Title: [November 1770 (1)]
From: Washington, George
To:

November 1st. A little before eight Oclock we set of with our Canoe up the River to discover what kind of Lands lay upon the Kanhawa. The Land on both sides this River just at the Mouth is very fine; but on the East side when you get towards the Hills (which I judge to be about 6 or 700 yards from the River) it appears to be wet, & better adapted for Meadow than tillage. This bottom continues up the East side for about 2 Miles, & by going up the Ohio a good Tract might be got of bottom Land Including the old Shawna Town, which is about 3 Miles up the Ohio just above the Mouth of a C[ree]k—where the aforementiond bottom ends on the East side the Kanhawa. An[othe]r begins on the W. which extends up it at least 50 Miles by the Indns. Acct. and of great width (to be ascertaind, as we come down) in many places very rich, in others somewhat wet & pondy; fit for Meadow; but upon the whole exceeding valuable, as the Land after you get out of the Rich bottom is very good for Grain tho not rich. We judgd we went up this River about 10 Miles today. On the East side appear to be some good bottoms but small—neither long nor wide, & the Hills back of them rather steep & poor.

   The Great Kanawha.

Novr. 2d. We proceeded up the River with the Canoe about 4 Miles more, & then incampd & went a Hunting; killd 5 Buffaloes &

wounded some others—three deer &ca. This Country abounds in Buffalo & wild game of all kinds; as also in all kinds of wild fowl, the⟨re⟩ being in the Bottoms a great many small grassy Ponds or Lakes which are full of Swans, Geese, & Ducks of different kinds.
Some of our People went up the River 4 or 5 Miles higher & found the same kind of bottom on the West side, & we were told by the Indians that it continued to the Falls which they judgd to be 50 or 60 Miles higher up. This Bottom next the Water (in most places) is very rich. As you approach to the Hills you come (in many) to a thin white Oak Land, & poor. The Hills as far as we coud judge were from half a Mile to a Mile from the River; poor & steep in the parts we see, with Pine growing on them. Whether they are generally so, or not, we cannot tell but I fear they are.

Saturday 3d. We set of down the River on our return homewards, and Incampd at the Mouth; at the Beginning of the Bottom above the Junction of the Rivers, and at the Mouth of a branch on the Eastside, I markd two Maples, an Elm, & Hoopwood Tree as A Cornr. of the Soldiers L[an]d (if we can get it) intending to take all the bottom from hence to the Rapids in the Great Bent into one Survey. I also markd at the Mouth of another Gut lower down on the West side (at the lower end of the long bottom) an Ash and hoopwood for the Beginning of another of the Soldiers Survey to extend up so as to Include all the Bottom (in a body) on the West side.
In coming from our last Incampment up the Kanhawa I endeavourd to take the courses & distances of the River by a Pocket Compass, & guessing; which I make thus. N. by W. 2 Mile—NNW 11/2 Do. NW ½ Do. to the Mouth of a pretty smart Creek to the Eastward—No. Wt. 2 Do. to another Creek of the same size on the same side—West ½ a Mile—WNW ½ a Mile—N. Wt. 1 Do. WNW 2 Do. W by N 2 Do.—NW 11/2 Do. WNW ½ Do. to the Mouth.

   Some 80 square miles of this land was eventually surveyed and granted to officers of the Virginia Regiment other than GW (see cookRoy Bird Cook. Washington’s Western Lands. Strasburg, Va., 1930., 27).

Sunday 4. The Ohio from the Mou⟨th⟩ of the Kanhawa runs thus—North 2 Miles—NNW 11/4 to the Mouth of a Creek & old Shawne Town N 6 W 11/2 Miles—NEt. 1 Do.—NE by Et. 11/2 NNEt. 4 Do. ENE ¾ of a Mile to the Mouth of a C[ree]k on the

west side, & to the Hills, wch. the Indians say is always a fire to which the Bottom from the Mouth of the Kanhawa continues & then ends. After passing these Hills (which may run on the River near a Mile) there appears to be another pretty good Bottom on the East side. At this place we met a Canoe going to the Illinoies with Sheep and at this place also, that is at the end of the Bottom from the Kanhawa, just as we came to the Hills, we met with a Sycamore abt. 60 yards from the River of a most extraordinary size it measuring (3 feet from the Gd.) 45 feet round, lacking two Inches & not 50 yards from it was another 31.4 round (3 feet from the Gd. also).
The 2d. Bottom hinted at the other side (that is the one lying above the Bottom that reaches from the Kanhawa) is that taken notice of the 30th. Ulto. to lye in the shape of a Horse Shoe, & must from its situation, & quantity of level Ground be very valuable, if the Land is but tolerably good.
After passing this bottom & abt. a Mile of Hills we enterd into the 3d. Bottom and Incampd. This bottom reaches within about half a Mile of the Rapid at the point of the Great Bent.

   Opposite the mouth of Campaign Creek, Gallia County, Ohio.

   Roy Bird Cook suggests this camp was “about the mouth of Broad Creek, above New Haven, West Virginia” (cookRoy Bird Cook. Washington’s Western Lands. Strasburg, Va., 1930., 27).

Monday 5th. I set of the Canoe with our Baggage & walkd across the Neck on foot with Captn. Crawford distant according to our Walking about 8 Miles as we kept a strait course under the Foot of the Hills which run about So. Et. & was two hours & an half walking of it.
This is a good Neck of Land the Soil being generally good; & in places very rich. Their is a large proportion of Meadow Ground, and the Land as high, dry, & Level as one coud wish. The growth in most places is beach intermixd with walnut &ca. but more especially with Poplar (of which there are numbers very large). The Land towards the upper end is black Oak, & very good. Upon the whole a valuable Tract might be had here, & I judge the quantity to be about 4000 Acres.
After passing this Bottom & the Rapid, as also some Hills wch. just pretty close to the River, we came to that Bottom before remarkd the 29th. Ulto.; which being well describd, there needs no further remark except that the Bottom within view appears to be exceeding rich; but as I was not out upon it, I cannot tell how it

is back from the River. A little above this Bottom we Incampd—the afternoon being rainy & Night wet.

   GW and Crawford had now crossed to the Ohio shore. GW later acquired 4,395 acres on the opposite side of the river in the area of the Great Bend (writingsJohn C. Fitzpatrick, ed. The Writings of George Washington from the Original Manuscript Sources, 1745–1799. 39 vols. Washington, D.C., 1931–44., 34:438). This land is in the vicinity of Millswood, W.Va.

Tuesday 6th. We left our Incampment a little after daylight, & in about 5 Miles we came to Kiashutes Hunting Camp which was now removd to the Mouth of that Creek noted Octr. 29 for having fallen Timber at the Mouth of it, in a bottom of good land. Between the Bottom last describd & this bottom, there is nothing but Hills on the East side except a little flat of a 100 Acres or so, between. This Bottom thro which the Creek comes may be about 4 or 5 Miles in length & tolerably wide. Grown up pretty much with Beach tho the Soil is good.
By the kindness, and Idle ceremony of the Indians, I was detaind at Kiashutas Camp all the remaing. part of this day; and having a good deal of conversation with him on the Subject of Land. He informd me, that, it was further from the mouth of the Great Kanhawa to the Fall of that River than it was between the two Kanhawas—that the Bottom on the West side (which begins near the Mouth of the Kanhawa) continues all the way to the Falls without the Interposition of Hills, and widens as it goes, especially from a pretty large Creek that comes in abt. 10 or 15 Miles higher up than where we were—that in the Fork there is a body of go⟨od⟩  Land and at some pretty consider⟨able⟩ distance above this, the River forks again at an Island, & there begins the Reed or Cain to grow—that the Bottoms on the East side of the River are also very good, but broken with Hills and that the River is easily passd with Canoes to the Falls wch. cannot be less than 100 M⟨iles⟩ but further it is not possible to go with them and that there is but one ridge f⟨rom⟩ thence to the Settlements upon the River above, that it is possible for a Man to travel; the Country betw⟨een⟩ being so much broken with steep Hills & precipices.
He further informd (which ⟨ ⟩ seemed to be corroborated by all ⟨ ⟩ with whom I conversd) that the ⟨ ⟩ back of the Short broken Hills th⟨ ⟩ but down upon the Rivers are ⟨ ⟩ uneven, & not rich, except the ⟨ ⟩ upon Creeks, till you come towards ⟨ ⟩ heads of the Creeks; then the La⟨ ⟩ grows leveller, and the soil rich ⟨ ⟩.

   Entries in the diary from this point to Nov. 17 have been badly mutilated. The entries are not complete enough to identify landmarks with certainty.

Wednesday 7th. We set out ⟨ ⟩ ½ an hour after Seven and af⟨ ⟩sing the Botton through which ⟨ ⟩ Creek with the fallen Timber at the Mouth Runs & which I believe is calld Buffalo Creek, we came to a range of Hills for a Mile or more in length upon the River (East side) then comes in the Bottom, opposite to wch. the Creek below wch. we lodgd at with the Indians the 28th. Ulto. empties. This also appears to be a bottom of 4 or 5 Miles in length, and tolerable good from the River. When we ⟨ ⟩ pass this Bottom the Hills (rather ⟨ ⟩aller & flatter than usual) comes ⟨ ⟩se to the River (East side for 4 or ⟨ m⟩iles) then begins another Bottom ⟨ ⟩ above, or opposite to a small ⟨ ⟩nd; but before we came to this ⟨ m⟩ile, or two, we passd a good smart ⟨ ⟩ on the East side. This Bottom ⟨ ⟩ opposite to Great Hockhocking ⟨ ⟩ above which, & opposite to Dela⟨ware⟩ Hunting Party, we Incampd.

⟨Thur⟩sday 8th. We left our Incamp⟨ment⟩ as soon as we coud clearly dis⟨tingu⟩ish the rocks; and after pas⟨ ⟩ Bottom which neither ap⟨ ⟩ to be long, wide, nor very ⟨ ⟩ came to a Second Bottom noticd the 27th. Ulto. opposite to a Creek on the west side called by the Indian’s little hockhocking, but may easily be distinguishd by having a lar⟨ge⟩ Stone just at its Mouth (the upper side). This bottom is about 7 in length and appears to be very wide, and go⟨od⟩ and must be very valuable if it ⟨is⟩ not liable to be overflowd, some pa⟨rt⟩ of it appearing low. The lower part of this bottom (as was obser⟨ved⟩ the 27th. Ulto.) is opposite to a smal barren Island with only a few bu⟨shes⟩ on it—the upper part of it begin⟨ ⟩ at much such another place o⟨ ⟩ side (and part of a pretty long ⟨ ⟩ and at a drain or small run Th⟨at ⟩ comes out of the Hills. This is ⟨ ⟩ in a Mile or two of the Mouth ⟨ ⟩ Kanhawa, & the next Bottom ⟨ ⟩ except a little narrow slipe ⟨ ⟩ at the foot of the Hills below the ⟨ ⟩.
At the Mouth of the Ka⟨nawha⟩ Captn. Crawford, one of the In⟨dians⟩ and myself, left the Canoe, in⟨ten⟩ding to meet it again at the ⟨ ⟩ of Muskingham about 13 M⟨iles⟩ above, but the Indian by ⟨ ⟩ brought us to the River ⟨ ⟩ Miles below it. In this excursion we passd over various kinds of Lands some tolerable good white Oak Ground level, & meadowey—some ⟨v⟩ery Hilly, & broken with Stone; and ⟨s⟩ome black Oak, thinly timberd but ⟨g⟩ood for Farming and others abt. ⟨ ⟩ Mile before we came to the River ⟨w⟩hich was at a place where there ⟨wa⟩s no

bottom) exceeding good, full ⟨ ⟩el enough, & well timberd with ⟨ ⟩ & black Oak; but in all the Gd. ⟨ ⟩ passd over today, & I suppose ⟨ ⟩ coud not have walkd less than ⟨ ⟩ Miles there was no Water. This ⟨ ⟩art of the Land where I thoug⟨ ⟩ Octr. 27) 50,000 Acres might ⟨ ⟩t; but it does not answer my ⟨expe⟩ctations. However, by falling ⟨ ⟩ the River too low, I apprehend ⟨ ⟩ the worst of it; as we were ⟨ ⟩ the Ridges that divide the Wa⟨ ⟩t Ohio from the Kanhawa; & ⟨ ⟩ up, towards the 3 Islands, has ⟨ ⟩ appearance. ⟨ ⟩st below the Mouth of Mus⟨ ⟩ Incampd.

Friday 9th. The Night proving very Rainy, & Morning wet we did ⟨not⟩ set out till ½ after 10 Oclock, & Incampd by the 3 Islands. Seeing a Bear upon the shore we landed, and followd it abo⟨ut⟩ half a Mile from the River wch. gave us an opportunity of s⟨eeing⟩ a little of the Land, which was hilly but rich.

Saturday 10th. After a Nig⟨ht⟩ of incessant Thunder & Lig⟨ht⟩ning, attended with heavy ⟨con⟩stant Rain till 11 Oclock th⟨ ⟩ day, we set of about Twelve ⟨ ⟩ (the Rain then ceasing) and ⟨ ⟩ to the lower end of the long distant about 12 Miles—⟨ ⟩ little stream, imperceptab⟨le ⟩ the view in our passage do ⟨ ⟩ now pouring in her mite, ⟨ ⟩ River raising very fast ⟨ ⟩ grows so muddy as to ren⟨der ⟩ Water irksome to drink

⟨Su⟩nday 11th. The last Night provd ⟨a⟩ Night of incessant Rain attended ⟨w⟩ith thunder and lightning. The ⟨ri⟩ver by this Morning had raisd abt. ⟨ ⟩ feet perpendicular and was ⟨lev⟩elling fast. The Rain seeming ⟨to a⟩bate a little and the wind spring⟨ing⟩ up in our favour we were ⟨te⟩mpted to set of; but were deceivd ⟨ ⟩ both; for the Wind soon ceasd, & ⟨the⟩ Rain continued without inter⟨rup⟩tion till about 4 Oclock when ⟨it⟩ moderated. However tho we ⟨did⟩ not sit of till Eleven, We got ⟨to the⟩ head of the long reach abt. ⟨ ⟩les the River continuing to ⟨ ⟩ fast, & much choakd with ⟨ ⟩ wood.

⟨Mo⟩nday 12th. There fell a little ⟨ ⟩ in the Night tho nothing to ⟨ ⟩ of. Abt. Sun rise we left our ⟨Incam⟩pment to encounter a very ⟨ s⟩tream which by this time had ⟨ ⟩ 2 feet perpendicular & running ⟨ ⟩t velocity. After contending ⟨ w⟩hole day we were not able to get more than about ⟨ ⟩ Miles. The water still rising, and the Currt.

if possible running ⟨w⟩ith more violence, we came to a res⟨olu⟩tion of ordering our Horses (whi⟨ch⟩ by appointment were to be at P⟨itts⟩burg the 14th. Inst.) to meet us at Mingo Town accordingly.

Tuesday 13th. We dispatchd ⟨ ⟩ young Indian express to Val⟨ ⟩ Crawford, who had the charge o⟨f⟩ them to proceed on ⟨ ⟩ that place, where we purp⟨osed⟩ if possible, to get the Canoe ⟨it⟩ being about 50 Miles below ⟨ ⟩ In pursuance of this resolu⟨tion⟩ we Imbark’d again, and with ⟨diffi⟩culty got about 5 Miles furth⟨er⟩ to the Mouth of the Upperm⟨ost⟩ broken timber Creek. In ⟨ ⟩ of last Night the River rose ⟨ ⟩ perpendicular, and in the w⟨ ⟩ with what it rose in the day ⟨ ⟩ must be now 4 or 5 & twenty fee⟨t⟩ its usual height, & not a great ⟨ ⟩ below its banks—in low pl⟨aces⟩ them.
This day about 3 In the After⟨noo⟩n we met two Battoes & a large Ca⟨noe⟩ going (at a very fast rate) to ⟨ ⟩ Illinois with Provisions for the ⟨G⟩arrison at Fort Chartres.

   Fort Chartres is in the Illinois country on the east side of the Mississippi River some 50 miles below the site of Saint Louis. Originally a French fort, it had been acquired by the British in 1763. Visiting the fort in 1766, Capt. Harry Gordon found it “well imagined and finished. It has four bastions of stone masonry, designed defensible against musquetry. The barracks are also of masonry, commodious and elegant. The fort is large enough to contain 400 men, but may be defended by one third of that number against Indians” (pownallThomas Pownall. A Topographical Description of the Dominions of the United States of America. Edited by Lois Mulkearn. Pittsburgh, 1949., 163–64). It was abandoned by the British in 1772 “as it was rendered untenable by the constant washings of the River Missisippi in high floods” (hutchinsThomas Hutchins. A Topographical Description of Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and North Carolina, Comprehending the Rivers Ohio, Kenhawa, Sioto, Cherokee, Wabash, Illinois, Missisippi, &c . . .. London, 1778., 37).

Wednesday 14th. The River began ⟨ ⟩e at a stand between Sunset & dark Night, & contind. for some ⟨ ⟩ so; falling only 2 feet by Sun ⟨ ⟩. About an hour by sun we ⟨ ⟩ our Incampment and reachd a ⟨ ⟩ above the Captening, (or Fox grape vine Creek) about 11 Miles; not finding ⟨the w⟩ater quite so strong as yesterday, ⟨lev⟩eling with a little assistance from ⟨ ⟩ind. About 2 or 3 Miles below ⟨Capte⟩ning I got out (on the West side) ⟨ ⟩kd through a Neck of as good ⟨ ⟩ as ever I saw, between that & ⟨ ⟩k; the Land on the Hill sides ⟨ ⟩s rich as the bottoms; than ⟨ ⟩ nothing can exceed. The bottom ⟨ ⟩ the Mouth of Captening appears ⟨ ⟩ equal goodness with the one below ⟨ ⟩.

⟨Thu⟩rsday 15th. The Canoe set of ⟨ ⟩ rise, as I did to view that ⟨ ⟩ opposite to the Mouth of Pike Creek. In ⟨passing

⟩ Neck I found the lower pa⟨rt⟩ N⟨ot⟩ very rich ⟨upon⟩ the Ri⟨ver ⟩ very ⟨ ⟩ towards the Hills, with ⟨ ⟩ Land well Timberd; and not ⟨ ⟩ only in places—the Mid⟨ ⟩ back of the Rich bottom ⟨ ⟩ black & white Oak Land f⟨ ⟩ming, or any purpose w⟨ ⟩ & intermixd with Meadow.
The upper end is as rich ⟨ ⟩ quite to the Hills (which ⟨ ⟩ as ever I saw, but subjec⟨t ⟩ to freshes. Of this Bottom ⟨ ⟩ Timberd Land adjoining, I⟨ ⟩ may be 12 or 1500 Acres go ⟨ ⟩ in this manner. Begin⟨ ⟩ the Hills juts down to the ⟨ ⟩ ½ a Mile above Pipe Creek ⟨ ⟩ west) & a Mile or more to ⟨ ⟩ of another C[ree]k on the East, ⟨ ⟩ Bottom above the Capten⟨ing ⟩ East side the River, & just ⟨ ⟩ destruction of Timber Oc⟨ ⟩ Hurricane of Wind—fro⟨ ⟩ This bottom there is a r⟨un ⟩ abt. a Mile—then comes in ⟨ ⟩ mentiond (which I coud g⟨ ⟩ on which & up the River ⟨ ⟩ there appears to be a ⟨ ⟩ rich at ⟨ ⟩e is a run ⟨ ⟩—the b⟨ott⟩om ⟨ ⟩ is pretty long but narrow ⟨ ⟩ Creek (on the West side) calld ⟨ ⟩ Nicholson the 24th. Ulto., r⟨ ⟩ the River having fallen at ⟨ ⟩t ⟨ ⟩.

⟨Friday⟩ 16th. Directing the Canoe ⟨ ⟩ me at the Mouth of the ⟨ ⟩ by the Indians split Island ⟨ ⟩ which I have since found ⟨ ⟩e one distinguished by the ⟨ ⟩t of Redstone &ca. by the ⟨ ⟩eling; I set out with Capt⟨n⟩. ⟨ ⟩n foot, to take a view ⟨ ⟩ a little distance from the ⟨ ⟩ doing this we asscended Hills ⟨ ⟩ to be almost impassable, ⟨ ⟩ the River with stone & ⟨ ⟩ Timber. Back of these ⟨ gro⟩und is very uneven, & ex⟨ ⟩n⟨ ⟩ spots, not very good; ⟨ ⟩ly well Timbered—as far ⟨ ⟩ see into the Country the ⟨ ⟩ his kind. Coming on ⟨ ⟩ split Island Creek) some ⟨ ⟩ on the Mouth, we had ⟨ opportu⟩nity of observing from ⟨ ⟩, which are very high the course of the Creek which Mea⟨n⟩ders through a bottom of fine land especially at the Forks where there appears to be a large body of it. The vail (through which this Creek runs) as far as we coud see up it, appears to be wide, & the Soil of the Hills which confines it good, tho very steep in some places. On this Creek, which heads up a little to the Southward of Redstone Settlement, there is, according to the Indians Acct., & all the accts. I coud get, a great deal of fine land. The Body of flat Land at the Forks is but a very little way from the River in a direct line & may contain

I guess a thousand Acres or more. Below the Mouth of this Creek there is a bottom of pretty good Land but not large and about 5 Miles above at the Mouth of a small run which comes in at the lower point of a Island (& which by mistake I calld, Octr. 23d. Fishing Creek) there is a bottom of as fine land as can possibly be but not large containing not more than two or 300 Acres. At the head of this Bottom & a little below the 2d. cross Creeks we Incampd dista⟨nt⟩ from our last 13 or fourteen Miles.
Here it was for the 2d. time that the Indian with me spoke of a fine piece of Land and beautiful place for a House & in order to give me a more lively Idea of it, chalk out the situation upon his Deerskin. It lyes upon Bull Creek, at least 30 Miles from the Mouth, but not more than 5 from the Mouth of Muddy Creek, in an ESE direction. The spot he recommends for a House lyes very high commanding a prospect of a great deal of level Land below on the Creek—the Ground about it very rich & a fine spring in the middle of it about which many Buffaloes use & have made great Roads. Bull Creek according to his Acct. runs parrallel with the long reach in the Ohio—not above 6 or 7 Miles from it, having fine bottoms which widen as it extends into the Country & towards the head of it is large bodies of level rich Land.

Saturday 17th. By this Morning the River had fallen (in the whole) 2 or 3 & twenty feet, & was still lowering. Abt. 8 Oclock we set out, & passing the lower cross Creeks we came to a pretty long, & tolerable wide & good bottom on the East side the River; then comes in the Hills; just above which, is Buffalo Creek (a Creek I neither see nor remarkd in going down) upon which, and above it, between that & the cross Creeks near the Mingo Town (distant 3 or 4 Miles) is a Bottom of exceeding fine Land but not very large unless it extends up the Creek.
About 3 Oclock we came to the Town without seeing our Horses the Indian (which was sent express for them) having passd through only the morning before (being detained by the Creeks which were too high to ford, without going high up them). Here we resolvd to wait their arrival which was expected tomor⟨row⟩ & here then will end our Water Voyage along a River the general course of which from Bever Creek to the Kanhawa is about S. Wt. (as near as I coud determine); but in its winding thro a narrow Vale, extreamely serpentine; forming on both sides the River alternately, Necks of very good (so⟨me⟩ exceeding fine) Bottoms; lying for the most part in the shape of a half Moon, & of various sizes. There is very little difference in the genl. width

of the River from Fort Pitt to the Kanhawa; but in the depth I believe the odds is considerably in favour of the lower parts; as we found no shallows below the Mingo Town, except in one or two places where the River was broad; & there, I do not know but there might have been a deep Channel in some part of it. Every here and there are Islands some larger, & some smaller, which operating in the nature of Locks or Stops, occasion pretty still water above but for the most part strong & rapid water alongside of them. However there is none of these so swift but that a Vessel may be Rowd or set up with Poles. When the River is in its Natural State, large Canoes that will carry 5 or 6000 weight & more, may be workd against stream by 4 hands 20 & 25 Miles a day; & down, a good deal more. The Indians who are very dexterous (even there women) in the Management of Canoes, have there Hunting Camps & Cabins all along the River for the convenience of Transporting their Skins by Water to Market. In the Fall, so soon as the Hunting Season comes on, they set out with their Familys for this purpose; & in Hunting will move there Camps from place to place till by the Spring they get 2 or 300, or more Miles from there Towns; Then Bever catch it in there way up which frequently brings them into the Month of May, when the Women are employd in Plantg.—the Men at Market, & in Idleness, till the Fall again; when they pursue the same course again. During the Summer Months they live a poor & perishing life.
The Indians who live upon the Ohio (the upper parts of it at least) are composd of Shawnas, Delawares, & some of the Mingos, who getting but little part of the Consideration that was given for the Lands Eastward of the Ohio, view the Settlement of the People upon this River with an uneasy & jealous Eye, & do not scruple to say that they must be compensated for their Right if the People settle thereon, notwithstanding the Cession of the Six Nations thereto. On the other hand, the People from Virginia & elsewhere, are exploring and Marking all the Lands that are valuable not only on Redstone & other Waters of Monongahela but along down the Ohio as low as the little Kanhawa; & by next Summer I suppose will get to the great Kanhawa, at least; how difficult it may be to contend with these People afterwards is easy to be judgd of from every days experience of Lands actually settled, supposing these to be made; then which nothing is more probable if the Indians permit them, from the disposition of the People at present. A few Settlements in the midst of some of the large Bottoms, woud render it impractacable to get any large qty. of Land Together; as the Hills all the way down the River (as

low as I went) come pretty close and are steep & broken incapable of Settlements tho some of them are rich and only fit to support the Bottoms with Timber and Wood.
The Land back of the Bottoms as far as I have been able to judge, either from my own observations or from information, is nearly the same, that is exceeding une⟨ven⟩ & Hilly; & I do presume that there is no body’s of Flat rich Land to be found till one gets far enough from the River to head the little runs & drains that comes through the Hills; & to the Sources (or near it) of the Creeks & there Branches. This it seems is the case of the Lands upon Monogahela and yaughe. & I fancy holds good upon this River till you get into the Flat Lands (or near them) below the Falls.
The Bottom Land differs a good deal in quality. That highest up the River in general is richest; tho the Bottoms are neither so wide or long, as those below. Walnut, H. Loc⟨ust⟩ Cherry, & some other Woods, that grow Snarly, & neither Tall nor large, but coverd with Grape Vines (with the Fruit of which this Country at this Instant abounds) are the growth of the Richest Bottoms, but on the other hand these Bottoms appear to me to be the lowest & most subject to Floods. Sugar Tree and Ash, mixd with Walnut &ca. compose the growth of the next richest low grounds and Beach Poplar Oaks &ca. the last. The Soil of this is also good but inferior to either of the other kinds & beach Bottoms are excepted against on Acct. of the difficulty of clearing them there Roots spreading over a large Surface of Ground & being hard to kill.

   Buffalo Creek enters the Ohio some 8 miles below Mingo Town, where the travelers were to meet their horses. See hannaCharles A. Hanna. The Wilderness Trail: Or The Ventures and Adventures of the Pennsylvania Traders on the Allegheny Path: With Some New Annals of the Old West, and the Records of Some Strong Men and Some Bad Ones. 2 vols. New York and London, 1911., 2:196.

Sunday, 18th. Agreed with two Delaware Indians to carry up our Canoe to Fort Pitt for the doing of which I was to pay 6 Dollars & give them a Quart Tinn Can.

Monday 19th. The Delawares set of with the Canoe and our Horses not arriving, the day appeard exceeding long & tedious. Upon conversing with Nicholson I found he had been two or three times to Fort Chartres at the Illinois, and got from him the following Acct. of the Lands between this & that; & upon the Shawna River; on which he had been a Hunting.
The Lands down the Ohio grow more & more level as you approach the Falls, and about 150 Miles below them, the Country appears quite Flat, & exceeding rich. On the Shawna River (which comes into the Ohio 400 Miles below the Falls & about

1100 from Pittsburg) up which he had hunted 300 & more Miles the Lands are exceeding Level, rich, fine, but a good deal intermixed with Cain or Reed, which mig⟨ht⟩ render them difficult to clear; that game of all kinds was to be found here in the greatest abundance, especially Buffalo—that from Fort Chartres to Pitts burg by Land, is co⟨m⟩puted 800 Miles; & in travelling th⟨ro⟩ the Country from that place he f⟨ound⟩ the Soil very rich—the Ground exceeding level to O. Post (a French s⟨ettle⟩ment) & from Opost to the Lower Sha⟨w⟩na Town on Scioto equally flat—that he passd through large Planes 30 Miles in length without a Tree except little Islands of Wood—th⟨at⟩ in these Planes thousands & 10,000⟨s⟩ of Buffalo may be seen feeding. That the distance from Fort Cha⟨rtres⟩ to Opost is about 240 Miles & the Country not very well Waterd—from Opost to the lower Shawna Town about 300 more abounding in good springs & Rivulets—that the remainder of the way to Fort Pitt is Hilly, & the Hills larger as you approach the Fort tho the L[an]d in general is also good.
At Fort Pitt I got the distances from place to place down the Ohio as taken ⟨by⟩ one Mr. Hutchings & which are as follows—wt. some corrections of mine.

                  From Fort Pitt to

                  Miles

                  Logs Town
                  W
                  18½

                  Big Bever Creek
                  W
                  29¼

                  Racoon Creek
                  GW E
                  34

                  Little Bever Creek
                  W
                  44

                  Yellow Creek
                  W
                  52

                  Big Stony Creek
                  GW W
                  66

                  Mingo Town
                  W
                  73

                  Cross Creeks

                  74

                  Buffalo Creek or Sculp C[ree]k
                  GW E
                  78

                  Second cross Creeks
                  GW
                  84

                  Weeling or split Island C[ree]k
                  GW E
                  94

                  Sculp Creek
                  GW W
                  100

                  Path to Redstone
                  GW E
                  108

                  Pipe Creek
                  GW W
                  110

                  Captening
                  GW W
                  113

                  Cut Creek
                  GW E
                  118

                  Broken Timber Creek
                  GW W
                  123

                  2d. Broken Timber C[ree]k
                  GW W
                  125

                  Muddy Creek
                  GW E
                  134

                  Beging. of the long reach

                  137

                  End of Ditto

                  155

                  Bull Creek
                  GW E
                  160

                  A Pretty large C[ree]k on the West

                  178

                  Muskingham
                  W
                  182

                  Little Kanhawa
                  E
                  195

                  Little Hockhocking
                  W
                  202

                  Hockhocking
                  W
                  210

                  Creek with fallen Timber at the Mouth
                  E
                  230

                  A sm[al]l Creek on the West & beging. of Great Bent
                  E
                  236

                  Another Sm[al]l C[ree]k on the East just above a Gut
                  E
                  241

                  Rapid at the point of the Great Bent

                  245

                  Big Kanhawa
                  E
                  272

                  The distance by Hutchings is

                  266¼

                  Big Guyendot
                  E
                  308

                  Big Sandy Creek
                  E
                  321

                  Scioto River
                  W
                  366

                  Big Buffalo Lick—A Mile Eastward of the River
                  W
                  390

                  Large Island divided by a gravelly Creek

                  410½

                  Little Mineamie River
                  W
                  492¼

                  Licking Creek
                  E
                  500¼

                  Great Mineamie River
                  W
                  527½

                  Where the Elephants Bones were found
                  E
                  560¼

                  Kentucke River
                  E
                  604½

                  The Falls

                  682

                  To where the low Country begins

                  837¾

                  Beging. of the 5 Islands

                  875¼

                  Large River on the East side

                  902¼

                  Verry large Islands in the middle of the River

                  960¼

                  Ouabache River

                  999½

                  Big Rock, & Cave on the Westside

                  1042¼

                  Shawano River

                  1094

                  Cherokee River

                  1107

                  Fort Massiac

                  1118¾

                  Mouth of Ohio

                  1164

                  In all
                  1164

The Distances from For Pitt to the Mouth of the Great Kanhawa are set down agreeable to my own Computation, but from thence to the Mouth of River Ohio are strictly according to Hutchingss. Acct.—which Acct. I take to be erroneous inasmuch as it appears that the Miles in the upper part of the River are very long, & those towards the Canhawa short, which I attribute to his setting of in a falling fresh & running slower as they proceeded on.
The Letters E and W signifie wch. side of the River the respective Waters come in on, that is, whether on the East or West side.

   The Cumberland River, flowing through Tennessee and Kentucky.

   The Falls of the Ohio at Louisville, Ky., were formed by a limestone ledge reaching across the river, which dropped some 26 feet over a distance of 3 miles.

   Ouabache or Wabash Post, later Vincennes, Ind.

   Thomas Hutchins (1730–1789), a native of Monmouth County, N.J., served in the Pennsylvania provincial forces during the French and Indian War. During his military service he acquired a knowledge of engineering and surveying. Around 1762 he was commissioned an ensign in the British army and as assistant engineer took part in the 1764 Bouquet expedition against the Shawnee and Delaware. In 1766 he accompanied George Croghan, Capt. Harry Gordon, and trader George Morgan on a trip through the Ohio and Mississippi valleys (see bondBeverly W. Bond, Jr., ed. The Courses of the Ohio River taken by Lt. T. Hutchins Anno 1766 and Two Accompanying Maps. Cincinnati, 1942., 12–13; Mereness, Travels in the American ColoniesNewton D. Mereness, ed. Travels in the American Colonies. New York, 1916.). In 1781 he was appointed geographer to the United States, and after the war he served as a commissioner to run the boundary between Virginia and Pennsylvania. He supervised the survey of the western lands ceded to the United States under the Ordinance of 1785. His major works were A Topographical Description of Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland and North Carolina (London, 1778) and An Historical Narrative and Topographical Description of Louisiana and West-Florida (Philadelphia, 1784). For an account of Hutchins’s career, see tregleThomas Hutchins. An Historical Narrative and Topographical Description of Louisiana, and West-Florida. A Facsimile Reproduction of the 1784 Edition. Introduction and index by Joseph George Tregle, Jr. Gainesville, Fla., 1968., v-xliv.

   It is uncertain what version of Hutchins’s computations of distance upon the Ohio GW used. The Topographical Description of Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland and North Carolina was not published until 1778 and in any event the distances given by Hutchins in that work vary considerably from GW’s version (see hutchinsThomas Hutchins. A Topographical Description of Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and North Carolina, Comprehending the Rivers Ohio, Kenhawa, Sioto, Cherokee, Wabash, Illinois, Missisippi, &c . . .. London, 1778., appendix). Nor do the distances compare with those given in the appendix to a work commonly attributed to Hutchins: An Historical Account of the Expedition against the Ohio Indians in the Year MDCCLXIV under the Command of Henry Bouquet, Esq. (Philadelphia, 1765, reprinted London, 1766), 68. It is possible that GW may have seen copies of Hutchins’s reports, submitted periodically to Gen. Thomas Gage (see, for example, gage papersClarence Edwin Carter, comp. and ed. The Correspondence of General Thomas Gage with the Secretaries of State, 1763–1775. 2 vols. 1931–33. Reprint. Hamden, Conn., 1969., 1:309–10, 347). It seems likely that GW may have had access to one of the versions of the table of distances appended to the widely circulated journal kept by Capt. Harry Gordon on his trip to the west in 1766. Gordon was accompanied by Hutchins, and Hutchins may well have compiled the table. The entries for points beyond the Great Kanawha agree substantially with the table appended to Gordon’s journal (see pownallThomas Pownall. A Topographical Description of the Dominions of the United States of America. Edited by Lois Mulkearn. Pittsburgh, 1949., 166; Mereness, Travels in the American ColoniesNewton D. Mereness, ed. Travels in the American Colonies. New York, 1916., 488–89).

   From this point GW’s table substantially agrees with that appended to the Gordon journal, but several fractions of miles are dropped from the last entries.

   The Scioto River flows into the Ohio near Portsmouth, Ohio. The Lower Shawnee Town was opposite the mouth of the Scioto.

   Big Buffalo Lick was probably located along Salt Lick Creek, which flows into the Ohio River at present-day Vanceburg, Kentucky.

   Little Miami River flows into the Ohio at East Cincinnati.

   Great Miami River enters the Ohio in the extreme southwestern part of Ohio.

   Big Bone Lick, Boone County, Ky., was so called from the large quantity of fossilized mammoth bones found by early explorers in the area. Christopher Gist visited the area in 1750–51 and sent back one of the teeth to the Ohio Company. He was informed that “about seven Years ago these Teeth and Bones of three large Beasts (one of which was somewhat smaller than the other two) were found in a salt Lick or Spring upon a small Creek which runs into the S Side of the Ohio, about 15 M below the Mouth of the great Miamee River . . . . The Rib Bones of the largest of these Beasts were eleven Feet long, and the Skull Bone six feet wide, across the Forehead, & the other Bones in Proportion” (gistWilliam M. Darlington, ed. Christopher Gist’s Journals with Historical, Geographical and Ethnological Notes and Biographies of his Contemporaries. Pittsburgh, 1893., 57). See also hutchinsThomas Hutchins. A Topographical Description of Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and North Carolina, Comprehending the Rivers Ohio, Kenhawa, Sioto, Cherokee, Wabash, Illinois, Missisippi, &c . . .. London, 1778., 11.

   The Kentucky River flows into the Ohio at Carrollton, Ky.

   The Wabash River joins the Ohio at the southwest corner of Indiana.

   This may be a reference to Cave-in-Rock on the Illinois shore of the Ohio River, later infamous as a headquarters for river pirates (see baldwinLeland D. Baldwin. The Keelboat Age on Western Waters. Pittsburgh, 1941., 119–24).

   Cumberland River.

   Now called the Tennessee River.

   Fort Massac, originally Fort Ascension, was built by the French in 1757 and abandoned in 1764. It was “120 miles below the mouth of the Wabash, and eleven miles below the mouth of the Cherokee River” (pownallThomas Pownall. A Topographical Description of the Dominions of the United States of America. Edited by Lois Mulkearn. Pittsburgh, 1949., 161–62).

   The Ohio River joins the Mississippi at Cairo, Ill.


Title: [Diary entry: 20 November 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

Novr. 20th. About One Oclock our Horses arrivd, having been prevented getting to Fort Pitt by the freshes. At Two we set out & got about 10 Miles. The Indians travelling along with us.


Title: [Diary entry: 21 November 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

 Tuesday 21st. Reach’d Fort Pitt in the Afternoon, distant from our last Incampment about 25 Miles & as near as I can guess 35 from the Mingo Town. The Land between The Mingo Town & Pittsburg is of different kinds. For 4 or 5 Miles after leaving the first mentiond place we passd over Steep Hilly ground, hurt with stone; coverd with White Oak; & a thin shallow Soil. This was succeeded by a lively White Oak Land, less broken; & this again by Rich Land the growth of which was chiefly white & red Oak, Mixd; which lasted with some Intervals of indifferent Ridges all the way to Pittsburg. It was very observable that as we left the River; the Land grew better, which is a confirmation of the Accts. I had before receivd, that the good Bodies of Land lay upon the heads of the Runs & Creeks but in all my Travels through this Country, I have seen no large body of level Land. On the Branches of Racoon Creek there appears to be good Meadow Ground and on Shirtees Creek (over both which we passd) the Lands Looks well. The Country between the Mingo Town and Fort Pitt appears to be well supplied with Springs.


Title: [Diary entry: 22 November 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

Thursday 22. Stayd at Pittsburg all day. Invited the Officers & some other Gentlemen to dinner with me at Samples—among which was one Doctr. Connelly (nephew to Colo. Croghan)  a very sensible Intelligent Man who had travelld over a good deal of this western Country both by Land & Water & confirms Nicho⟨l⟩sons Acct. of the good Land on the Shawana River up which he had been near 400 Miles. This Country (I mean on the Shawana River) according to Doctr. Connellys acct. must be exceeding desirable on many Accts. The Climate is exceeding fine—the Soil remarkably good. The Lands well Waterd with good streams & full level enough for any kind of Cultivation. Besides these advantages from Nature, it has others not less Important to a new settlement particularly Game which is so plenty as not only to render the Transportation of Provisions there (bread only excepted) altogether unnecessary but to enrich the Adventurers with the Peltry for which there is a constant & good Market. Doctr. Connelly is so much delighted with the Lands, & Climate on this River; that he seems to wish for nothing more than to induce 100 families to go there to live that he might be among them. A New & most desirable Government might be established here to be bounded (according to his Acct.) by the Ohio Northward & westward. The Ridge that divides the Waters of the

Tenesee or Cherokee River Southward & Westward & a Line to be Run from the Falls of Ohio, or above so as to cross the Shawana River above the Fork of it. Docter Connelly gives much the same Acct. of the Land between Fort Chartres in the Illinois Country, and Post St. Vincent (O Post) that Nicholson does, except in the Article of Water, wch. the Doctr. says is bad, & in the Summer Scarce. There being little else than stagnate Water to be met with.


Title: [Diary entry: 23 November 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

Friday 23d. After settling with the Indians  & People that attended me down the River & defray the Sundry Expences accruing at Pittsburg, I set of on my return home and after dining at the Widow Mierss. on Turtle Creek reachd Mr. John Stephenson (two or three hours in the Night).


Title: [Diary entry: 24 November 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

Saturday 24th. When we came to Stewards Crossing at Crawfords, the River was too high to Ford and his Canoe gone a Drift. However after waiting there 2 or three hours a Canoe was got in which we passd and Swam our Horses. The remainder of this day I spent at Captn. Crawfords it either Raining or Snowing hard all day.


Title: [Diary entry: 25 November 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

Sunday 25th. I Set out early in order to see Lund Washington’s Land, but the Ground & trees being coverd with Snow, I was able to form but an indistinct opinion of it—tho upon the whole it appeard to be a good Tract of Land and as Level as common indeed more so. From this I went to Mr. Thos. Gists, and Dind, & then proceeded on to the Great crossing at Hoglands  where I arrivd about Eight Oclock.


Title: [Diary entry: 27 November 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

 Tuesday 27th. We got to Colo. Cresaps at the Old Town after calling at Fort Cumberland & breakfasting with one Mr. Innis at the New store opposite. 25 Miles.


Title: [Diary entry: 29 November 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

Thursday 29th. Set out early & reachd my Brothers by one Oclock (about 22 or 3 Miles). Doctr. Craik having Business by Winchester went that way to meet at Snickers tomorrow by 10 Oclock.


Title: [Diary entry: 30 November 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

Friday 30th. According to Appointment the Doctr. and I met & after Breakfasting at Snickers proceeded on to Wests  where we arrivd at or about Sunset.


Title: [Diary entry: 2 November 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

2. Hunting the most part of the day. The Canoe went up abt. 5 Miles further.


Title: [Diary entry: 3 November 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

3. Returnd down the River again and Incampd at the Mouth.


Title: [Diary entry: 4 November 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

4. Proceeded up the Ohio on our return to Fort Pitt. Incampd abt. 9 Miles below the rapid at the Grt. Bent.


Title: [Diary entry: 5 November 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

5. Walk’d across a Neck of Land to the Rapid and Incampd about ⟨ ⟩ Miles above it.


Title: [Diary entry: 6 November 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

 6. In about 5 Miles we came to Kiashutas Camp & there Halted.


Title: [Diary entry: 7 November 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

7. Reachd the Mouth of Hockhocking—distant abt. 20 Miles.


Title: [Diary entry: 8 November 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

8. Came within a Mile of the Mouth of Muskingham 27 Miles.


Title: [Diary entry: 9 November 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

9. Got to the 3 Islands in the 2d. long reach about 17 Miles.


Title: [Diary entry: 10 November 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

10. Arrivd at the lower end of the long reach abt. 12 Miles—not setting of till 12 Oclock.


Title: [Diary entry: 11 November 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

11. Came about 16 Miles after hard working the greatest part of the day.


Title: [Diary entry: 13 November 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

13. Reachd the uppermost broken Timber Creek distant about 7 Miles contending with a violent Currt. the whole day.


Title: [Diary entry: 14 November 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

14. Came to the Captening or Fox Grape Vine Creek distant about 10 Miles.


Title: [Diary entry: 16 November 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

16. Got within 13 Miles of the lower cross Creeks—13 Miles.


Title: [Diary entry: 17 November 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

17. Reachd the Mingo Town about 13 Miles more.


Title: [Diary entry: 18 November 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

18. At this place all day waiting for Horses which did not arrive.


Title: [Diary entry: 19 November 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

19. At the same place, & in the same Situation as yesterday.


Title: [Diary entry: 22 November 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

22. Invited the Officers of the Fort and other Gentlemen to dine with me at Samples.


Title: [Diary entry: 23 November 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

 23. Left Fort Pitt and reachd Mr. John Stephensons.


Title: [Diary entry: 24 November 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

24. Got to Captn. Crawfords—the Rivr. Youghyaughgane being very high.


Title: [Diary entry: 25 November 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

25. Reachd Hoglands at the great Crossing.


Title: [Diary entry: 28 November 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

28. Reachd Jasper Rinkers about 38 Miles from Cresaps & 30 from Cox’s—not long ones.


Title: [Diary entry: 29 November 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

29. Came to my Brothers (distant about 25 Miles) to Dinner.


Title: [Diary entry: 30 November 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

30. Reachd Charles Wests 35 Miles from my Brother’s.


Title: [November 1770 (2)]
From: Washington, George
To:

1. Went up the Great Kanhawa abt. 10 Miles with the People that were with me.

2. Hunting the most part of the day. The Canoe went up abt. 5 Miles further.

3. Returnd down the River again and Incampd at the Mouth.

4. Proceeded up the Ohio on our return to Fort Pitt. Incampd abt. 9 Miles below the rapid at the Grt. Bent.

5. Walk’d across a Neck of Land to the Rapid and Incampd about ⟨ ⟩ Miles above it.

6. In about 5 Miles we came to Kiashutas Camp & there Halted.

7. Reachd the Mouth of Hockhocking—distant abt. 20 Miles.

8. Came within a Mile of the Mouth of Muskingham 27 Miles.

9. Got to the 3 Islands in the 2d. long reach about 17 Miles.

10. Arrivd at the lower end of the long reach abt. 12 Miles—not setting of till 12 Oclock.

11. Came about 16 Miles after hard working the greatest part of the day.

12. Only got about 5 Miles the Currt. being very strong against us.

13. Reachd the uppermost broken Timber Creek distant about 7 Miles contending with a violent Currt. the whole day.

14. Came to the Captening or Fox Grape Vine Creek distant about 10 Miles.

15. Reachd Weeling (on the West) where there had been an Indian Town & where some of the Shawnes are going to settle in the Spring distant from our last Incampment 12 Miles.

16. Got within 13 Miles of the lower cross Creeks—13 Miles.

17. Reachd the Mingo Town about 13 Miles more.

18. At this place all day waiting for Horses which did not arrive.

19. At the same place, & in the same Situation as yesterday.

20. Our Horses arriving about One Oclock at 2 we set out for Fort Pitt & got about 10 Miles.

21. Reachd Fort Pitt in the Afternoon & lodgd at Samples.

22. Invited the Officers of the Fort and other Gentlemen to dine with me at Samples.

23. Left Fort Pitt and reachd Mr. John Stephensons.

24. Got to Captn. Crawfords—the Rivr. Youghyaughgane being very high.

25. Reachd Hoglands at the great Crossing.

26. Came to Killams on Georges Creek.

27. Got to the Old Town to Colo. Cresaps distant from Killams about 25 Miles.

28. Reachd Jasper Rinkers about 38 Miles from Cresaps & 30 from Cox’s—not long ones.

29. Came to my Brothers (distant about 25 Miles) to Dinner.

30. Reachd Charles Wests 35 Miles from my Brother’s.


Title: [Diary entry: 1 November 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

Novr. 1. Calm, cool, & Cloudy, with great appearances of falling weather.


Title: [Diary entry: 2 November 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

2. Windy & clear in the forenoon afterwards Rain & Hail—then clear again.


Title: [Diary entry: 3 November 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

3. Clear & Windy—first from the So. Wt. then No. Wt.


Title: [Diary entry: 4 November 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

4. Clear and pleasant with but little Wind & that Northwardly.


Title: [Diary entry: 5 November 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

5. Lowering Morning & rainy afternoon.


Title: [Diary entry: 6 November 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

6. Cloudy forenoon but clear afterwards with the Wind high from the No. West.


Title: [Diary entry: 10 November 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

10. About 1 Oclock it began to thunder & Lighten & contind. to do so incessantly till abt. 8 Oclock with constant hard Rain which lasted till about 11 and then ceasd but contd. cloudy & very warm the remaining part of the day.


Title: [Diary entry: 11 November 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

11. Abt. 9 Oclock last Night it began to Rain again, & contd. to do so the whole Night, sometimes as if pourd out of Buckets; attended with thunder and lightning.


Title: [Diary entry: 13 November 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

13. Clear with the Wind fresh & cool from the No. West.


Title: [Diary entry: 14 November 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

14. Clear with a little wind from the South & very white frost.


Title: [Diary entry: 15 November 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

15. Very large frost again with little or no wind & clear.


Title: [Diary entry: 16 November 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

16. Another white frost and calm and clear after it.


Title: [Diary entry: 19 November 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

19. Another white frost but clear calm and exceeding pleasant.


Title: [Diary entry: 20 November 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

20. Pleasant forenoon but lowering afterwards.


Title: [Diary entry: 22 November 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

22. Raining moderately all day with the Wind at Northwest.


Title: [Diary entry: 23 November 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

23. Flying Clouds and windy but nothing falling.


Title: [Diary entry: 26 November 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

26. Very clear, and Cold.


Title: [Diary entry: 27 November 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

 27. Lowering Morning, & Snowy Afternoon.


Title: [Diary entry: 28 November 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

28. Morning threatning but clear afterwards with the Wind fresh from the Northward.


Title: Acct. of the Weather in Novr. [1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

Novr. 1. Calm, cool, & Cloudy, with great appearances of falling weather.

2. Windy & clear in the forenoon afterwards Rain & Hail—then clear again.

3. Clear & Windy—first from the So. Wt. then No. Wt.

4. Clear and pleasant with but little Wind & that Northwardly.

5. Lowering Morning & rainy afternoon.

6. Cloudy forenoon but clear afterwards with the Wind high from the No. West.

7. Clear & moderate Wind from the West.

8. A lowering threatning Morning but more favourable afternoon & rain at Night.

9. A Good deal of rain fell in the Night & till 10 Oclock this Morng. after which it contind. drisling more or less all day till abt. Sunset then set in to a close hard Rain.

10. About 1 Oclock it began to thunder & Lighten & contind. to do so incessantly till abt. 8 Oclock with constant hard Rain which lasted till about 11 and then ceasd but contd. cloudy & very warm the remaining part of the day.

11. Abt. 9 Oclock last Night it began to Rain again, & contd. to do so the whole Night, sometimes as if pourd out of Buckets; attended with thunder and lightning.

12. Sometimes Cloudy & sometimes threatning hard for Snow.

13. Clear with the Wind fresh & cool from the No. West.

14. Clear with a little wind from the South & very white frost.

15. Very large frost again with little or no wind & clear.

16. Another white frost and calm and clear after it.

17. White frost with Southerly Wind & clear.

18. A Frost as white as Snow but clear & calm.

19. Another white frost but clear calm and exceeding pleasant.

20. Pleasant forenoon but lowering afterwards.

21. Very cloudy all the Forenoon, & Raining moderately afterwards.

22. Raining moderately all day with the Wind at Northwest.

23. Flying Clouds and windy but nothing falling.

24. First Raining, then Snowing all day.

25. Very Windy all day, & snowing the first part of it. Cold.

26. Very clear, and Cold.

27. Lowering Morning, & Snowy Afternoon.

28. Morning threatning but clear afterwards with the Wind fresh from the Northward.

29. Clear & Cold in the forepart of the day but tolerably pleasant afterwards.

30. Clear and Pleasant after the morning which was cold.


Title: [Diary entry: 1 December 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

Decr. 1st. Reachd home from Wests after an absence of 9 Weeks and one Day.


Title: [Diary entry: 3 December 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

3. Rid to the Mill in the forenoon, and returnd to Dinner.


Title: [Diary entry: 4 December 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

4. Rid by Posey’s to the Mill, and to the Ditchers. Mr. Boucher and Jacky Custis came here in the Afternoon.


Title: [Diary entry: 5 December 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

5. Mr. Boucher went away again to Maryland. I rid to the Mill.


Title: [Diary entry: 6 December 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

6. Rid by Muddy hole & Doeg Run to the Mill & returnd by Posey’s.


Title: [Diary entry: 7 December 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

 7. Rid to the Mill and returnd to Dinner.


Title: [Diary entry: 8 December 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

8. Went a hunting but found nothing. From the Woods I went to my Mill & so home to Dinner. Doc⟨tor⟩ Ross Dind here & went away after.


Title: [Diary entry: 9 December 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

9. Went to Pohick Church and returnd to Dinner.


Title: [Diary entry: 10 December 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

10. Went up to the little Falls to Balendines Sale. Returnd in the Evening.


Title: [Diary entry: 11 December 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

11. Rid to my Mill and Ditchers before Dinner.


Title: [Diary entry: 12 December 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

12. At home all day. Mr. Semple Dined here, & went away afterwar⟨ds.⟩ Doctr. Rumney came in the Afternoon and stayd all Night.


Title: [Diary entry: 14 December 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

14. Mrs. B. Fairfax & Miss Marbray went away after Breakfast & Mr. Peake dind here.


Title: [Diary entry: 15 December 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

15. I rid to the Mill and Ditchers by Poseys.


Title: [Diary entry: 16 December 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

16. Dined at Belvoir with Jacky Custis & returnd afterwards.


Title: [Diary entry: 17 December 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

17. Jacky Custis went to Annapolis & I to Court. Returnd in the afternoon.


Title: [Diary entry: 18 December 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

 18. Rid to my Mill and to the Ditchers in the Fore and Afternoon.


Title: [Diary entry: 19 December 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

19. Went to Colchester on an Arbitration between McCraes Exrs. and John Graham—no business done.


Title: [Diary entry: 20 December 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

20. Returnd home.


Title: [Diary entry: 21 December 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

21. Rid to the Mill in the fore and Afternoon.


Title: [Diary entry: 22 December 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

22. Rid to the Mill & Mill Race in the fore and Afternoon.


Title: [Diary entry: 23 December 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

23. Rid to the Mill before Dinner. At home afterwards alone.


Title: [Diary entry: 24 December 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

24. Rid to the Mill again in the fore and afternoon.


Title: [Diary entry: 25 December 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

25. Went to Pohick Church and returnd to Dinner.


Title: [Diary entry: 26 December 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

26. At Home all day alone.


Title: [Diary entry: 27 December 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

27. Went a fox Hunting and killd a fox in Company with the two Mr. Triplets and Mr. Peake who dined here.


Title: [Diary entry: 28 December 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

28. At the Mill in the Forenoon and Afternoon.


Title: [Diary entry: 29 December 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

29. Went a fox hunting in Company with the two Mr. Triplets & Mr. Peake, found no Fox. Upon my return home found Mr. & Mrs. Cockburn here.


Title: [Diary entry: 30 December 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

30. Mr. & Mrs. Cockburn went away. My Miller & his wife and Mr. Ball dind here.


Title: [December 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

Decr. 1st. Reachd home from Wests after an absence of 9 Weeks and one Day.

2. At home all day alone.

3. Rid to the Mill in the forenoon, and returnd to Dinner.

4. Rid by Posey’s to the Mill, and to the Ditchers. Mr. Boucher and Jacky Custis came here in the Afternoon.

   Boucher had not given up the idea of taking Jacky to Europe. At this time he was urging the Washingtons to prepare the boy for travel by having him inoculated for smallpox in Baltimore, where Dr. Henry Stevenson ran a popular inoculation clinic, free of legal restrictions that the burgesses had recently imposed on inoculators in Virginia (Jonathan Boucher to GW, 1 Oct. 1770, DLC:GW; JHBH. R. McIlwaine and John Pendleton Kennedy, eds. Journals of the House of Burgesses of Virginia. 13 vols. Richmond, 1905–15., 1770–72, 100). Although the question of Jacky’s tour was now no closer to being finally resolved than it had been in the spring, GW favored the inoculation, thinking that Jacky should be protected against smallpox whether he went abroad or not (GW to Boucher, 13 May 1770, writingsJohn C. Fitzpatrick, ed. The Writings of George Washington from the Original Manuscript Sources, 1745–1799. 39 vols. Washington, D.C., 1931–44., 3:12–15). But Mrs. Washington, while agreeing that the benefits were very desirable, feared exposing her son to the inoculating process, which, as practiced during this period, brought on a fatal case of the disease in 1 of every 50 to 60 inoculations (GW to Boucher, 20 April 1771, CSmH; king [1]Lester S. King. The Medical World of the Eighteenth Century. Chicago, 1958., 321). Consequently the decision on this matter, like the one on the tour, was postponed.

5. Mr. Boucher went away again to Maryland. I rid to the Mill.

6. Rid by Muddy hole & Doeg Run to the Mill & returnd by Posey’s.

7. Rid to the Mill and returnd to Dinner.

8. Went a hunting but found nothing. From the Woods I went to my Mill & so home to Dinner. Doc⟨tor⟩ Ross Dind here & went away after.

9. Went to Pohick Church and returnd to Dinner.

10. Went up to the little Falls to Balendines Sale. Returnd in the Evening.

   John Ballendine was today attempting to satisfy all his creditors by leasing his enterprises at the falls and selling much of his other property, including about 100 hogsheads of tobacco, a large amount of wheat and corn, 50 head of sheep, one set each of blacksmith’s and cooper’s tools, some household furniture, 1,049 acres of land in Prince William County, and 91 acres in Fauquier County. However, he did not succeed in selling everything on this day, nor did all his creditors appear at the falls today to settle their accounts as he had requested, and a second sale and meeting of the creditors had to be called for 16 May 1771 (Va. Gaz., R, 29 Nov. 1770 and 2 May 1771).

11. Rid to my Mill and Ditchers before Dinner.

12. At home all day. Mr. Semple Dined here, & went away afterwar⟨ds.⟩ Doctr. Rumney came in the Afternoon and stayd all Night.

13. Doctr. Rumney went away after breakfast and the two Mrs. Fairfax’s & Miss Nelly Marbray dind here. Mrs. Geo. Fairfax returnd afterds.

   nelly marbray: possibly a member of the Marbury family of Prince George’s County, Md. (mackenzie [1]George Norbury Mackenzie, ed. Colonial Families of the United States of America. 7 vols. 1907-20. Reprint. Baltimore, 1966., 2:488–89).

14. Mrs. B. Fairfax & Miss Marbray went away after Breakfast & Mr. Peake dind here.

15. I rid to the Mill and Ditchers by Poseys.

16. Dined at Belvoir with Jacky Custis & returnd afterwards.

17. Jacky Custis went to Annapolis & I to Court. Returnd in the afternoon.

   Jacky was not eager to return to school. “His mind,” GW warned Jonathan Boucher, is “a good deal relayed from Study, & more than ever turnd to Dogs Horses Guns” (16 Dec. 1770, NNC). The court met 17–19 Dec. (Fairfax County Order Book for 1770–72, 157–68, Vi Microfilm).

18. Rid to my Mill and to the Ditchers in the Fore and Afternoon.

   GW today completed a land transaction with Valinda Wade, paying her £175 for her share of the Wade family property on Dogue Run, which she and her two sisters, Sarah and Eleanor, had inherited. During the past few years Sarah had died unmarried, and Eleanor, who had married John Barry of Fairfax County, had recently died also, leaving a son William as her only heir. Because the 193–acre tract had never been divided among the sisters, it became, following the deaths of Sarah and Eleanor, the joint property of Valinda and her underage nephew, whose business affairs were handled by his father. With this day’s purchase, GW obtained Valinda’s right to divide the land with young Barry on an equal basis (deeds of Valinda Wade to GW, 17 Dec. 1770, NjMoHP, and 18 Dec. 1770, CSmH). The property was important to GW not only because it lay near the rest of his land, but because it was involved in a question of riparian rights on Dogue Run. The millrace that GW was currently having dug would, when finished, deliver much water with increased force to the new mill as planned, but it would do so at the cost of diverting water from Dogue Run between the dam and the mill, the stretch on which the Wade-Barry property lay. According to common law, a property owner who suffered damages from having his water diverted without his permission could sue the responsible person every year the water was diverted. Thomas Hanson Marshall, who also owned land on the run in the affected area, apparently would not be able to claim such damages, because his land was uninhabited and mostly woodland, but the owners of the Wade-Barry tract, which was inhabited and farmed, would have grounds to sue GW (Robert H. Harrison to GW, 5 April 1770, DLC:GW).

   GW’s purchase today from Valinda Wade solved only part of this problem. He still had to come to terms with William Barry’s father either by purchasing the other half of the land or making some agreement about the riparian rights. However, John Barry was determined to drive a hard bargain and had refused thus far to cooperate with GW in settling the matter (George W. Fairfax to GW, 12 Mar. 1770, DLC:GW). The dispute would continue for several months.

19. Went to Colchester on an Arbitration between McCraes Exrs. and John Graham—no business done.

   Allan Macrae of Dumfries had died in 1766, and the executors of his will were Thomas Lawson, of the Neabsco iron furnace in Prince William County, and Capt. John Lee (1709–1789), who lived on Chopawamsic Creek in Stafford County (Va. Gaz., P&D, 11 Dec. 1766). John Graham (1711–1787), clerk of the Prince William County court, lived on the south side of Quantico Creek near Dumfries. He came to Virginia from Scotland about 1740 and acquired much land in Prince William County, including the tract on which Dumfries was established in 1749 (w.p.a. [1]W.P.A. Writers’ Project. Prince William: The Story of Its People and Its Places. American Guide Series. Manassas, Va., 1941., 94). The dispute between Graham and Macrae’s executors probably concerned debts he owed Macrae’s estate; in Mar. 1771 he entrusted three slaves, some livestock and household furniture, and 200 acres of land adjoining Dumfries to two local merchants to be sold for the benefit of his creditors (Va. Gaz., R, 28 Mar. 1771). The arbitrators of the dispute, in addition to GW, were George Mason of Fairfax

County and Thomas Ludwell Lee of Stafford County. They met again on 12 Feb. 1771.

20. Returnd home.

21. Rid to the Mill in the fore and Afternoon.

22. Rid to the Mill & Mill Race in the fore and Afternoon.

   Jacky Custis had been indulged with a further reprieve from studying and apparently was now at Mount Vernon again; on this date GW recorded giving the boy £2 6s. 3d. “to buy Sundries at Fred[ericksbur]g” (General Ledger AGeneral Ledger A, 1750–1772. Library of Congress, George Washington Papers, Series 5, Financial Papers., folio 329). Jacky was probably sent to that town to spend the holidays visiting friends and relatives and engaging “in his favorite amusement of Hunting.” He returned to Annapolis about 2 Jan. with a professed “determination of applying close to his Studies” (GW to Jonathan Boucher, 2 Jan. 1771, writingsJohn C. Fitzpatrick, ed. The Writings of George Washington from the Original Manuscript Sources, 1745–1799. 39 vols. Washington, D.C., 1931–44., 3:36–37).

23. Rid to the Mill before Dinner. At home afterwards alone.

24. Rid to the Mill again in the fore and afternoon.

25. Went to Pohick Church and returnd to Dinner.

26. At Home all day alone.

27. Went a fox Hunting and killd a fox in Company with the two Mr. Triplets and Mr. Peake who dined here.

28. At the Mill in the Forenoon and Afternoon.

29. Went a fox hunting in Company with the two Mr. Triplets & Mr. Peake, found no Fox. Upon my return home found Mr. & Mrs. Cockburn here.

30. Mr. & Mrs. Cockburn went away. My Miller & his wife and Mr. Ball dind here.

   GW’s miller was William Roberts, a Pennsylvanian who had signed articles of agreement with Lund Washington 13 Oct. 1770 engaging himself to run the new mill at Mount Vernon for £80 a year plus the privilege of feeding a cow and raising domestic fowl at GW’s expense (DLC:GW). Roberts was highly skilled in the business of grinding grain, a delicate art requiring great judgment in fixing the speed and interval of the millstones to produce good-quality flour with minimum waste. He was also, like John Ball, a capable millwright who could keep the mill in proper working order, and when he was not grinding grain, he could work in the nearby cooper’s shop making

barrels needed for flour and other products. Aided by an apprentice miller whom he had brought with him. Roberts worked diligently and honestly for GW for several years, but an addiction to liquor eventually proved to be his undoing (GW to Robert Lewis & Sons, 6 Sept. 1783, and 12 April 1785, DLC:GW).

31. I rid to My Mill in the forenoon and Afternoon. Nancy Peake came here.

   GW gave Nancy £10 as a loan for her father, Humphrey Peake, who repaid the sum in June (General Ledger AGeneral Ledger A, 1750–1772. Library of Congress, George Washington Papers, Series 5, Financial Papers., folio 307).


Title: [Diary entry: 2 December 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

2. Clear, & tolerably pleasant, except being Cool. Wind at No. West.


Title: [Diary entry: 3 December 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

3. Clear & cool, Wind at No. West, & Ground hard froze As it has been for several days.


Title: [Diary entry: 4 December 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

4. Clear and Cool, Wind being Northwardly in the forenoon & Southwardly afterwards.


Title: [Diary entry: 5 December 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

5. Lowering & like for Snow in the forenoon—but clearer afterwards.


Title: [Diary entry: 6 December 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

6. Warm Morning but Cold & blustering Afternoon. Wind No. West.


Title: [Diary entry: 7 December 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

7. Tolerably pleasant wind Southerly.


Title: [Diary entry: 8 December 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

8. Calm and pleasant Morning but windy & cool afterwards.


Title: [Diary entry: 9 December 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

9. Pleasant day and clear with but little Wind.


Title: [Diary entry: 10 December 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

10. Very pleasant. Calm, clear & warm.


Title: [Diary entry: 12 December 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

12. Drisling all the forenoon. In the Afternoon Rain.


Title: [Diary entry: 14 December 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

14. Clear and not windy—nor so cold as Yesterday.


Title: [Diary entry: 15 December 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

15. Calm and Pleasant forenoon—a little lowering in the afternn.


Title: [Diary entry: 16 December 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

16. Quite Calm, clear, and exceeding pleasant.


Title: [Diary entry: 18 December 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

18. Pleasant again tho a little Cool & frosty.


Title: [Diary entry: 19 December 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

19. Calm, clear, and Pleasant.


Title: [Diary entry: 20 December 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

20. Very pleasant, being clear and Calm.


Title: [Diary entry: 21 December 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

21. Lowering Morning with a little Rain—but clear afterwards & windy.


Title: [Diary entry: 23 December 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

23. Clear & pleasant Morning but windy afterwards & a little Cloudy.


Title: [Diary entry: 26 December 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

26. Clear and pleasant with but little Wind.


Title: [Diary entry: 29 December 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

29. Very pleasant and quite Calm but somewhat lowering.


Title: [Diary entry: 30 December 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

30. Exceeding pleast. calm and clear.


Title: Acct. of the Weather in Decemr. [1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

Decr. 1st. Cold & Raw in the forenoon & constant Snow in the Afternoon.

2. Clear, & tolerably pleasant, except being Cool. Wind at No. West.

3. Clear & cool, Wind at No. West, & Ground hard froze As it has been for several days.

4. Clear and Cool, Wind being Northwardly in the forenoon & Southwardly afterwards.

5. Lowering & like for Snow in the forenoon—but clearer afterwards.

6. Warm Morning but Cold & blustering Afternoon. Wind No. West.

7. Tolerably pleasant wind Southerly.

8. Calm and pleasant Morning but windy & cool afterwards.

9. Pleasant day and clear with but little Wind.

10. Very pleasant. Calm, clear & warm.

11. Lowery Morning and dripping Afternoon.

12. Drisling all the forenoon. In the Afternoon Rain.

13. Clear Morning & pleasant, but Cloudy & blustering afterwards from the No. Wt.

14. Clear and not windy—nor so cold as Yesterday.

15. Calm and Pleasant forenoon—a little lowering in the afternn.

16. Quite Calm, clear, and exceeding pleasant.

17. Very pleasant Morning, but Cloudy & blustering afterwards.

18. Pleasant again tho a little Cool & frosty.

19. Calm, clear, and Pleasant.

20. Very pleasant, being clear and Calm.

21. Lowering Morning with a little Rain—but clear afterwards & windy.

22. High wind all day from the North West—but not very cold.

23. Clear & pleasant Morning but windy afterwards & a little Cloudy.

24. Cloudy & like for Rain but none fell.

25. Snowing in the Morning, but clear afterwards and Cool. Snow about an Inch deep.

26. Clear and pleasant with but little Wind.

27. Frosty Morning but clear and pleasant afterwards.

28. Clear and pleasant with but little Wind.

29. Very pleasant and quite Calm but somewhat lowering.

30. Exceeding pleast. calm and clear.

31. Also clear and Pleasant.


Title: [Diary entry: 1 December 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

Saturday 1st. Reachd home being absent from it Nine weeks and one day.


Title: [Diary entry: 19 December 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

19. Finishd digging & levelling the Mill Race from Piney Branch.


Title: [Diary entry: 22 December 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

22. Began to Grind Sand in my Mill the Water being let in upon the Fore Bay.


Title: [Diary entry: 29 December 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

29. Truelove another Hound Bitch Shut up with Ringwood & by him alone lined.


Title: [Remarks and Occurences in December 1770]
From: Washington, George
To:

Saturday 1st. Reachd home being absent from it Nine weeks and one day.

11th. Agreed with Christr. Shade to drive my Waggon by the year for the doing of which I am to find him in Bed, Board, & Washing, and to pay him Eighteen pounds a year.

   Shade was employed by GW as his wagoner until the end of 1774 (General Ledger AGeneral Ledger A, 1750–1772. Library of Congress, George Washington Papers, Series 5, Financial Papers., folio 331; General Ledger BGeneral Ledger B, 1772–1793. Library of Congress, George Washington Papers, Series 5, Financial Papers., folio 39).

19. Finishd digging & levelling the Mill Race from Piney Branch.

   The Piney Branch dam had also been completed, and water could now be diverted from the branch into the race.

22. Began to Grind Sand in my Mill the Water being let in upon the Fore Bay.

   Dry sand was being ground between the new millstones “to smooth down the sharp points” on their faces. When the faces were fully finished and fitted together, they would be furrowed and dressed for grinding grain (craik [1]David Craik. The Practical American Millwright and Miller: Comprising the Elementary Principles of Mechanics, Mechanism, and Motive Power, Hydraulics, and Hydraulic Motors, Mill Dams, Saw-Mills, Grist-Mills, the Oat-Meal Mill, the Barley Mill, Wool Carding and Cloth Fulling and Dressing, Windmills, Steam Power, etc. Philadelphia, 1870., 298–99). The forebay was a deep reservoir at the end of the millrace, from which water was taken to run the waterwheel.

27. Shut up Singer after She had been first lined by one or two Cur Dogs. Jowler being put in with her lind her several times; and his Puppies if to be distinguished saved.

29. Truelove another Hound Bitch Shut up with Ringwood & by him alone lined.


Title: [Diary entry: 2 January 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

2. Did the same thing again. Met Colo. Robt. Fairfax there, & upon my return home found Mr. Piper, Mr. Muir, and Doctr. Rumney here who dined & lodged.


Title: [Diary entry: 5 January 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

5. My Brother & Mr. Lawe. Washington set of for Frederick. I went a hunting with the two Mr. Triplets and Mr. Peake but killd nothing.


Title: [Diary entry: 6 January 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

6. At home all day alone.


Title: [Diary entry: 7 January 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

7. The Two Colo. Fairfaxs and Mrs. Fairfax dined and lodged here.


Title: [Diary entry: 9 January 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

9. Rid to the Mill in the forenoon and Afternoon.


Title: [Diary entry: 10 January 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

10. Mr. Robt. Adam & Mr. Josh. Watson dined and lodged here. Before they came I had rid to my Mill in the forenoon.


Title: [Diary entry: 12 January 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

12. Went a huntg. with the two Mr. Triplets Mr. Manley and Mr. Peake. Run a Deer to the Water but killed nothing.


Title: [Diary entry: 13 January 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

13. Mrs. Washington Patcy Custis & myself Dined and lodged at Belvoir.


Title: [Diary entry: 14 January 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

14. Dined there this day also and Returnd home after it.


Title: [Diary entry: 16 January 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

16. Rid to the Mill and up the Mill Race in the Afternoon.


Title: [Diary entry: 17 January 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

17. Rid to the Mill &ca. in the Afternn. and went up to Alexa. with Mrs. Washington & Patcy Custis in the Afternoon.


Title: [Diary entry: 18 January 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

18. Rid to my Mill and the Race above it in the forenoon—at home afterwards.


Title: [Diary entry: 20 January 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

20. Went to Pohick Church with Mrs. Washington and returnd to Dinr. Mr. Ball dined here.


Title: [Diary entry: 21 January 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

21. Went up to Court Mrs. Washington & Patcy Custis with me. Returnd in the Afternoon & Mr. Hr. Ross with us.


Title: [Diary entry: 22 January 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

22. Dined at home and afterwards went to Colcherster with Mr. Ross on my way to Dumfries on the Arbitration between Doctr. Ross & Co. and Mr. Semple.


Title: [Diary entry: 23 January 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

23. Waited at Colchester till 2 Oclock for Colo. Mason. Dined at Courts’s & went to Dumfries afterwards & to the Play of the Recruitg. Officer. Lodgd at Mr. Montgomeries.


Title: [Diary entry: 25 January 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

25. Ditto ——— Ditto.


Title: [Diary entry: 26 January 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

26. Ditto ——— Ditto.


Title: [Diary entry: 28 January 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

28. Returnd to Dumfries on the above Arbitration.


Title: [Diary entry: 29 January 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

29. Employd therein. In the Evening went to a Play.


Title: [Diary entry: 30 January 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

30. Employed as above and abt.  Oclock at Night finished all the business we coud at this meeting.


Title: [Diary entry: 31 January 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

31. Returnd home by my Mill & the Dam where my People were attempting to stop water.


Title: [Diary entry: 1 January 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

Jan. 1. Calm & very pleasant—being clear with all.


Title: [Diary entry: 2 January 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

2. Clear and very pleasant with but little Wind and that Southwardly.


Title: [Diary entry: 3 January 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

3. Still clear but a little Cooler Wind Shifting to the Northward.


Title: [Diary entry: 4 January 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

4. A little cool but pleasant notwithstanding being clear.


Title: [Diary entry: 5 January 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

5. Frosty Morning but clear with the Wind rather fresh from the Southwd.


Title: [Diary entry: 8 January 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

8. A little Cool but clear and tolerably pleasant afterwards.


Title: [Diary entry: 11 January 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

11. Much such a day as yesterday only a little Warmer.


Title: [Diary entry: 12 January 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

12. Clear, Mild, and pleasant in the forenoon but lowering afterwards.


Title: [Diary entry: 13 January 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

13. A little Rain last Night but clear again with the Wind at No. West.


Title: [Diary entry: 15 January 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

15. A little Raw and Cold in the Morning altho the Wind was Southwardly. Afternoon very cloudy and threatning.


Title: [Diary entry: 16 January 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

16. Constant Rain the whole day with the Wind high from the Eastward. In the Evening it Shifted to the Southward.


Title: [Diary entry: 17 January 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

17. Clear & pleasant, the Wind what little there was of it being still Southwardly.


Title: [Diary entry: 18 January 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

18. Ground froze—the Wind being tolerably fresh from the No. West and at times Cloudy. It was cold & Raw.


Title: [Diary entry: 19 January 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

19. Ground very hard froze. Morng. clear & Cold. Wind (tho not much of it) at No. West. Midday and Afternn. clear & pleast. Wind Southwardly.


Title: [Diary entry: 20 January 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

20. Ground hard froze. Morning Cloudy & Cold tho the Wind was Southwardly. Afternn. clear & pleast.


Title: [Diary entry: 23 January 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

23. Calm and Cloudy but not very cold. No frost this Morning.


Title: [Diary entry: 25 January 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

25. Much such a day as yesterday but somewhat colder & Rawer.


Title: [Diary entry: 26 January 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

26. Clear and a little Cool in the Morning. Ground frozen and wind (tho not much of it) Northwardly.


Title: [Diary entry: 28 January 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

28. Hard frost Wind Northwardly clear and Cold.


Title: [Diary entry: 29 January 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

29. Very hard frost Afternoon lowering Cold and like for Snow.


Title: [Diary entry: 31 January 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

31. Morning calm, clear, warm and pleasant but the Afternn. Cloudy cold and Windy from the No. West.


Title: Acct. of the Weather in Jany. [1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

Jan. 1. Calm & very pleasant—being clear with all.

2. Clear and very pleasant with but little Wind and that Southwardly.

3. Still clear but a little Cooler Wind Shifting to the Northward.

4. A little cool but pleasant notwithstanding being clear.

5. Frosty Morning but clear with the Wind rather fresh from the Southwd.

6. Clear forenoon & pleasant but gloomy Afternoon.

7. Very Raw, Cold & Cloudy in the forenoon but clear afternoon.

8. A little Cool but clear and tolerably pleasant afterwards.

9. Clear and pleasant with but little Wind & that Southwardly.

10. Very pleasant and warm with but little Wind.

11. Much such a day as yesterday only a little Warmer.

12. Clear, Mild, and pleasant in the forenoon but lowering afterwards.

13. A little Rain last Night but clear again with the Wind at No. West.

14. Cold Morning, and hard frost. The Afternoon somewhat milder the Wind having got about to the Southward again.

15. A little Raw and Cold in the Morning altho the Wind was Southwardly. Afternoon very cloudy and threatning.

16. Constant Rain the whole day with the Wind high from the Eastward. In the Evening it Shifted to the Southward.

17. Clear & pleasant, the Wind what little there was of it being still Southwardly.

18. Ground froze—the Wind being tolerably fresh from the No. West and at times Cloudy. It was cold & Raw.

19. Ground very hard froze. Morng. clear & Cold. Wind (tho not much of it) at No. West. Midday and Afternn. clear & pleast. Wind Southwardly.

20. Ground hard froze. Morning Cloudy & Cold tho the Wind was Southwardly. Afternn. clear & pleast.

21. Clear and Calm forenoon with frozen Ground. Afternn. very lowering and like for falling Weather.

22. Rain the preceeding Night, and Snowing till near 2 Oclock with the Wind varying from East to North.

23. Calm and Cloudy but not very cold. No frost this Morning.

24. No frost but calm and Cloudy all day.

25. Much such a day as yesterday but somewhat colder & Rawer.

26. Clear and a little Cool in the Morning. Ground frozen and wind (tho not much of it) Northwardly.

27. But a Slight frost and tolerably pleasant. Eveng. somewhat Cool.

28. Hard frost Wind Northwardly clear and Cold.

29. Very hard frost Afternoon lowering Cold and like for Snow.

30. A Great quantity of Rain fell last Night—a good deal the forepart of the day. Afternoon misting and tolerably warm.

31. Morning calm, clear, warm and pleasant but the Afternn. Cloudy cold and Windy from the No. West.


Title: [Diary entry: 1 February 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

Feby. 1st. At the Mill in the forenoon and afternoon. Doctr. Rumney came here before Dinner & stayd all Night.


Title: [Diary entry: 2 February 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

2. At the Mill and where my People was at Work on the Race in the forenoon & afternoon. Mr. Rutherford & Price Posey came here in the Evening.


Title: [Diary entry: 3 February 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

3. Val. Crawford came this Afternoon & Price Posey went away in the Morng.


Title: [Diary entry: 4 February 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

4. Mr. Rutherford Went away After breakfast. I rid to my Mill &ca. Docter Rumney came to Dinner & Doctr. Craik in the Afternoon. Both stayd all Night.


Title: [Diary entry: 6 February 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

6. Rid to my Mill by the Ferry in the forenoon, & afternoon. Price Posey came here this Evening.


Title: [Diary entry: 7 February 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

7. Price Posey went away. I rid to the Mill, & Dam at the head of the Race in the forenoon & Afternoon.


Title: [Diary entry: 8 February 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

8. Rid to my Mill & Tumbling Dam in the Forenoon & Afternoon. Doctr. Rumney dind here & went away afterwds.


Title: [Diary entry: 11 February 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

11. Rid by my Mill and Dam at the head of the Race on my way

to an Arbitration between John Graham and the Estate of Allan Macrae decd.


Title: [Diary entry: 12 February 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

12. At Colchester on the said Arbitration.


Title: [Diary entry: 14 February 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

14. Ditto—at Ditto—on Ditto.


Title: [Diary entry: 15 February 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

15. Ditto—at Ditto—on Ditto—in Company with Colo. Mason & Colo. T. Lee the other Arbitrators—Mr. T. Mason & Mr. Mercer the Attorneys.


Title: [Diary entry: 16 February 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

16. Still at Colchester upon the same business and in the same Company till 8 Oclock at Night.


Title: [Diary entry: 17 February 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

17. Returnd home to Breakfast by my Mill Damn. Found my Brother Charles & one Mr. Thompson here who came on Friday last.


Title: [Diary entry: 18 February 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

18. Those two Gentlemen went a Gunning & I rid to my Mill in the forenoon.


Title: [Diary entry: 19 February 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

19. They went a Ducking and I again Rid to my Mill in the forenoon.


Title: [Diary entry: 20 February 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

20. Rid to my Mill. Colo. Thos. Lee came here to Dinner. My Bro. & Mr. Thompson a Ducking.


Title: [Diary entry: 21 February 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

21. At home all day. Colo. Lee still here. The other Gentn. went a Ducking.


Title: [Diary entry: 22 February 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

22. Rid to my Mill in the forenoon. All the Gentlemen went away after Breakfast. Doctr. Rumney came in the Afternoon and stayed all Night.


Title: [Diary entry: 23 February 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

23. I rid to the Mill before breakfast and returnd to Dinner. Doctor Rumney went away after breakfast.


Title: [Diary entry: 25 February 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

25. Rid to the Mill in the forenoon and Afternoon. Colo. Robt. Fairfax made a Morning Visit here.


Title: [Diary entry: 26 February 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

26. Detaind at home all day by bad Weather.


Title: [Diary entry: 27 February 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

27. Rid to my Mill in the Forenoon and Afternoon. Colo. Robt. Fairfax dined here.


Title: [Diary entry: 28 February 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

28. Rid to the Mill in the Forenoon. Mr. Ross and Mr. Peter Waggener came here in the Evening and stayed all Night.


Title: [Diary entry: 3 February 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

3. Ground a little froze—day clear & pleasant with but little Wind.


Title: [Diary entry: 5 February 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

5. Ground but little froze this Morng. but the Wind getting to No. West & blowing fresh it turnd very Cold.


Title: [Diary entry: 6 February 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

6. Very hard frost & keen Wind from the No[rth]ward, in the Morning. Midday tolerably pleasant Wind being Southwardly. Afternoon rather cool again the Wind getting to the East. The whole day tolerably clear.


Title: [Diary entry: 7 February 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

7. Ground hard froze. Morning very Cloudy with a fine mixture of Snow & Rain. Eveng. Clear calm & pleast.


Title: [Diary entry: 8 February 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

8. Frozen Morning & Cold. Midday Clear & Pleasant. Afternoon very Cloudy & Raining from the Eastward.


Title: [Diary entry: 9 February 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

9. Much Rain fell last Night, & some this Morning. About 9 Oclock the Wind Shifting to No. West blew violently all day & grew very Cold being sometime Cloudy.


Title: [Diary entry: 10 February 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

10. Wind still fresh and Cold from the No. West. Ground very hard froze.


Title: [Diary entry: 11 February 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

11. Ground very hard froze. The Weather Cool and Clear but not so Cold as yesterday.


Title: [Diary entry: 12 February 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

12. Rain in the Night. Wind exceeding high from the No. West & towards Evening very Cold.


Title: [Diary entry: 14 February 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

14. Weather clear and frosty but more moderate Wind getting Southwardly.


Title: [Diary entry: 15 February 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

15. Tolerably calm and Still—what little wind blew was from the Southward. Weather clear, yet frosty.


Title: [Diary entry: 16 February 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

16. Snow about 3 Inches deep in the Morning & snowing all day from the Northward.


Title: [Diary entry: 17 February 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

17. Light Snow all the Morning with but little Wind. About 10 Oclock it came out of Northwest blew violent hard & dispersd the Clouds.


Title: [Diary entry: 18 February 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

18. Exceeding Cold and frosty with the Wind still at No. West but not so hard. Evening more moderate.


Title: [Diary entry: 19 February 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

19. Morning not very Cold. Midday pleasant but Evening Cold, Wind getting to No. West again.


Title: [Diary entry: 20 February 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

20. Exceeding Cold, & freezing Wind being high and piercing from the No. West.


Title: [Diary entry: 22 February 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

22. Wind still in the same place but not so fresh nor so cold.


Title: [Diary entry: 23 February 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

23. Day moderate with but little Wind but that Northwardly in the Morning—Southwardly afterwds.


Title: [Diary entry: 24 February 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

24. Morning Mild & lowering. Wind (what little stirg.) Southwardly. River opening fast. Afternoon Cloudy & sometimes dropping with Rain.


Title: [Diary entry: 25 February 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

25. No frost—forenoon clear, Warm & very pleasant. Afternoon very Cloudy but still warm. Wind Southwardly. Snow almost gone.


Title: [Diary entry: 26 February 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

26. Began Raining in the Night & kept constantly at it all day with the Wind fresh from No. East. Snow quite gone, and Ice also.


Title: [Diary entry: 27 February 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

27. Pleasant Morning but cloudy afterwards and sometimes Raining slowly. In the Evening clear, Wind blowing fresh from the Westward. No frost.


Title: [Diary entry: 28 February 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

28. Wind hard from the No. West, & growing very cold. Weather clear, & in the Evening Freezing, but no frost in the Morning.


Title: Acct. of the Weather in Feby. [1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

Feby. 1st. Ground hard froze & day Cool, Wind being fresh from the No. West.

2. Ground froze but not so cool, nor the Wind so fresh as yesterday. The Morng. Cloudy after a white frost but the Eveng. Clear & Wind South.

3. Ground a little froze—day clear & pleasant with but little Wind.

4. Wind pretty fresh & somewhat Raw from the Southward.

5. Ground but little froze this Morng. but the Wind getting to No. West & blowing fresh it turnd very Cold.

6. Very hard frost & keen Wind from the No[rth]ward, in the Morning. Midday tolerably pleasant Wind being Southwardly. Afternoon rather cool again the Wind getting to the East. The whole day tolerably clear.

7. Ground hard froze. Morning very Cloudy with a fine mixture of Snow & Rain. Eveng. Clear calm & pleast.

8. Frozen Morning & Cold. Midday Clear & Pleasant. Afternoon very Cloudy & Raining from the Eastward.

9. Much Rain fell last Night, & some this Morning. About 9 Oclock the Wind Shifting to No. West blew violently all day & grew very Cold being sometime Cloudy.

10. Wind still fresh and Cold from the No. West. Ground very hard froze.

11. Ground very hard froze. The Weather Cool and Clear but not so Cold as yesterday.

12. Rain in the Night. Wind exceeding high from the No. West & towards Evening very Cold.

13. Last Night Colder than any Night we have had this year. Ground exceeding hard froze. Day clear & Wind still at No. West but not so Cold.

14. Weather clear and frosty but more moderate Wind getting Southwardly.

15. Tolerably calm and Still—what little wind blew was from the Southward. Weather clear, yet frosty.

16. Snow about 3 Inches deep in the Morning & snowing all day from the Northward.

17. Light Snow all the Morning with but little Wind. About 10 Oclock it came out of Northwest blew violent hard & dispersd the Clouds.

18. Exceeding Cold and frosty with the Wind still at No. West but not so hard. Evening more moderate.

19. Morning not very Cold. Midday pleasant but Evening Cold, Wind getting to No. West again.

20. Exceeding Cold, & freezing Wind being high and piercing from the No. West.

   GW on this date wrote Jonathan Boucher that it was “quite impossible . . . to cross the River in these Storms of wind.” Ice was also hindering travelers (20–25 Feb. 1771, DLC:GW).

21. Colder than yesterday—Wind being still in the same place & higher. River & every place closd blockd up.

22. Wind still in the same place but not so fresh nor so cold.

23. Day moderate with but little Wind but that Northwardly in the Morning—Southwardly afterwds.

24. Morning Mild & lowering. Wind (what little stirg.) Southwardly. River opening fast. Afternoon Cloudy & sometimes dropping with Rain.

25. No frost—forenoon clear, Warm & very pleasant. Afternoon very Cloudy but still warm. Wind Southwardly. Snow almost gone.

   GW informed Jonathan Boucher in a postscript of this date that “now the River is so much choked with Ice as to render . . . passage precarious” (20–25 Feb. 1771, DLC:GW).

26. Began Raining in the Night & kept constantly at it all day with the Wind fresh from No. East. Snow quite gone, and Ice also.

27. Pleasant Morning but cloudy afterwards and sometimes Raining slowly. In the Evening clear, Wind blowing fresh from the Westward. No frost.

28. Wind hard from the No. West, & growing very cold. Weather clear, & in the Evening Freezing, but no frost in the Morning.


Title: [Diary entry: 1 March 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

Mar. 1. Messrs. Ross and Wagener went away after breakfast. I rid to my Mill and Ditchers in the forenoon. In the Afternoon Doctr. Craik came.


Title: [Diary entry: 2 March 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

2. The Doctr. & I set of for Winchester. Dined at Triplets and lodgd at Wests.


Title: [Diary entry: 4 March 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

4. Reachd Winchester to Dinner according to Appointment with the Officers &ca. claimg. part of the 200,000 Acs. of L[an]d.


Title: [Diary entry: 5 March 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

5. At Winchester all day. Dined with Lord Fairfax.


Title: [Diary entry: 6 March 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

6. Dined at my Lodging which was at Mr. Philp. Bushes and went home with my Br. Mr. Saml. Washington in the Eveng.


Title: [Diary entry: 7 March 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

7. At my Brothers all day writing Instructions & dispatches for Captn. Crawford the Surveyor of our 200,000 Acs. of Land.


Title: [Diary entry: 8 March 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

8. Ditto—About Ditto.


Title: [Diary entry: 9 March 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

9. Finished Ditto for Mr. Marcus Stephenson—who was to be the bearer of them. Mr. Dick & the two Mr. Nurses dined at my Brothers today.


Title: [Diary entry: 11 March 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

11. Set of from my Brother’s for Mr. Warnr. Washington’s on my return Home.


Title: [Diary entry: 12 March 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

12. Left Mr. Washingtons, & crossing at Snickers’s (where I eat an early Dinner) reach’d Leesburg betwn. 4 & 5 Oclock in the Afternoon.


Title: [Diary entry: 13 March 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

13. Reachd home, after being obliged to Ferry over goose Creek at Houghs Mill & coming Round by Ellzeys. Found Doctr. Craik here.


Title: [Diary entry: 14 March 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

14. Rid to my Mill & came home by Posey’s. Captn. Adam dined here.


Title: [Diary entry: 15 March 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

15. Surveyed the Plantation at Posey’s & came home to Dinner Plotting the Courses afterwards.


Title: [Diary entry: 17 March 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

17. At home all day alone till the Evening when Doctr. Rumney came here.


Title: [Diary entry: 18 March 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

18. Rid to Posey’s to lay of a fence before Breakfast & went to Court afterwards & stayd all Night.


Title: [Diary entry: 21 March 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

21. Went with the above to Belvoir to Dinner & returnd in the Evening with Mr. Boucher and Jacky Custis.


Title: [Diary entry: 23 March 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

23. Mr. Boucher went away after Breakfast. I rid to the Mill by Muddy hole & Doeg Run. Majr. Jenefir Mr. Saml. Gallaway & Mr. Thos. Ringold dined & lodgd here, as did Mr. B. Fairfax.


Title: [Diary entry: 25 March 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

25. Mr. Gallaway went away after Breakfast. I rid to my Mill and Dam both in the fore and afternoon.


Title: [Diary entry: 26 March 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

26. Rid to My Mill and Mill dam at the head of the Race in the forenoon (after going a hunting in the Morning). In the Afternoon Rid to Posey’s.


Title: [Diary entry: 27 March 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

27. Dined at Colchester in my way to Dumfries on the Arbitration between Doctr. Ross & Compa. & Mr. Semple. Supped at Grahams & lodgd at Mr. Montgomeres.


Title: [Diary entry: 28 March 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

28. Upon the Arbitration all day with Colo. Mason—Mr. Mundell & Mr. Ross.


Title: [Diary entry: 29 March 1771]
From: Washington, George
To:

29. Upon the Arbitration with the above Gentlemen as above.