2.

1 dozn Cowprs Drawg knives
.14.

4 ditto Hollowg Do 1/9
. 7.

½ dozn Dowling Bitts 3/
. 1. 6

½ dozn Do Croes Iron’s 8/
. 4.

6 Ditto Jointer Irons 6d.
. 3.

1 Dozn Exr. HL Hinges with Smooth Field Joints
1.10.

2 dozn Gimblets 8d.
. 1. 4

2 dozn Spike Do 3/6
. 7.

1 dozn Xcut saw files
. 3. 6

3 dozn la: Whipsaw Do 6/
.18.

½ dozn splintr Padlocks 4/6
. 2. 3

6 la: Padlock sorted 1/9
.10. 6

6 plate Stock Locks with Barrs & Screws 3/2
.19.

Cask
. 2. 8

Jno. Stabler Linnn

12 fine Handrs. purple Lawn Chinese 23d.
1. 3.

1 ps. fine Callico two Purples 12 Yards 26/
1. 6.

1 fine white Do 14 yds
1.19.

2 ps. Irish strong y. wd. high bleachd No. 197 50 yds 15d.
3. 2. 6

3 ps. fine Do Do 206 75 3/6
13. 2. 6

1 ps. Cambk & Duty 783 24/6
1. 4. 6

1 ps. Do Do 785
1. 5. 6

2 ps. fine do 1115 & 1117 48/
4.16.

Case
. 3.

Glover & Co. Ozn[abri]gs

6 ps. 687 Ells Hempen 8½
24. 6. 7

5 ps. 353 A[u]n[e]s brown Rolls 176½ Ells 2 pCt is 173 Ells 4¾
3. 8. 5

1 ps. Hessen Wrapper
.18.

Packing & Cartage
. 5.

Farrer & Garrett EarthW[are]

1 Dozn handle Tease & Saucers Cream Colour
. 2. 6

1 Tea Pott 9d. 1 Milk 6d.
. 1. 3

6 Salts & Spoons
. 2. 6

1 la: Bowl
. 5.

1 Smaller Do
. 3. 6

2 Ditto
. 2. 6

2 Ditto
. 4.

4 Bowls
. 5.

2 Ditto
. 2.

3 Do 2/ 3 Do 1/6
. 3. 6

Box
. 3.

Tim[oth]y Bevan & Son Ap[othecar]y

BlueStone 2 lb.
. 2. 4

Spirma Citi 2 lb.
. 3. 4

Glauber Salts 3 lb.
. 2. 6

Spt Turpentine 6 lb.
. 9.

Flour Sulpher 10 lb.
. 3. 4

Carraway Seeds 2 lb.
.  . 8

Mosch in grain ½ oz.
.15.

Stoughton’s Bitters 4¼ lb.
.11. 4

Venice Treacle ½ lb.
. 2.

Diascordium ½ lb.
. 1.

Tinctr. Castor No. A 4 oz.
. 1. 4

Gutta Vite 5 oz.
. 6. 3

Sal Volatile 4 oz.
. 1.

Spts Sal. Armoniac 4 oz.
.  . 8

Spt Hartshorne 1 lb. 7 oz.
. 3.10

Universal Balsam 9 oz.
. 6.

James’s Powder’s 12 Paprs
1. 4. 0

Ivory Glister Pipes 6
.  . 9

Bottles Phials, Jarrs, & Potts
. 4. 1

Box & Cord
. 2. 4

A Chest Cord & Cordg
.18. 6

James Davis Shoes

8 pr Womns Cala Pumps 5/
2. 0. 0

2 pr Womn Calf Do 4/
. 8.

2 pr Womn Do Shoes 3/
. 6.

Jos. Middleditch Grocery

10 lb. Salt Petre 11d.
. 9. 2

2 lb. White Ginger 7½
. 1. 3

¼ lb. Mace 18/
. 4. 6

¼ lb. Nutmegs 9/4
. 2. 4

¼ lb. Cinnamon 17/
. 4. 3

¼ lb. Cloves 12/
. 3.

Richards & Co. Hose

1 Dozn Men’s Hose
1. 4. 0

Leaver Legg

1 ps. Duroy 24 Yds
1.12. 0

4 Dozn Coats 8d.
. 2. 8

4 Dozn breast 3½
. 1. 2

Silk Twist & thread
. 4. 6

Thos Preston

25 lb. la: Drop shott No. 1
. 4. 6

Eleanor Brown Corks

20 Groce Corks
2. 0. 0

Bag
.  . 6

Chas Wilkins Mustd

8 half lb. Bottles Mustd 10d.
. 6. 8

1 Box
.  . 8

Bradshaw & Co. Line

2 Cable Laid Deep Sea Lines @ 4/
. 8. 0

Thos White Stays

1 pr Turnd Stays
1. 6. 0

Waltr Humphreys

2 Dozn Hose No. 3 11/6
1. 3. 0

4 Doz. Do 4 12/6
2.10.

5 Dozn Do 5 13/6
3. 7. 6

Lardner &ca Hab[erdasher]y

10 lb. best Shoe thrd 18d.
.15. 0

20 lb. Do Maidste Do 2/
2. 0. 0

2 do Wh[ite]d Do 5/9
.11. 6

2 Oz. Scotch Nuns Do 2/
. 4.

1 Oz. fine blue Marking Ditto
. 3. 0

4 Oz. Green Purse Twist 3/3
.13.

4 Oz. Scarlet Do 4/
.16.

3 Chip Bonnets 12d.
. 3.

1 White Sattin Do
.10. 6

Deal Box
. 1. 8

Edwd Gilberd Stat[ionar]y

½ Rheam Superfine la: Writg Demy Cut
.12. 6

½ Rheam Demy Post 4to
. 5. 6

6 Papers best Ink Powder
. 2. 3

1 large Box of Wafers
. 1. 9

Geo: Ribright Protr

A Round Protractr to Pattern
.14. 0

Wm Baker Turn[er]y

2 large Dry Rubg Brushes Leaded 4/
. 8.

4 Clamps for Do 15d.
. 5.

1 Fine Lawn Sieve 12d.
. 1.

6 Course Hair Do 8d.
. 4.

Thos Squire C[u]t[ler]y

      2 pr Scissars @ 2/
      . 4.

1 pr Ditto
. 2. 6

2 pr Ditto large 3/
. 6.

Entry out Searchrs Fees & Shipg Chargs.
1.11. 6

Freight Primage & Bills of Loadg
    3. 4. 6

Premo of £ Insd at 4 Gs. prCt & Policy
5. 6. 3

Comn @ 2½ prCt
3. 0. 0

£123. 1. 3

E. Excepted Rob. Cary & Co.


Title: To George Washington from Joseph Valentine, 21–23 November 1770
From: Valentine, Joseph
To: Washington, George

Sir
Novr 21st [–23] 1770

I this day set off Mr Guys Vessell with your negros she did not get hear So soon ass I Expected them by their Letter by ten days they tel me they ware drove to Norfolk a Coming over the Bay they Bring you 500 Bushels of oats

the freight 3d. pr Bushel
£ 6. 5.0

and 16 negros @ 15/ pr head
12. 0.0

⟨mutilated⟩ 1 ⟨39⟩ lb. of Cotten
1.15.0

and 167 lb. of wool from King Wm @ 35/
2.   .0

Sam Kitt Cupit parros Ceaser moll Bettey ha⟨nna⟩h Lucey moll dafney doll Brumswick & Jamy fanney old Brumswick ⟨& alce⟩ 16 & 6 Children poll Billey Suckey ⟨Cloe⟩ Rachal & Janey 22 in all—Sir whilst I was writeing the other Letter that Comes by the vessell and ⟨the⟩ above ⟨heare⟩ parros went off though he seemd to be ass willing and Ready to Come ass any off the Rest I went immediate in serch for ⟨him⟩ but Cant find or h⟨ear⟩ any thing of him sence the negros & their things fild up the ⟨Vessell⟩ so full that their was not Room to put any thing Else a board the vessel wai⟨ted⟩ the after noon and night for me to try if I Cud get parros but ass I Cud not they Came off with the Rest which is 15 of the Bigest and 6 Children—please to Let me no what I must do with parros if I do get him.
I thought it not proper to pay the freight tel the negros and other things was deliverd please to give them an order on me for the money if you dont pay it—we have got Sum of our tobaco prisd but I Cant heare of any Ship ⟨yet that will mutilated⟩ it to mr Carey our tobaco fired so bad that it turns out in striping very porely—our Famileys has ben very Sickley this fall have no more to add at present but Remain Sir your most hble Sert

Jos. Valentine
Novr ⟨23⟩d 1770


Title: Memorandum to William Crawford, 24 November 1770
From: Washington, George
To: Crawford, William

[Stewart’s Crossing, Pa.] 24th Novr 1770.

Colo. Croghan and I being upon terms for a tract of 15,000 acres of Land, I have agreed to give him five pounds Sterling a hundred for this quantity, subject to a Quitrent of two shillings sterlg per hundred & no more, after the expiration of twenty years, provided you shall like the Land upon Examination of it. I must therefore beg the favor of you to deliver the enclosed letter to him (first taking a copy of it that you may be the better acquainted with my proposal) & if he directs you to proceed & look at the Land; then to examine it with the greatest care & attention, that you may be a competent judge of the quality & situation. The uncertain footing upon which the affairs of this Country seem to rest at present, will prevent me from making this purchase, unless I can get Lands that are really fine, & valuable in their nature for this reason I wou’d not have you

proceed to run out the Land on my Accot unless it answers the followg descriptions; 1st If the Land is very hilly & broken, I shou’d not choose to be concern’d with it at any rate, or at least, nothing wou’d induce me to do so, unless those hills were of the richest kind; the growth of which shall be walnut, cherry, & such other sorts of timber, as denote the most luxuriant Soil.
2d If, on the other hand, the Land shou’d be level, or at least wavy, that is, in little risings, sufficient to lay it dry and fit for the Plough, I wou’d put up with a soil less fertile but in either case I shou’d expect the Tract to be well watered, & well timbered with a sufficiency of meadow ground upon it. To descend to a more minute description of Land is unnecessary, as this is sufficient to form a lively Idea of the kind I want.
It is not only probable, but what I expect, that Colo. Croghan will say, that he will pass his Bond to convey a title to the Land, and therefore require the money to be paid on the strength thereof—To this I object, and you have only to reply, that if he accepts of the proposal I make him, you are (in that case) to view the Land, & if you approve of it, then to run it out in the manner, & agreeably to the directions above. If the Land is equally good I wou’d choose to have it laid off as convenient to the Fort on the river as possible. I am &c.

G.W.


Title: From George Washington to George Croghan, 24 November 1770
From: Washington, George
To: Croghan, George

Dear Sir,
[Stewart’s Crossing, Pa.] Novr 24th 1770.

Captn Crawford (who I expect will be the bearer of this letter to you) has promised me, that so soon as he has rested a little from the fatigues of his last journey he will wait upon you in

order to view the Lands you were offering for Sale. I have described the kind of Land to Capt: Crawford, I would choose to become the purchaser of, and if a sufficient quantity thereof, is to be found in a body, I will take Fifteen thousand acres; the money to be paid so soon as there can be a legal title made to the Land, at the rate of five pounds Sterling, for each hundred acres, subject to a Quitrent (after the expiration of twenty years) of two shillings Sterlg per hundred, & no more—If you incline to part with the above quantity of Land, on these terms, Capt: Crawford will proceed to view; & may, in company with any person you shall choose, run it out: It rests therefore with yourself to direct Mr Crawford to go on the Land for the purposes above mentioned, or not; as it will be unnecessary for him to be at any further trouble if you do not incline to accept of the proposal.
If the Charter Government takes place in the manner proposed, I presume there will be Surveyors appointed to different Districts, in order that the Land may be run out as fast as possible; in that case I wou’d beg leave to recommend Captn Crawford to your friendly notice as a person who would be glad to be employed, and as one who I dare say wou’d discharge the duty with honesty & care—thro’ your means I am persuaded he might come in for a share of this business—I am persuaded also, that he would not be wanting in gratitude for the favor. with very great esteem I remain Dr Sir Your most Obedt and much oblig’d humble Servant

G: Washington

P.S. If you still decline being one of the proprietors of the new Governmt—is it not better to sell, than resign? If so, what will you take for your share, provided your name stands confirm’d in the charter?


Title: Cash Accounts, December 1770
From: Washington, George
To:

[December 1770]

Cash

Decr 14—
To Cash recd from Mr R. Adam pr Lund Washington viz. 446 Dollars

@ 5/9
£128. 4.6

2 dble loons weight
8.13.9

2 half Joes Do
4.12.6

4 Guineas @ 26/3
5. 5.0

458½ Pistoreens weigg
27. 1.6
173.17.3

Contra

Decr  5—
By Cash to Jno. Ball pr Richd Talbott
12. 0.0

6—
By Ditto to Dominicus Gubner
4. 6.0

8—
By Ditto lent Wm Roberts
15. 0.0

9—
By Lund Washington to be accd for
4. 0.0

19—
By Mr Jno. Ball
20. 0.0

22—
By Charity
0. 6.0

By Servants
0. 2.6

By Jno. Parke Custis to buy Sundries at Fredg
2. 6.3

26—
By Jonathan Palmer
6. 6.0

31—
By Mr Humphrey Peake
10. 0.0


Title: To George Washington from Bryan Fairfax, 6 December 1770
From: Fairfax, Bryan
To: Washington, George

Dear Sir
Towlston Decr the 6th 1770

I am very glad to hear of your safe Return which I had begun to doubt of—Poor Rockwood died on his way Home.
I have inclosed a Letter which I received this Fall from Mr Montgomerie. Please to let me know your Determination, and if you should be inclinable (which I doubt of) to receive a payment from him, and make one to him as Mrs Savages Attorney, and

will inform me of the place it would be agreeable to you to meet him I will endeavor to be there if possible and the Weather tolerable. I am Dr Sir Yr most obedt

Bryan Fairfax

I think Mr Montgomerie wd be answerable to Mrs Savage.
I had almost forgot to inform you that Mr Harrison could not undertake the Suit vs. Mr Mason as he had been retained by him, and no Suit has been yet brought as I expected to have seen you soon after I received Mr Harrison’s Letter; so that in Case you don’t agree to Mr Montgomeries proposal, I hope you’l direct the Suit to be brought by any one you think proper; For tho. we cant refuse an actual Payment from Mr Montgomerie we may one upon condition of repaying it to him.


Title: To George Washington from Robert McMickan & Company, 7 December 1770
From: Robert McMickan & Company
To: Washington, George

Sir
Kingston Jamai⟨ca⟩ 7th Decr 177⟨0⟩

We have receivd ⅌ the Swift Captn sanford sixty nine Barrels Herrings shipt on your Account by Messrs Robt Adam & Co. of Alexandria, which we shall make sale of to the best advantage in our power. We have Shipt you the different Articles contain’d in your Memo. to Captn sanford amotg ⟨as⟩ ⅌ Invo. inclosed to £50.10.1 which we think may be nigh the Nt proceeds of your

Herrings when Sold. We shall be glad to render you any agreeable Service Now in our power being with respect sir Your mo. Hbl. Servt

Robt McMickan & ⟨Co.⟩

⟨Mutilated⟩ The purchase⟨d⟩ Rum we ⟨p⟩ray will prove very good prov⟨ided⟩ you ⟨can illegible.⟩


Title: To George Washington from Margaret Savage, 10 December 1770 [letter not found]
From: Savage, Margaret
To: Washington, George

Letter not found: from Margaret Savage, 10 Dec. 1770. On 5 Sept. 1771 GW wrote to Margaret Savage: “. . . about the middle of June I was favour’d with yours, of the 10th Decr. . . .”


Title: From George Washington to William Carr, 12 December 1770 [letter not found]
From: Washington, George
To: Carr, William

Letter not found: to William Carr, 12 Dec. 1770. On 17 Dec. Carr wrote to GW: “Your favour of the 12th Currt came to hand Yesterday.”


Title: From George Washington to Bryan Fairfax, 12 December 1770
From: Washington, George
To: Fairfax, Bryan

Dr Sir,
Decr 12th 1770

Having receivd your favour of the 6th I profess myself at a loss to know what answer to give to it, and to consult a Lawyer every time we are puzled by the duplicity of Mrs Savagess Conduct woud sink a large portion of her Annuity, or entail a heavy expence upon ourselves.
I think as you do, that it woud seem odd to refuse a actual tender of Mrs Savage’s Annuity from the Doctrs Agent at a time when we are threatning his Security with a Suit on this Acct; And I am of opinion, that if we do receive the money from him, we can not legally withhold payment thereof from her Attorney (who is one and the Same person) without submitting our Reasons for so doing to the Publick attention, and her Letters she has expressly requird may not be seen—Without exposing these as the grounds of our refusal [we] can have no pretext to detain

the money in our h⟨ands⟩—to keep it there woud contribute nothing to the rel⟨ief⟩ of Mrs Savages’s necessities but very probably expose o⟨ur⟩selves to censure—and to pay the money to any Person not legally authorizd to receive it woud I believe be equally Imprudent—In short, view the matter in whatever light one will, there is nothing but doubts & difficulties before us; and I see no effectual method of serving Mrs Savage without falling into some snare which we may not easily extricate ourselves from for I must confess that I have no good opinion of Mrs Savages honour on the one hand—On the [other] our attempts to serve her will give us little to expect from the Doctors Friendship if we shoud ⟨drop into a faux pas⟩—Upon the whole, can we, do you think, avoid coming to a Settlement with Mr Montgomerie without Incurring the Imputation of disengenuity on the one hand—or being too plain in our Reason’s for it on the other; If this can be done, I shoud be for letting that matter sleep till we coud write a joint Letter to Mrs Savage informing her of the predicament in which her Affairs respecting the Bond stands & to beg that she will ⟨mutilated⟩teady & fixd to some point or no longer expect ⟨us to be⟩come the dupes of her fickleness and folly. if y⟨ou⟩ think this method can be adopted no time shoud be lost in putting it in execution, if you think it cannot or ought not I am willing to pursue any other you shall advise as I own that I am more per⟨plexd the⟩ more I think of the matter. I am Dr Sir Yr Most Obedt S⟨ervt⟩

Go: W—n


Title: To George Washington from John Polson, 15 December 1770 [letter not found]
From: Polson, John
To: Washington, George

Letter not found: from John Polson, 15 Dec. 1770. On 24 June 1771 GW wrote to Polson: “Your Letters of the 15th of Decr from Georgia and 20th of April from Charles Town, came duely to hand.”


Title: From George Washington to Jonathan Boucher, 16 December 1770
From: Washington, George
To: Boucher, Jonathan

Revd Sir,
Mount Vernon Decr 16th 1770.

According to appointment Jacky Custis now returns to Annapolis—His Mind a good deal relaxed from Study, & more than ever turnd to Dogs Horses & Guns; indeed upon Dress & equipage, which till of late, he has discoverd little Inclination of giving into. I must beg the favour of you therefore to keep him close to those useful branches of Learning which he ought now to be acquainted with, & as much as possible, under your own Eye. without these, I fear he will too soon think himself above controul, & be not much the better for the extraordinary expence attending his Living in Annapolis, which I shoud be exceeding sorry for, as nothing but a hasty progress towards the completion of his Education, can justifie my keeping him there at such an expence as his Estate will now become chargeable with.
The time of Life he is now advancing into requires the most friendly aid and Council (especially in such a place as Annapolis); otherwise, the warmth of his own Passions, assisted by the

bad example of other Youth, may prompt him to Actions derogatory of Virtue, & that Innocence of Manners which one coud wish to preserve him in: For wch reason I woud beg leave to request, that, he may not be suffered to Sleep from under your own Roof, unless it be at such places as you are sure he can have no bad examples set him; nor allow him to be rambling about at Nights in Company with those, who do not care how debauchd and vicious his Conduct may be.
You will be so good I hope, as to excuse the liberty I have taken in offering my Sentiments thus freely—I have his welbeing much at Heart, & shoud be sorry to see him fall into any vice, or evil course, which there is a possibility of restraining him from. With very great esteem I remain Revd Sir Yr Most Hble Servt

Go: Washington


Title: To George Washington from William Carr, 17 December 1770
From: Carr, William
To: Washington, George

Sir
Dumfries 17th Decr 1770

Your favour of the 12th Currt came to hand Yesterday which confirmd what Mr Lawson Told me regarding your wheat as you Manufacture yours it will not be in my power to procure a ship Load in this part of the Country being only desird to ship from one to 200 Barrells of Flower & that on condition its of Equal Quality with the Baltimore & Philadelphia. I am empowerd by Mr Russell to Settle & adjust some of his affairs here amongst which are his claim to Mr Jonstouns Estate the tract of Land adjoining You will I am informd clearly appear to be Mr Russells Property of this I am not certain as I have not yet got the title Papers Mr West wrote me lately I need not bring suit against him if Mr Russells title shoud be thought good he woud not dispute the Point with me—I have been so busy this Fall that I really

coud not spare time to search Fairfax County office where all the papers relative to the Land may be found I shall look into this Matter immediately & then let you know how it stands you may be sure ⟨Si⟩r your inquiries shall remain with me & Mr Russells ⟨C⟩laim to the Land when the papers are procurd shall be forwarded to you so that if you are inclinable to Purchase from Mr West or Mr Russell you may be on a certainty[.] Should I have any orders to Buy Flower you shall know. I am Sir Your most Obt hble Servant

William Carr


Title: To George Washington from George Mercer, 18 December 1770
From: Mercer, George
To: Washington, George

Dear Colonel
Dublin [Ireland] Decr the 18th 1770

I wrote you from hence about two Months since, at the Request of Mrs Savage, praying you to do, what her own Letter now she says repeats, and enforces. I believe the poor Woman has but a bad Time of it, as she is amongst other Things, at the tender Age of three score & ten, denied the Use of Pen Ink Paper & Romances, and a frequent Use of the Strap is substituted in the Place of those Amusements—this she tells me herself, and an old Lady who visits me with her assures me—it is—but—too—true.
This Country affords no News—various are the Opinions concerning a War—all the Officers who had Leave of Absence are ordered to join their Regiments—every Pacquet boat imports Us at least half a dozen—and if We may judge by the Appearances at the Castle, all the Country seems to have got into his Majesty’s Livery—as ¾ of the Levee is always composed of red Coats.
I wrote you several Letters on the Subject of the Lands We were promised by Govr Dinwiddie’s Proclamation—in my last, before I left England, I mentioned my having agreed with, or I may rather say prevailed with, the great Land Company here—that the 200,000 Acres claimed by the Officers of the Virginia Troops, should be allowed, out of their small Grant; but I wish however the affair might be settled in Virginia, and I hope it is over by this, as the 25th of Octr is past.
I hope to kiss your Hand in our native Country the Beginning of the Summer, as I shall go to England in a few Days, & put myself on Board the first Spring Ship bound to the Land of Promise. My Compliments wait on Mrs Washington. I am Dear Colonel Your obliged Friend & humble Servt

Geo: Mercer


Title: To George Washington from Bryan Fairfax, 20 December 1770
From: Fairfax, Bryan
To: Washington, George

Dear Sir
Towlston December the 20th 1770

I have received your Favor of the 14th and now inclose a copy of my Last Letter to Mrs Savage, wherein I have told her my Sentiments very freely—and if you desire we should write a joint Letter when we have the pleasure of meeting I shall be agreeable to it. I can’t conveniently go down till the middle of January so that at present I can’t appoint any place of meeting even Mr Montgomerie—I have some thoughts of being at Alexandria in January Court, but it will depend on the weather & Circumstances. But as to the Payment of the Money, I am inclined for my Part, either to settle it as Mr Montgomerie proposes, or to write to her to know whether she stills objects to the payment of the Money to Mr Montgomerie or not, and if she does to send over another power in room of the other to some other Person. I am Dr sir Yr most obedt Servt

Bryan Fairfax


Title: Memorandum List of Quitrents, 1770
From: Washington, George
To:

1770. “A List of Lands belonging to Geo: Washington in the Northern Neck—on wch Quitrents became due Michaelmas—1770.”


Title: Crops Made on the Custis Plantations by Joseph Valentine, 1760–70, 1770
From: Washington, George
To:

[1770]

Editorial Note
The table prepared by GW is one of three in the Custis Papers (ViHi) that GW constructed to present data relating to crop production on the Custis plantations for the eleven years from 1760 through 1770. In a second table, not printed here, to which GW gives virtually the same heading, GW breaks down these figures by tabulating for each year the number of hogsheads and the weight of his own dower tobacco and John Parke Custis’s tobacco, “In the Leaf” and “Stem’d.” He also indicates how many bushels of GW’s corn were harvested in King William County and how many in York, as well as how many of Custis’s bushels came from New Kent County, from

York County, or from the Eastern Shore. The third of these tables in the Custis Papers is an accounting of the income for John Parke Custis, and for GW, arising on the Custis property each year from rents, corn, wheat, oats, peas, pork, beef, mutton, veal, butter, wool, cider, leather, seine, carpenters, marsh, flat (boat) hire, slave hire, hay, and “Sundry.” GW figured that in eleven years £10,299.19.10 was made on these goods and services from the Custis plantations, which, it should be noted, did not include tobacco, the main money crop, of which more than a million pounds was sold in the eleven years. The Custis Papers contain sheets with more detailed tabulation from which GW drew to construct his three tables. For instance, there are Joseph Valentine’s listings for most of the eleven years of the individual hogsheads with the gross and net weight of each and often with GW’s notation indicating the plantation on which the tobacco in a particular hogshead was raised or by which overseer. The table printed here is GW’s most succinct summary of crop production on the Custis plantations in the 1760s.

Table of Crop Yields
Crops of Corn, Wheat, & Tobacco made by Mr Josh Valentine from the year 1760 to 1770 Inclusive

Tobacco

G. Washington
J.P. Custis
Total

Years
Hhds
Weight
Hhds
Weight
Hhds
Weight

1760
30
31506
54
57910
84
89416

1761
34
34154
77
85494
111
119652

1762
29
34593
64
72718
93
107311

1763
36
41316
97
107171
133
148487

1764
32
32897
87
93642
119
126539

1765
20
20042
71
66886
91
86928

1766
17
18930
51
55362
68
74292

1767
17
17902
36
37558
53
55460

1768
20
21288
56
62383
76
83671

1769
17
17119
38
41832
55
58951

1770
22
22996
70
72236
92
   95232

1/11

1045939

average

95085

Corn

Wheat

GW
JPC
Total
GW
JPC
Total

Years
Barls
Barls
Barls
Bushls
Bushls
Bushels

1760
550
1607
2157
206
476
682

1761
559
1540
2099
78
253
331

1762
542
1637
2179
97
600
697

1763
584
1712
2296
78
280
358

1764
668
1473
2141
115
642
757

1765
461
1609
2070
38
3
41

1766
—
—
—
181
764
945

1767
576
2190
2766
56
82
138

1768
484
1990
2474
91
913
1004

1769
440
1648
2088
93
20
113

1770
—
—
—
219
600
819

1/9
20270

1/11
5885

average
2252

average
535


Title: Cash Accounts, January 1771
From: Washington, George
To:

[January 1771]

Cash

1771   —
To Balle of Mr Jno. Muirs Acct
£ 7. 1. 0

Jan: 11—
To Cash Receivd for a Whipsaw
1.19. 0

Contra

By Charity
0. 6. 0

By Shrieve and Butcher for Jno. P. Custis
2.18.10

Jany  2—
By Matthew Lawson Plaisterer
14. 1. 8

By Willm Bushby Paintg my Ho. in Alexa.
6. 8. 1

4—
By Mr Harry Piper for Vale Crawford
25.12. 7

By Richd Lake in full for work done to this time on my Ho. in Alexanda
20. 6. 1 1/2

By Joseph Goord
1. 3. 4

By Cards
3.14. 6

7—
By Sundry’s bot of a New Englandman
1. 1. 3

By Doctr Steptoe for Miss Custis
2. 3. 0

By Cards
0. 5. 0

11—
By Bryan Allison’s acct
6. 6. 0

By Do Do Do agt J.P. Custis
2.10. 0

12—
By Christr Shade
1. 4. 0

By Thoms Bishop
1. 0. 0

16—
By Servants at Colo. Fairfaxs
1. 4. 0

By Jno. Alton
8. 0. 0

21—
By Barber
0. 2. 6

23—
By Mr Auge Seaton
2. 3. 0

26—
By 2 pr of Shoes from Mr Montgomerie’s
0.13. 5

29—
By two Play Tickets
0.10. 0

By Exps. at the Play
0. 6. 3

By 5 yds of Black binding
0. 1. 3

By Servants
0. 3. 9


Title: From George Washington to Jonathan Boucher, 2 January 1771
From: Washington, George
To: Boucher, Jonathan

Dear Sir
Mount Vernon Jan. 2st 1771

Jack’s return has been delayd, as well from a belief that you might not be well settled, or from a desire of gratifying him in his favourite amusement of Hunting, these Holliday’s—He returns now he says, with a determination of applying close to his Studies; and I confide entirely in your promise of making him do so, as time slips of a pace, and other Idea’s & pursuits, will soon render it more difficult to keep him confind to them, than at present. In respect to the kinds, & manner of his Studying,

I leave it wholely to your better judgment—had he begun, or rather pursued his Study of the Greek Language, I should have thought it no bad acquisition; but whether to acquire this now, he may not forego some more useful branches of learning, is a matter worthy of consideration—To be acquainted with the French Tongue, is become a part of polite Education; and to a Man who has an⟨y idea⟩ of mixing in a large Circle, absolute⟨ly necessary. With⟩out Arithmetick, the common ⟨affairs of⟩ life are not to be managed ⟨with success. The study of Geo⟩metry, and the Math⟨ematics (with due regard to the br⟩anches of it) is equall⟨y advantageous. The principles⟩ of Philosophy, Moral, Natural, &ca I should think a very desirable knowledge for a Gentleman; but as I said before, I leave the whole to your direction; with this earnest request that, in whatever kind of Study you think proper to engage him, he may be kept diligently to it, for he really has no time to loose.
The shortness of the distance between this and your present habitation will, I hope, give us the pleasure of seeing you and Miss Boucher often at Mount Vernon; in this hope Mrs Washington also rests, and with her Compliments and wishes, joind with mine for the return of many happy, & prosperous years to you, I remain with great sincerety Dr Sir Yr Most Obedt Hble Servt

Go: Washington


Title: To George Washington from Bernard Moore, 12 January 1771
From: Moore, Bernard
To: Washington, George

Dear Sir
12th Jany 1771

My Circumstances are so situated as to make it Necessary for me to sell my whole Estate to pay my debts, & I am sorry to inform you it will take every shilling I have to effect that end, this will leave my Famely (for whom only I feel) in a very distresfull situation unless my friends will assist me in this my day of distress.
My long acquaintance with you and the Friendship that has ever subsisted betwen us, emboldens me to request the favour of you to join my other Friends in lending me mony for a few years without interest, in which time, I hope to be able to work it out, as I have the advantage of working good Lands without paying Rent, but should I be mistaken I would not by any means have my friends Suffer by me, I propose the Negroes should be bought ⟨in⟩ the name of the Gentleman who is so kind to lend the mony & allways remain as Security to him for refunding his Principal.
My Nephew Mr Aug: Seaton waits on you with this, who will inform you what my other friends propose doing, by whom I hope to receive your approbation of this Scheme & your kind assistance towards its execution. I am sincerely Dear Sir Your Affectio: Servt

Berd Moore

P:S: I had given a Mortgage to Mr P. W. Claiborne for several things to the amount of a thousand pounds for his security for my Executorship to Spotswoods Estate, besides several hundred pounds I had a wright to draw for out of the hands of the Speakers Administrators, all which (as I owe Spotswoods Estate not one farthing) I have Mortgaged to you and others, that you may assure your self your Brothers Estate can not suffer one Shilling was his debt much larger. B. M.


Title: From George Washington to the Officers of the Virginia Regiment of 1754, 20 January 1771
From: Washington, George
To: Officers of the Virginia Regiment of 1754

Dear Sir,
Mount Vernon Jany 20th 1771

As there has happend several very considerable, & not less surprizing changes respecting the Lands West of the Allegany Mountains since our Flattering prospect about this since twelve months—indeed since the meeting of the officers at Fredericksburg in August last, I think it indispensably necessary that we shoud have another meeting, in order to fix upon some settled plan of operation under our present discouragements, or resolve to let our pretensions sleep till happier times, for this ⟨purpose⟩ I have appointed a meeting at Winchester on the first Monday in March next (being the 4th of the Month) which will allow us as long time to receive further information of the New Charter Government as we ought to delay finishing the Work (begun last Fall) of Surveying. I hope this time and place will be convenient to you as I coud heartily wish for a full meeting of the Parties concernd, that something conclusive may be the result of it.
In full confidence then of seeing you upon this occasion, I defer giving any acct of my journey to the Ohio and passage down the River till I enjoy this satisfaction, this Letter being intended as nothing more than an advertiser of the meeting, in case you shoud not see my notification thereof in the Gazettes. In the mean time I remain Dr Sir Yr Most Obedt Servt

Go: Washington


Title: From George Washington to Bernard Moore, 23 January 1771
From: Washington, George
To: Moore, Bernard

Dear Sir,
Colchester Jany 23d 1771

Your Letter of the 12th Inst. by Mr Seaton was delivered to me at this place in my way to Dumfries where I am going upon an Arbitration fixd to this day. I am exceeding sorry to hear of your unfortunate Circumstances and wish that the situation of my own Engagements, woud permit me to subscribe more largely to your relief than they will; but having several pretty large Sums of my own to pay it is utterly out of my power (with any sort of convenience) to advance more than One hundred pounds for the purpose and on the terms you mention; this I am willing to do, and accordingly have wrote to the Trustees informing them thereof—I have no doubts of your putting me upon as good a footing as any of the other Subscribers & therefore do not condition with you for terms or say anything further on that head but again beg that something effectual may be done to secure myself & Brothers from the payment of your Bond to Mr Lightfoots Estate as I am sensible it woud be attended with great Inconvenience to some of them to advance this money & be a hardship upon us all. I am Dr Sir Yr Most Obt H. Servt

Go: W—n


Title: From George Washington to Charles Washington, 25 January 1771
From: Washington, George
To: Washington, Charles

Dear Charles
Dumfries Jan: 25th 1771

I shoud be obligd to you to receive the Amount of the Inclosd Order, & either bring it up with you when you come to Mount Vernon, or keep it till I draw for it.
I informd you by the next Post after receiving your Letter, that I had not one Paper in the world relating to the Land on Deep Run; but that my Brother Sam (if he had not parted with it to Mr Lawe Washington) had the original Deed.
I have appointed a meeting of the Officers concernd in the Grant of 200,000 acres to meet at Winchester on Monday the 4th of March for which place I expect to set off abt the 1st of that Month, & may, probably, stay in the County a fortnight—this I mention that you may not delay your visit to Mt Vernon till that time. I am engagd here in a very disagreeable Arbitration which I suppose will keep me till sometime in next week—tell Colo. Lewis he may as well take a Ride up with you, as by that time, I expect to have my Mills quite compleated. I am Yr Most Affecte Br.

Go: Washington


Title: Cash Accounts, February 1771
From: Washington, George
To:

[February 1771]

Contra

Feby 2—
By Susanna Bishop
£ 0.15.0

By a Box of Spirma Citi Candles @ 2/3
3.13.8

By Mr Lund Washington
15. 0.0

6—
By Christr Shade
1. 0.0

8—
By Mr Jno. Ball Balle of his Acct
66. 4.3

By 5 Guinea’s gave him
6.11.3

12—
By Charity
1. 5.0

By Servants
0. 6.3

19—
By Wm Roberts
1.16.0

24—
By Jonathan Palmer with
3.10.0

25—
By Mr James Kirk pr Will Gibbs
21. 0.0