Title: [Diary entry: 22 April 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

22. Morning—calm & clear—Mer. 55. Clear all day with the wind at No. Wt. but not hard or cold. Mer. 62 at Night & 65 at height. Doctr. Craik came on a Visit to Eleanor Peter.


Title: [Diary entry: 23 April 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

23. Morning lowering & calm—Mer. 52. Clear afternoon—wind at No. Wt. Mer. 66 & at its highest. Mr. Peter returned—sent for.


Title: [Diary entry: 25 April 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

25. Morning—Lowering—Wind at S. E. Mer. at 52. Clouds heavier towds. Night. Mer. 52 at Night—60 at highest. Doctr. went away after breakf.


Title: [Diary entry: 26 April 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

26. Morning very heavy—Wind at S. E. Mer. 53. Clear afterwards & turning very Warm. Mer. at 67 at Night & not higher all day. The Revd. Mr. Fairfax and Doctr. Craik (to visit Mr. Peter’s children) came to dinner. The first returned afterwards.


Title: [Diary entry: 27 April 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

27. Morning, & the day throughout clear. Wind at So. Et. Mer. 56 in the M. & 68 at Night & no higher all day. Doctr. Craik went away after breakfast & Mr. & Mrs. Law and a Mr. Ghan, a Swedish Gentleman came to dinner.


Title: [Diary entry: 28 April 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

28. Morning clear—wind Southerly. Mer. 64. Some appearances of Rain in the afternoon but none fell. Mer. 66 at Night 68 at high.


Title: [Diary entry: 29 April 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

29. Morning—clear, wind still Southerly—Mer. 61. Calm all day with appearances abt. 2 Oclock of Rain but none fell. Mer. 70 at Night & 73 at height. Mr. Ghan wt. away after breakfast.


Title: [Diary entry: 30 April 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

30. Morning—Clear, wind Southerly Mer. at 62–70 at Night & 74 at highest. Mr. Law & Mr. Peter went away after breakfast—and Doctr. & Mrs. Craik & Son—Mr. & Mrs. Harrison—and Mrs. Jenifer & a Miss Barnes came to dinner & returned afterwards.


Title: April—1798
From: Washington, George
To:

1. Morning—Smoaky & a little cloudy with the wind fresh from the Southward. Mer. 60—at night 66 & not higher all day. Mr. Law, a Mr. Taylor Lieutt. Walton of the Navy & young Mr. Barry came to dinner & Chs. Alexander junr. came at Night.

   Young Mr. Barry is probably James David Barry, nephew and adopted son of James Barry. Charles Alexander, Jr. (d. 1812), was the oldest son of Charles Alexander (1737–1806) of Preston.

2. Morning—very heavy—Wind at No. Et. Mer. 56. Raining more or less from 10 oclk. Wind more Northerly. Mer 40 at Night. Mr. Law & the Gentlemen who came with [him] left this about noon.

3. Morning—Raining—Wind fresh from No. Et. Mer. 39. Raining all day—wind in the same quarter. Mer. 38 at Night 42 highest.

4. Morning very thick and misting. Wind high from No. Et. Mer. 38. Misting & sometimes raining through the day. Wind in the same quarter. Mer. 39 at Night & 42 at highest. Mr. Alexander went away after breakfast.

5. Morning—Heavy & misting, Wind at No. Et. Mer. 42—The same through the day. Mer. 46 at Night & no higher.

6. Morning—Sun rose clear, but cloudy notwithstanding. Wind at No. Et. & Mer. at 46. Clear afterwards Wind still Easterly but moderate; Mer. 54 at Night—58 at highest.

7. Morning thick & misting. Wind easterly Mer. 48. Clear at Noon & cloudy afterwards. Mer. 50 at night & 58 at highest.

8. Morning—Began to rain about 6 Oclock—Wind at No. Et. & Mer. at 48. Ceased before 8 oclock & became a fine clear day with the wind moderately from No. Wt. Mer. 58 at Night & 63 at highest. Cap. John Spotswood & Mr. Lear came to dinner—the last went away after it.

9. Morning—clear, calm & extremely pleasant. Mer. 46. Clear all day—wind first at No. Et. then Southerly. Mer. 53 at Night, &

56 at highest. Mr. Peter went away after breakfast—leaving Mrs. Peter behind him.

10. Morning—Calm & clear Mer. 47. The wind springing up from the Eastward it lowered in the Afternoon & began to rain at Night. M. 52 at Night and 53 at highest.

11. Morning—Very cloudy havg. rained through the Night. Wind at So. Et. & Mer. at 52.

12. Morning—Clear—Wind Southerly & Mer. 45. Wind variable and weather apparently unsettled. Mer. 47 at Night 52 at highest. Mr. Peter ret[urned].

13. Morning heavy & lowering. Wind Southerly & Mer. at 44—variable appearances of weather thro the day. Mer. 48 at Night & 50 at highest. Genl. Lee came to dinner & Colo. Heath & son in the afternn.

   Col. William Heth had two sons, William M. Heth and Henry Gray Heth (d. 1816).

14. Morning—Clear & but little Wd. & that at No. W. Mer. 46. Wind varying from No. W. to So. W. & then back again with squalls without Rain. Mer. 45 at Night & not higher than 46. Genl. Lee & Colo. Heath went away after breakfast & Dr. Stuart came to D.

   to d.: probably means “to dinner” or “to dine.”

15. Morning clear & cool, but no frost. Wind abt. West & Mer. 38. Clear & Cold all day wind getting to and blowing cold from the No. Wt. Mer. at 40 all day. Mrs. Fitzhugh & her daughters & son came in the afternoon.

   Mrs. Anne Randoph Fitzhugh, wife of William Fitzhugh of Chatham, had one son, William Henry Fitzhugh (1790–1830), who later lived at Ravensworth, the vast Fitzhugh estate in Fairfax County. Her two daughters were Anne Fitzhugh (b. 1784), who later married Dr. Craik’s eldest son, William Craik, and Mary Lee (Molly) Fitzhugh (1788–1835), who was to marry Martha Washington’s grandson, George Washington Parke Custis.

16. Morning Calm & clear Mer. at 40. Afterwards Wind at No. Wt. & variable & weather also, Cold and disagreeable. Mer. at Night 32. 40 at highest. Doctr. Stuart went away. I went to Alexa. to an Election of Delegates for the Cty. of Fairfax—voted for

Messrs. West & Jno. Herbert—returned to Dinner. Mr. Fitzhugh came in the Afternoon.

   Roger West (d. 1801), son of Col. John West, and John Carlyle Herbert (1777–1846), elder son of William Herbert of Alexandria, were elected.

17. Morning—Wind at No. Wt. & disagreeably cold—Mer. at 28. Clear and cold all day. A very severe frost—ground hard frozen. Ice sufficient to bear. Fruit supposed to be all Killed—leaves of trees bit &ca. Mer. 36 at night 37 highest.

18. Morning—Clear & more moderate—Wind still at No. Wt. Mer. at 32. Clear all day & but little wind after morng. Mer. 50 at Night & no higher all day. Peaches not killed, & hoped other fruit not hurt. Points of the New Moon upwards. Mr. Fitzhugh & family left this after breakfast. Began to plant Corn at Union farm.

19. Morning—clear & calm & continued so through the day. Mer. 40 in the Morning—53 at Night & 54 at highest.

20. Morning—lowering—wind Southerly & Mer. at 54. Variable weather all day. Mer. 62 at Night, & 64 at highest. Mr. Peter went

away after breakfast and Mr. Townshend Dade & Mr. Nichs. Fitzhugh came to Din.

   Nicholas Fitzhugh’s sister Susannah Fitzhugh Dade (1757–1808) was married to Col. Townshend Dade of King George County.

21. Rained the greater part of last Night. Wind still Southerly & fresh. Mer. 58 in the morning 62 at Night & 64 at highest. A very heavy shower of Rain & high wind abt. 2 Oclock. Mr. Dade & Mr. Fitzh. went after breakf.

22. Morning—calm & clear—Mer. 55. Clear all day with the wind at No. Wt. but not hard or cold. Mer. 62 at Night & 65 at height. Doctr. Craik came on a Visit to Eleanor Peter.

   Martha Eliza Eleanor Peter (1796–1800) was the eldest child of Thomas and Martha Parke Custis Peter.

23. Morning lowering & calm—Mer. 52. Clear afternoon—wind at No. Wt. Mer. 66 & at its highest. Mr. Peter returned—sent for.

24. Clear with but little wind, from No. W. Mer. 51 morning. Calm mid day & wind at So. Et. at Night. Mer. 56 then & 62 at highest. Doctr. Craik came in the afternoon to visit Mr. Peter’s Children.

   Thomas Peter and Martha Parke Custis Peter had two children at this time; the younger was named Columbia Washington Peter (1797–1820).

25. Morning—Lowering—Wind at S. E. Mer. at 52. Clouds heavier towds. Night. Mer. 52 at Night—60 at highest. Doctr. went away after breakf.

26. Morning very heavy—Wind at S. E. Mer. 53. Clear afterwards & turning very Warm. Mer. at 67 at Night & not higher all day. The Revd. Mr. Fairfax and Doctr. Craik (to visit Mr. Peter’s children) came to dinner. The first returned afterwards.

27. Morning, & the day throughout clear. Wind at So. Et. Mer. 56 in the M. & 68 at Night & no higher all day. Doctr. Craik went away after breakfast & Mr. & Mrs. Law and a Mr. Ghan, a Swedish Gentleman came to dinner.

   mr. ghan: Henry Gahn (d. 1834), a young Swede from Stockholm, was established in New York where he carried on “a very lucrative commerce”

with Spain. He later served as a commercial agent for Sweden (niemcewicz, 17, 299, n.49).

28. Morning clear—wind Southerly. Mer. 64. Some appearances of Rain in the afternoon but none fell. Mer. 66 at Night 68 at high.

29. Morning—clear, wind still Southerly—Mer. 61. Calm all day with appearances abt. 2 Oclock of Rain but none fell. Mer. 70 at Night & 73 at height. Mr. Ghan wt. away after breakfast.

30. Morning—Clear, wind Southerly Mer. at 62–70 at Night & 74 at highest. Mr. Law & Mr. Peter went away after breakfast—and Doctr. & Mrs. Craik & Son—Mr. & Mrs. Harrison—and Mrs. Jenifer & a Miss Barnes came to dinner & returned afterwards.

   Mrs. Jenifer is probably Dr. and Mrs. Craik’s daughter Sarah, wife of Dr. Daniel Jenifer. Miss Barnes is probably a member of the Barnes family of Charles County, Md. The 1790 census included several heads of households by that name (HEADS OF FAMILIES, MD.Heads of Families at the First Census of the United States Taken in the Year 1790: Maryland. 1907. Reprint. Baltimore, 1965., 47–48).


Title: [Diary entry: 1 May 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

1. Morning—clear—wind at South & Mer. at 63. Clear & warm all day—wind in the same place. Mer. 71 at Night—75 at highest.


Title: [Diary entry: 2 May 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

2. A light sprinkling of Rain & cloudy in the morning—Mer. 66. Clear afterwards & very warm. Mer. 71 at Night & 75 at highest. Mr. Law returned to dinr.


Title: [Diary entry: 3 May 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

3. Morning—clear—wind Southerly Mer. 60 very little wind & appearances of Rain in the afternoon. Mer. 74 at Night & not higher.


Title: [Diary entry: 5 May 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

5. Clear Morning & little Wind—Mer. 70. Between 2 & 4 Oclock fine showers at intervals. Mer. 70 at Night & 81.


Title: [Diary entry: 6 May 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

6. Morning—perfectly clear with a light breeze from the Westward—Mer. 62. High wind from No. West afterwards—Mer. 67

thro’ the day. A Mr. Tayler & a Mr. Crips—introduced by Mr. Potts dined here as did Mr. T. Peter & Mr. Lear. All except Mr. Peter went away after dinner.


Title: [Diary entry: 9 May 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

9. Morning clear with but little Wind. Mer. at 58. Wind afterwards fresh indeed hard from the Westward until Night when it ceased. Mer. at 64 at Night. Mr. Lewis went away after breakfast. I went to the Proclamn. Sermon in Alexandria.


Title: [Diary entry: 12 May 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

12. Morning—clear & cool—Wind Northerly & Mer. at 44. Clear & Cold all day—a White frost this Morning. Mer. 56 at Night.


Title: [Diary entry: 13 May 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

13. Morning—clear & cool—Wind No. Easterly—Mer. at 50. Lowering towards evening. Mer. 56 at N. not much higher all day. Mr. White & Doctr. Craik dined here. The latter went away after dinr.


Title: [Diary entry: 14 May 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

14. Morning—Clear & cool, Calm—Mer. at 49. Some appearances of Rain abt. noon but they went off. Wind No. Et. & Mer. at 60 at Night. Mr. White left this after breakfast.


Title: [Diary entry: 15 May 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

 15. Morning—clear, with but little Wind & that No. Easterly Mer. 52—same through the day. Mer. 64 at Night.


Title: [Diary entry: 16 May 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

16. Morning perfectly clear—Wind northerly & Mer. at 58. Wind fresh after morning & cool all day. Mer. 60 at Night.


Title: [Diary entry: 17 May 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

17. Morning—Clear & calm—Mer. 52. Very lowering & likely for Rain afterwards with the Wind at So. Wt. Mer. 66 at Night.


Title: [Diary entry: 25 May 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

 25. Very brisk So. Westerly wind with misting showers at Intervals from about Noon. Rain in the afternoon. Mrs. Peaks fam. dined here.


Title: [Diary entry: 26 May 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

26. Clear all day, with the Wind at No. Wt. Mer. at 60 in the Morning & 62 at Night.


Title: [Diary entry: 27 May 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

27. Clear Morning & Calm—Mer. at 54. Wind brisk from the Eastward abt. 8 Oclock & appearances of Rain in the Evening. Mer. at 60 at Night. Mr. Lear dined here.


Title: [Diary entry: 28 May 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

28. Morning—Misty & sometimes raining—Mer. at 59, & growing Warm with the wind Easterly. Mer. 65 at Night.


Title: [Diary entry: 29 May 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

29. Morning warm & cloudy—Mer. 60, & wind No. Easterly at which pt. & Easterly it contind. all day with appearances of Rain but none fell. Went up to Alexa. on business & returned home to dinner.


Title: [Diary entry: 30 May 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

30. Morning—a thick Mist with the wind at No. Et.—Mer. 62. A good deal of Rain afterwards, before One oclock and a very heavy shower mixed with hail about 5 oclk. Colo. Morris, Lady & 4 children came here after dinner.


Title: [Diary entry: 31 May 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

31. Cloudy more or less through the day but no rain fell here. Wind Southerly. Mer. 64 at Nigt. Colo. Morris & family left this after breakfast—and Mr. Herbert & Son—the Revd. Mr. Addison a Mr. Rogers of Baltimore—Mr. Delius of Bremen & a Mr. Pekmoller of Hamburgh dined here & returned afterwards.


Title: May 1798
From: Washington, George
To:

1. Morning—clear—wind at South & Mer. at 63. Clear & warm all day—wind in the same place. Mer. 71 at Night—75 at highest.

2. A light sprinkling of Rain & cloudy in the morning—Mer. 66. Clear afterwards & very warm. Mer. 71 at Night & 75 at highest. Mr. Law returned to dinr.

3. Morning—clear—wind Southerly Mer. 60 very little wind & appearances of Rain in the afternoon. Mer. 74 at Night & not higher.

4. Morning—Clear & wind Southerly Mer. at 66. Appearances of Rain abt. Noon but none fell. Mer. 81 at Night & 82 at highest. Mr. and Mrs. Law went away after breakfast & Nelly Custis went up to Hope Park.

5. Clear Morning & little Wind—Mer. 70. Between 2 & 4 Oclock fine showers at intervals. Mer. 70 at Night & 81.

6. Morning—perfectly clear with a light breeze from the Westward—Mer. 62. High wind from No. West afterwards—Mer. 67

thro’ the day. A Mr. Tayler & a Mr. Crips—introduced by Mr. Potts dined here as did Mr. T. Peter & Mr. Lear. All except Mr. Peter went away after dinner.

7. Morng. Cloudy with a little drippg. of Rain. Mer. at 60. Clear Afternoon. Mer. 64 at Night.

8. Morning perfectly clear & pleasant—Calm—Mer. at 64. Lowering afternoon. Mr. Peter, Mrs. Peter & their Children left this and the Revd. Mr. Lewis from Connecticut came in the Afternoon.

   revd. mr. lewis: probably Zechariah Lewis (1773–1840), son of Rev. Isaac Lewis of Greenwich, Conn. Young Lewis had graduated from Yale in 1794 and studied theology under Dr. Ashbell Green in Philadelphia. During this time he had also acted as a tutor to George Washington Parke Custis. In 1796 Lewis was licensed to preach at Fairfield West Association, and later in the year became a tutor at Yale College, a position he held until his health failed in the summer of 1799. He then became editor of the New York Spectator and the Commercial Advertiser but retained his theological interests, becoming involved in various religious societies (SPRAGUEWilliam B. Sprague. Annals of the American Pulpit; or Commemorative Notices of Distinguished American Clergymen of Various Denominations, from the Early Settlement of the Country to the Close of the Year Eighteen Hundred and Fifty-five. 9 vols. New York, 1859-69., 1:662–68; Zechariah Lewis to GW, 17 July 1797, CtY).

9. Morning clear with but little Wind. Mer. at 58. Wind afterwards fresh indeed hard from the Westward until Night when it ceased. Mer. at 64 at Night. Mr. Lewis went away after breakfast. I went to the Proclamn. Sermon in Alexandria.

   sermon: On 23 Mar. 1798 Pres. John Adams issued a proclamation recommending that “as the United States of America are at present placed in a hazardous and afflictive situation, by the unfriendly disposition, conduct, and demands of a foreign power [France] . . . the 9th of May next, be observed throughout the United States, as a day of solemn humiliation, fasting and prayer” (ADAMS [2]Charles Francis Adams, ed. The Works of John Adams, Second President of the United States: With a Life of the Author, Notes, and Illustrations. 10 vols. 1850–56. Reprint. New York, 1971., 9:169).

10. Morning—clear & calm—Mer. at 52. Lowering all the afternoon with the Wind Southerly, but no Rain fell.

11. Morning—clear & but little wind—Mer. at 54. Great appearances of Rain abt. 2 Oclock with the Wind at No. Et. but none well. Eveng. Clear Mer. at 56 & no higher.

12. Morning—clear & cool—Wind Northerly & Mer. at 44. Clear & Cold all day—a White frost this Morning. Mer. 56 at Night.

13. Morning—clear & cool—Wind No. Easterly—Mer. at 50. Lowering towards evening. Mer. 56 at N. not much higher all day. Mr. White & Doctr. Craik dined here. The latter went away after dinr.

14. Morning—Clear & cool, Calm—Mer. at 49. Some appearances of Rain abt. noon but they went off. Wind No. Et. & Mer. at 60 at Night. Mr. White left this after breakfast.

15. Morning—clear, with but little Wind & that No. Easterly Mer. 52—same through the day. Mer. 64 at Night.

16. Morning perfectly clear—Wind northerly & Mer. at 58. Wind fresh after morning & cool all day. Mer. 60 at Night.

17. Morning—Clear & calm—Mer. 52. Very lowering & likely for Rain afterwards with the Wind at So. Wt. Mer. 66 at Night.

18. Clear Morning—no rain fell—clear all day. Mer. 60 in the Morning & 66 at Night. Horns, or points of the Moon upwards.

19. Morning—Clear, Wind Southerly and Mer. at 55. About 8 Oclock in the forenoon Mrs. Washington & Myself sat out on a visit to Hope Park & the Federal City. Got to the former to Dinner and remained there until Morning when we proceeded to the City. Dined at Mr. Thos. Peter’s & remained there until Wednesday, and then went to Mr. Laws & remained there until friday when we sat out on our return home & called at Mount Eagle to take our leave of the Revd. Mr. Fairfax who was on the point of Embarking for England.
The weather during this time was as follow—20th. a brisk Southerly wind & Cool. 21. Appearances of Rain & very warm. 22. Warm & still greater shew for Rain but none fell. 23. Wind still Southerly—Clouds gathering from all quarters and in the Afternoon a very fine Rain. 24. Warm—Southerly Wind & moderate Rain in the Afternoon.

   Another guest of Thomas Law was Julian Ursyn Niemcewicz (1758–1841) who visited Mount Vernon on 2 June. Niemcewicz was a Polish literary and political figure who came to America in 1797 as the companion of Tadeusz Kościuszko, leader of the Polish insurrection against Russia. Upon their release from a Russian prison the two Poles had come to America where Kościuszko had earlier gained fame as a colonel of engineers in the Revolution. GW and Mrs. Washington came to the Law home on 23 May for a two-day stay while Niemcewicz was still there. “The whole time he [GW] was courteous, polite, even attentive; he talked very little, now and then on agriculture, on natural history, on all that one would wish, except politics, on which he maintains an absolute silence and reserve.” During this visit GW renewed his interest in billiards. “He plays with a mace and although it is 25 years since he has played, his attention and skill made up for the lack of practice” (niemcewicz, 86–87). A billiard mace is a cue with a knob on the end.

   revd. mr. fairfax: GW wrote the earl of Buchan that “ill health and advice of Physicians have induced him [Bryan Fairfax] to try the effect of Sea Air, & his inclinations have led him to give a voyage to England the preference” (15 May 1798, DLC:GW).

25. Very brisk So. Westerly wind with misting showers at Intervals from about Noon. Rain in the afternoon. Mrs. Peaks fam. dined here.

26. Clear all day, with the Wind at No. Wt. Mer. at 60 in the Morning & 62 at Night.

27. Clear Morning & Calm—Mer. at 54. Wind brisk from the Eastward abt. 8 Oclock & appearances of Rain in the Evening. Mer. at 60 at Night. Mr. Lear dined here.

28. Morning—Misty & sometimes raining—Mer. at 59, & growing Warm with the wind Easterly. Mer. 65 at Night.

29. Morning warm & cloudy—Mer. 60, & wind No. Easterly at which pt. & Easterly it contind. all day with appearances of Rain but none fell. Went up to Alexa. on business & returned home to dinner.

30. Morning—a thick Mist with the wind at No. Et.—Mer. 62. A good deal of Rain afterwards, before One oclock and a very heavy shower mixed with hail about 5 oclk. Colo. Morris, Lady & 4 children came here after dinner.

   Colonel Morris is probably Lewis Morris (1752-1824), who had visited Mount Vernon with his brother Jacob Morris on 6 Nov. 1786. Morris had settled in South Carolina after the Revolution, and was an original member of the South Carolina Society of the Cincinnati. Morris, with his wife and children, was probably on his way to or from the Morris family home in New York.

31. Cloudy more or less through the day but no rain fell here. Wind Southerly. Mer. 64 at Nigt. Colo. Morris & family left this after breakfast—and Mr. Herbert & Son—the Revd. Mr. Addison a Mr. Rogers of Baltimore—Mr. Delius of Bremen & a Mr. Pekmoller of Hamburgh dined here & returned afterwards.

   Mr. William Herbert became president of the Bank of Alexandria in 1798. His two sons were John Carlyle Herbert (1777–1846) and William Herbert. Rev. Mr. Addison was Rev. Walter Dulany Addison (b. 1769), eldest son of Thomas Addison (d. 1774), of Oxon Hill and Rebecca Dulany Addison. In 1792 Walter married Elizabeth Dulany Hesselius, daughter of the artist John Hesselius (1728–1778), of Bellefield, Prince George’s County, Md.

   Mr. Delius may be Arnold Delius, who was appointed by GW in May 1794 as United States consul to Bremen, Germany (EXECUTIVE JOURNALJournal of the Executive Proceedings of the Senate of the United States of America: From the commencement of the First, to the termination of the Nineteenth Congress. Vol. 1. Washington, D.C., 1828., 1:157, 158). mr. pekmoller: For the mid-nineteenth-century memoir of “a German gentleman” who visited Mount Vernon in May 1798, see CUSTISGeorge Washington Parke Custis. Recollections and Private Memoirs of Washington. New York, 1860., 46on.


Title: [Diary entry: 1 June 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

1. Morning—clear & pleasant—Wind Southerly, & Mer. at 62. Cloudy more or less all day. Mer. 70 at Night. Mr. Hartshorne & Mr. Lear dined here.


Title: [Diary entry: 2 June 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

2. Morning clear & warm—With but little wind. Mer. 62—at Night 70. Mr. Law & a Polish Gentleman, the Companion of General Kosciaski came here to dinner, as did Miss Lee of Greenspring with Nelly Custis who returnd to day.


Title: [Diary entry: 4 June 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

4. Morning heavy—wind southerly—Mer. 64. In the afternoon Easterly & a great deal of Rain. Mer. 70 at Night.


Title: [Diary entry: 5 June 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

5. Morning, Mer. 65—but little wind & that Southerly. Appearances of Rain in the afternoon but none fell.


Title: [Diary entry: 6 June 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

6. Morning—Mer. at 65. Calm & thin clouds; thunder abt. 10 Oclock & Showers at a distance. In the Afternoon Rain for near an hour. Mer. 64 at Night. Mr. Law went away this morning & Dr. Stuart Mrs. Stuart & three daughters came to breakfast & dinner.


Title: [Diary entry: 7 June 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

7. Morning clear—Wind westerly Mer. 60. Appearances of Rain in the afternoon but none fell. Mer. 70 at Night. Wind West[erl]y.


Title: [Diary entry: 8 June 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

8. Morning—Clear & calm. Mer. 65. Clear most of the day & towards evening appearances of Rain but none fell.


Title: [Diary entry: 9 June 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

 9. Morning—clear calm & Warm. Mer. 66. Much the same through the day. Mer. 74 at Night.


Title: [Diary entry: 10 June 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

10. Morning—Wind pretty fresh from No. Et. but clear—Mer. 70. Very lowering in the Evening—Mer. 66. Doctr. Stuart returned, & Mr. Lear dined here.


Title: [Diary entry: 11 June 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

11. Morning very heavy & misting. Wind at No. Et. No rain had fallen. Mer. 64. Fine Rain from 8 Oclock through the day. Mer. 64 at Night. Mr. Tracy came in the evening.


Title: [Diary entry: 14 June 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

14. Morning Clear—Mer. 64. Wind at East—So. Westerly afterwards. At N. Mer. 76. Mrs. Stuart & her family & Mr. Law Mrs. Law and Mr. Niemcewitz (the Polish Gentn.) went away after breakfast.


Title: [Diary entry: 16 June 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

16. Morning—Calm, clear & Warm. Mer. at 72. Clear all day & calm till the afternoon then a brisk Easterly Wind. Mer. 80 at N. & 72 at N.


Title: [Diary entry: 17 June 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

17. Morning—Wind fresh from No. Et. and cloudy Mer. at 66. Clear afterwards. Mer. 66 at Night. Mr.  sent by Mr. Pearce to attend my Cradlers in harvest arrived.


Title: [Diary entry: 18 June 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

18. Morning—lowering, wind Easterly & Mer. at 62. Afternoon slow Rain—Mer. 70.


Title: [Diary entry: 19 June 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

19. Morning Wind still at East & Mer. at 70. Slow rain on & off all the forenoon—then clear—afterwds. cloudy & misting—Mer. .


Title: [Diary entry: 22 June 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

22. Morning clear—wind Southerly—Mer. at 72. Clear & warm all day—fresh breeze from So. Mer. 83 at height & 80 at Night. Mr. Tracy went away [after] dinner.


Title: [Diary entry: 23 June 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

23. Morning very lowering with the Wind at So. Wt. & light sprinkling of Rain. Mer. 74—at Night 80.


Title: [Diary entry: 24 June 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

 24. Morning Clear, Wind So. Wt. Mer. 76. About 3 oclock a very heavy rain for 15 or 20 Minutes and more, but moderate at Night. Mer. at 82 Noon & 74 Night.


Title: [Diary entry: 25 June 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

25. Morning very heavy & cloudy with the wind at So. Wt. and Mer. 72. Cloudy all day & sprinkling now and then. Mer. 78 at Noon & 73 at N.


Title: [Diary entry: 26 June 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

26. Morning Cloudy, & contd. so all day with the wind at So. Mer. 70 in the Morng. 75 at Noon and 72 at Night. Mr. Law & two French Gentn.—viz. Mr. La Guin & Mr. Clarmont.


Title: [Diary entry: 28 June 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

28th. Morning—clear, Wind at So. Mer. 70. Cloudy & likely for Rain all the afternoon but none fell. Mer. 75 at Noon & 74 at Night. Col. Simm dined here.


Title: [Diary entry: 29 June 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

29. Morning cloudy, & raining moderately between 7 & 9 Oclock. Clear afterwards & warm Wind Westerly. Mer. 74 in the Morng. 80 at Noon & 76 at Night.


Title: [Diary entry: 30 June 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

30. Morning & day clear & calm. Mer. 76 in the Morning, 80 at Noon & 78 at Night.


Title: June—1798
From: Washington, George
To:

1. Morning—clear & pleasant—Wind Southerly, & Mer. at 62. Cloudy more or less all day. Mer. 70 at Night. Mr. Hartshorne & Mr. Lear dined here.

2. Morning clear & warm—With but little wind. Mer. 62—at Night 70. Mr. Law & a Polish Gentleman, the Companion of General Kosciaski came here to dinner, as did Miss Lee of Greenspring with Nelly Custis who returnd to day.

   a polish gentleman: See entry for 19 May 1798. Neimcewicz made a full report of his Mount Vernon visit in his journal, including a detailed description of the Mansion House, farms, gardens, and something about the daily lives of the Washingtons. He immediately became infatuated with Nelly Custis: “This was one of those celestial figures that nature produces only rarely, that the inspiration of painters has sometimes divined and that one cannot see without ecstacy . . . she plays the harpsichord, sings, and draws better than any woman in America or even in Europe” (niemcewicz, 97).

   Although GW refers to Portia Lee (1777–1840) as being of Greenspring, the home of her deceased father, William Lee (1739–1795), she was at this time living with her cousin Richard Bland Lee at Sully, his home in the neighborhood of Hope Park where Nelly Custis had been visiting.

3. Morning—Calm & Warm Mer. 65. Warm all day with very little wind & that Southerly. Mer. 76 at Night, & in the Night Thunder Lightning & Rain. Mrs. Law came down to dinner & Mr. & Mrs. McClanahan dined here, & returned afterwds.

   Niemcewicz said that GW wrote letters all day. In the evening there was no music or games; it was Sunday and everyone retired at 9:00 P.M. On the following day Thomas Law took the guest to see the distillery. “If this distillery produces poison for men, it offers in return the most delicate and the most succulent feed for pigs. They keep 150 of the Guinea type, short feet, hollow backs and so excessively bulky that they can hardly drag their big bellies on the ground” (niemcewicz, 100).

4. Morning heavy—wind southerly—Mer. 64. In the afternoon Easterly & a great deal of Rain. Mer. 70 at Night.

5. Morning, Mer. 65—but little wind & that Southerly. Appearances of Rain in the afternoon but none fell.

6. Morning—Mer. at 65. Calm & thin clouds; thunder abt. 10 Oclock & Showers at a distance. In the Afternoon Rain for near an hour. Mer. 64 at Night. Mr. Law went away this morning & Dr. Stuart Mrs. Stuart & three daughters came to breakfast & dinner.

   According to Niemcewicz, the Stuarts arrived in a coach and four with two postilions and two men on horseback (niemcewicz, 103). The Stuarts’ three daughters were Ann (b. 1784), Sarah, and Arianne (b. 1789).

7. Morning clear—Wind westerly Mer. 60. Appearances of Rain in the afternoon but none fell. Mer. 70 at Night. Wind West[erl]y.

8. Morning—Clear & calm. Mer. 65. Clear most of the day & towards evening appearances of Rain but none fell.

9. Morning—clear calm & Warm. Mer. 66. Much the same through the day. Mer. 74 at Night.

10. Morning—Wind pretty fresh from No. Et. but clear—Mer. 70. Very lowering in the Evening—Mer. 66. Doctr. Stuart returned, & Mr. Lear dined here.

11. Morning very heavy & misting. Wind at No. Et. No rain had fallen. Mer. 64. Fine Rain from 8 Oclock through the day. Mer. 64 at Night. Mr. Tracy came in the evening.

   Thomas Tracy was a local music master whose students included Nelly Custis (GW’s Cash Memoranda, 1 Sept. 1797–20 Feb. 1799: entry for 20 Dec. 1798, RPJCB).

12. Morning Misty. Mid day clear & afternoon moderate Rain. Wind Easterly all day. Mer. 64 in the Morning & 70 at Night. Mr. Law returned in the Evening.

13. Morning, Mer. 68 & clear. Clouds but no rain all day. Mer. 72 at Night. Mr. Fitzhugh, Lady & daughter—Mrs. Beverley Randolph, with her daughter & Son in Law Randolph & his Sister dined here.

   Beverley Randolph married Martha Cocke of Williamsburg; their daughter Lucy Randolph married William Randolph (born c.1769) of Chitower, son of Thomas Randolph of Tuckahoe, Goochland County, and his first wife, Anne Cary Randolph. William Randolph’s sister is probably one of his two youngest sisters, Harriet Randolph (b. 1783) or Virginia Randolph (b. 1786).

   Returning from a fishing trip, Niemcewicz found a “notable and unexpected company from Alexandria.” He said the table in the great hall was set out with porcelain service for 20. “The General, in high spirits, was gracious and full of attention to everybody.” Of the young Randolphs, he wrote, “I do not know whether both their ages would add up to 38, and already they are the parents of three children” (niemcewicz, 106–7). In the evening Nelly Custis played the harpsichord and sang for Niemcewicz, who was leaving the following morning.

14. Morning Clear—Mer. 64. Wind at East—So. Westerly afterwards. At N. Mer. 76. Mrs. Stuart & her family & Mr. Law Mrs. Law and Mr. Niemcewitz (the Polish Gentn.) went away after breakfast.

   “The next day, after having risen before dawn, I walked, now for the last time, about the green groves of Mo[u]nt Vernon. . . . Then at six in the morning . . . I took my leave of the honorable Washington, his worthy wife and the beautiful, good and kind Miss Custis” (niemcewicz, 107–8).

15. Morning—clear, calm & warm. Mer. at 70–80 at Noon & 78 at Night. Calm all day. Mrs. Lund Washington dined here.

16. Morning—Calm, clear & Warm. Mer. at 72. Clear all day & calm till the afternoon then a brisk Easterly Wind. Mer. 80 at N. & 72 at N.

17. Morning—Wind fresh from No. Et. and cloudy Mer. at 66. Clear afterwards. Mer. 66 at Night. Mr.  sent by Mr. Pearce to attend my Cradlers in harvest arrived.

   On 6 May 1798 GW wrote to his ex-manager, William Pearce, who was now living in the wheat belt of the Eastern Shore in Kent County, Maryland: “In cradling my Wheat the coming Harvest I wish to catch it in the hand, in the manner practised on the Eastern Shore and other places; but as none of my People have been in the habit of cutting in this way, they might need an Instructor. Would it be in your power to engage a person who understands this business perfectly, as fixing the Cradles, to be here by the 25th. June, to be paid by the day while here and for coming & returning, and his reasonable travelling expences?” (NBLiHi). Pearce’s reply of 16 June 1798 introduces “Mr. John Costalaw . . . the person who I have Sent to you to make and Fix Cradels for you, and to Instruct your people In Cradeling wheat In the manner practised here” (DLC:GW).

18. Morning—lowering, wind Easterly & Mer. at 62. Afternoon slow Rain—Mer. 70.

19. Morning Wind still at East & Mer. at 70. Slow rain on & off all the forenoon—then clear—afterwds. cloudy & misting—Mer. .

20. Morning—heavy, a good deal of Rain fell in the Night. Wind at East Mer. 70. Variable through the day. Mer. 76 at Night—80 at highest.

21. Morning—Mer. 72—but little wind and that Southerly. Tolerably clear all day & wind fresher from South. Mer. 78 at Noon & Night. Mr. Lear & Mr. Tracy dined here—the first returned afterwards.

22. Morning clear—wind Southerly—Mer. at 72. Clear & warm all day—fresh breeze from So. Mer. 83 at height & 80 at Night. Mr. Tracy went away [after] dinner.

23. Morning very lowering with the Wind at So. Wt. & light sprinkling of Rain. Mer. 74—at Night 80.

24. Morning Clear, Wind So. Wt. Mer. 76. About 3 oclock a very heavy rain for 15 or 20 Minutes and more, but moderate at Night. Mer. at 82 Noon & 74 Night.

25. Morning very heavy & cloudy with the wind at So. Wt. and Mer. 72. Cloudy all day & sprinkling now and then. Mer. 78 at Noon & 73 at N.

26. Morning Cloudy, & contd. so all day with the wind at So. Mer. 70 in the Morng. 75 at Noon and 72 at Night. Mr. Law & two French Gentn.—viz. Mr. La Guin & Mr. Clarmont.

   Anna Maria Brodeau Thornton wrote in her diary on 24 June 1798 that “Mr. La Guin & Mr. Flamand two French Gentlemen from New York came” (DLC: William Thornton Papers). Nelly Custis recorded that they were “old friends” of Thomas Law’s (Eleanor Parke Custis to Elizabeth Bordley, 1 July 1798, ViMtvL). mr. la guin: probably the Frenchman Louis Le Guen, who came to the United States in 1794, went into trade in New York City and Philadelphia, and invested in land in eastern Pennsylvania.

27. Morng. Cloudy—Wind No. Westerly Mer. 67. Clear afterwards & calm. Mer. 75 at Noon & 74 at Night.

28th. Morning—clear, Wind at So. Mer. 70. Cloudy & likely for Rain all the afternoon but none fell. Mer. 75 at Noon & 74 at Night. Col. Simm dined here.

29. Morning cloudy, & raining moderately between 7 & 9 Oclock. Clear afterwards & warm Wind Westerly. Mer. 74 in the Morng. 80 at Noon & 76 at Night.

30. Morning & day clear & calm. Mer. 76 in the Morning, 80 at Noon & 78 at Night.


Title: [Diary entry: 1 July 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

1. Morning—Clear & wind Southerly Mer. 74. Day clear & very warm. Mer. 86 at Noon & 84 at Night. Mr. Fitzhugh of Chatham & Doctr. Welford dined here—as did Dr. Fld.


Title: [Diary entry: 2 July 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

2. Clear with very little wind & that southerly in the Morng. Mer. 79 at Noon 88 & at Night 86—clear.


Title: [Diary entry: 3 July 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

3. Clear morning & but little wind—Mer. at 80–90 at Noon & 82 at N. Abt. 7 Oclock a Cloud arose wch. produced a good shower of Rain & pretty severe Thunder. Mrs. Fairfax, her Sister, daughter & widow Price Mrs.  Mr. Ferdd. Fairfax & Lady, and Mr. Jno. Herbert & his two Sisters dined here & returned.


Title: [Diary entry: 4 July 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

4. Morning clear—breeze from the No. but light—Mer. 78. 80 at Night. Went up to the Celebration of the anniversary of Independance and dined in the Spring Gardens near Alexa. with a large Compa. of the Civil & Military of Fairfax County.


Title: [Diary entry: 5 July 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

5. Morning lowering, with heavy rain about 3 Oclock for near half an hour. Mer. 74 in the M. & 73 at Night.


Title: [Diary entry: 7 July 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

7. Morng. Clear & but little Wind. Mer. at 68 in the Morng.—clear all day. Mr. R. Bland Lee & Mr. Hodgden came here to dinner & Mr. Ludwell Lee & Lady went away after Din.


Title: [Diary entry: 8 July 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

8. Morning clear with the Wind brisk from the Southward. Abt. 3 oclock a heavy Shower of Rain for half an hour. Mer. at 70 in the Morng. 75 at Night. Mr. Lee & Miss Portia Lee Mr. Hodgden, & Doctr. Stuart who came in the afternoon of yesterday went away after breakfast & Mr. & Mrs. Potts, Miss Fitzhugh Mrs. Conway Miss Brown Mr. Wm. Wilson Mr. Wm. Ramsay & Mr. Lear came to Dinner & returned.


Title: [Diary entry: 10 July 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

 10. Clear morning—Wind, tho’ little still No. Westerly, Mer. 64—Southerly afterwards & at Night 74. Doctr. Craik, Wife & Son—a Mr. Craig of Alexa. & Mr. Hunter of Baltimore—Mr. Jno. Herbert—Mr. de Bourg Presid. of the College at George Town another of the Professors & two of the Studts. Viz.—a Son of Mr. Laws & a Neph. of Barrys dined here & all retd.


Title: [Diary entry: 11 July 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

11. Morning lowering—Wind fresh from the So. Mer. 72. Rain in the afternoon. Mer. 74 at Night. Mr. Fitzhugh & his oldest daughter dined here. He went away afterwards & Mr. McHenry—Secy. of war came in the evening.


Title: [Diary entry: 13 July 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

 13. Lowering in the Morng. No Wind Mer. 70. Clear afternoon Mer. 66.


Title: [Diary entry: 14 July 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

14. Clear Morng. Mer. 62 but little Wd. 68 at Night—wind westerly. The Secy. of War left this after dinner.


Title: [Diary entry: 16 July 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

16. Raining or Misting all day—with but little w. & that Southerly. Mer. 68 all day.


Title: [Diary entry: 17 July 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

17. Hea[v]y Morng. & even.—clear midday. Mer. 70. Mr. & Mrs. Fitzhugh & their Younger daughter & son & Mr. Lear came to dinner. The last retd. after.


Title: [Diary entry: 18 July 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

18. Rain with thunder in the morng. Mer. at 70. Clear afterwards and Wind Northerly. Mer. 72 at N. Mr. Fitzhugh & all his family went away after dinner.


Title: [Diary entry: 19 July 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

19. Morning—clear—Wind North. Mer. 60. Clear all day. Wind blowing fresh from No. Wt. Mer. 66 at Night. Miss Digges & her niece Miss Carroll dined here.


Title: [Diary entry: 20 July 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

20. Morning—clear & Cool—Wind brisk from No. W. Mer. 60 in Morning 68 at Night. Went up to Alexa. with Mrs. W. & Miss Cus. dined at Doctr. Craiks retd. in the Aftn.


Title: [Diary entry: 21 July 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

21. Morning & throughout the day clear with very little Wind. Mer. 63 in the Morning & 74 at Night.


Title: [Diary entry: 23 July 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

 23. Morng. clear—Wind Southerly Mer. 70. Remained so all day. Mer. 76 at N. Mr. Lear came in the M[ornin]g—stayed all day.


Title: [Diary entry: 24 July 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

24. Morng.—clear & still—Mer. 72. Clear thro’ the day with a southerly Wind. Mer. 80 at Night. Doctr. Stuart & Mr. Geo. Graham dined here. The last went away afterwards.


Title: [Diary entry: 25 July 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

25. Morng. Clear—Wind Southerly Mer. 74. In the Afternoon Rain below us—but none fell here. Mer. 78 at Night. This family & Mr. Daltons dind with Mr. Le[a]r.


Title: [Diary entry: 26 July 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

26. Mer. at 76 in the Morning very little wind. Rain pretty smartly abt. 3 Oclock for 5 or 6 Minutes. Mer. 80 at Night. Mr. Herbert wife 2 daughters son & Mr. & Mrs. Whiting dined here—as did the Count Inznard & Mr. Merchant—all went awy.


Title: [Diary entry: 27 July 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

27. Morng. clear & calm—Mer. 77. Clear all day & but little W. Mer. 87 at .


Title: [Diary entry: 29 July 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

29. Mer. 80 in the Morng. 90 at N. & 86 at Night. Clear all day Wind Southerly. Doctr. Craik dind he[re].


Title: [Diary entry: 30 July 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

 30. Morning lowering—wind brisk from South & Mer. at 79. Clouds gathered & Rain fell in difft. quarters before Noon. Abt. 3 oclock we had a fine shower for half an hour with a little more at Night. Mer. 72 at N.


Title: [Diary entry: 1 August 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

1. Clear Morning & day—Mer. 72 in the Morning & 80 at Night.


Title: [Diary entry: 2 August 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

2. Morning clear & calm—Mer. at 74. Clear all day—Wind Southerly. M. 80 at Night. Mr. Lear dined here & Mrs. Washington of Bushfield & her G. daughter Ann Washn. came in the Afternn.


Title: [Diary entry: 4 August 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

4. Morning—Clear & but little wind & that So. Easterly. Mer. at 76. Appearances of Rain all the forenoon. In the Afternoon heavy clouds and rain all around us but none fell here. Mer. 77 at Night.


Title: [Diary entry: 5 August 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

5. Morning clear—Wind at So. Mer. 74. Clouds around us in the Afternoon & rain—but none here. Mer. 79 at N. Washn. Custis came home fm. College.


Title: [Diary entry: 6 August 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

6. Morning heavy with great appearances of Rain but none fell. Mer. at 74 in the morng. & 80 at N. Went to Alexa. to a meeting of the Poto. Co. Mr. Bur: Bassett came home with me.


Title: [Diary entry: 7 August 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

7. Morning—clear & calm Mer. 76. Clear all day. Mer. 85 at Noon & 80 at Night. Mr. Lear & the boys dined here & with Mr. Basset went afterwards.


Title: [Diary entry: 9 August 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

9. Morning clear & calm M. 78. Clear all day. Mer. 90 at Noon & 84 at Night. Clear & calm all day. Doctr. Stuart came to dinner.


Title: [Diary entry: 10 August 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

10. Morning—clear & calm Mer. 78. Pretty fresh from the Southward afterwards. Mer. 90 at highest 86 at Night. Mr. & Mrs. Thornton & Jno. Herbert & G. W. Craik came to dinner. The two last returned.


Title: [Diary entry: 11 August 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

11. Morng. perfectly clear & calm. Mer. at 78—at Noon 90—and at Night. Fine Showers appeared all around us—but none fell here. Genl. & Mrs. & Miss Spotswood & two younger daughters came in the Afternoon.


Title: [Diary entry: 12 August 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

12. Morning clear—Wind Westerly Mer. 73. 78 at Night.


Title: [Diary entry: 13 August 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

13. Morng. cloudy & so it contd. thro the day. In the afternoon a shower for a few Minutes. Mer.  in the morning & 76 at Night.


Title: [Diary entry: 14 August 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

14. Morning cloudy—raing. a few Minutes about 8 Oclock. The same about one. Showery from about 4 until after dark. M.  in the Morng. and 73 at Night. Mr. Booker came in the afternn.


Title: [Diary entry: 15 August 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

15. Morning—Cloudy, wind southerly Mer. . A slight shower in the evening. Mer. 78 at Night. Mr. & Mrs. Ludwell [Lee] & Miss Armistead & Mr. Fielding Lewis dined here & returnd.


Title: [Diary entry: 16 August 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

16. Morning Cloudy—Wind Southerly Mer. 78. Clouds & showers about in the afternoon—but none fell here. Mer. 80 at Night.


Title: [Diary entry: 17 August 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

17. Morning clear & calm M. 77. At Noon 88 & at Night 78. Clouds all round & rain in places but none fell here. Wind variable. Mr. Tracy came in the Morng. & Mr. Harper at Night.


Title: [Diary entry: 18 August 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

18. Morng. clear—Mer. at 76—Noon 88 and at Night 84. Clear all day. Mr. Tracy went away after dinner & Mr. Booker in the Morng.


Title: [Diary entry: 20 August 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

 20. A heavy fog. Mer. at 76 Morn. 82 at Night. Thunder in the forenoon & rain around us but none fell here. Mr. Harper went away after Breakfast. No acct. kept of the Weather &ca. from hence to the end of the Month—on acct. of my sickness which commenced with a fever on the 19th. & lasted until the 24th. which left me debilitated. On the 28th. there was a very refreshing Rain but not sufft. to go to the Roots of Indian Corn which was suffering very much for want of it.


Title: August 1798
From: Washington, George
To:

1. Clear Morning & day—Mer. 72 in the Morning & 80 at Night.

2. Morning clear & calm—Mer. at 74. Clear all day—Wind Southerly. M. 80 at Night. Mr. Lear dined here & Mrs. Washington of Bushfield & her G. daughter Ann Washn. came in the Afternn.

   Ann Aylett Washington (1783–1804), daughter of Jane Washington (1759–1791) and William Augustine Washington (d. 1810), was the granddaughter of Jane’s mother, Hannah Bushrod Washington of Bushfield, widow of GW’s brother John Augustine Washington (1736–1787).

3. Morning cloudy, & Showers of rain about in the afternoon, but none here. Mer. 74 in the morning 80 at N.

4. Morning—Clear & but little wind & that So. Easterly. Mer. at 76. Appearances of Rain all the forenoon. In the Afternoon heavy clouds and rain all around us but none fell here. Mer. 77 at Night.

5. Morning clear—Wind at So. Mer. 74. Clouds around us in the Afternoon & rain—but none here. Mer. 79 at N. Washn. Custis came home fm. College.

   Washington Custis had been at St. John’s College just over four months when GW received a letter from him asking whether he should pack only for the coming vacation or to come home to stay (21 July 1798, CUSTISGeorge Washington Parke Custis. Recollections and Private Memoirs of Washington. New York, 1860., 109). GW was astonished and outraged and wrote young Custis that “it would seem as if nothing I could say to you made more than a momentary impression” (24 July 1798, CUSTISGeorge Washington Parke Custis. Recollections and Private Memoirs of Washington. New York, 1860., 110). It was by this time evident, however,

	   that sending the boy back to school would serve no useful purpose. After some correspondence with David Stuart on the subject (GW to Stuart, 13 Aug. 1798, PHi: Dreer Collection; Stuart to GW, 22 Aug. 1798, DLC:GW), GW decided to keep Custis at home and have him tutored by Tobias Lear, who at this time was acting as GW’s military secretary (GW to Stuart, 10 Sept. 1798, WRITINGSJohn C. Fitzpatrick, ed. The Writings of George Washington from the Original Manuscript Sources, 1745–1799. 39 vols. Washington, D.C., 1931–44., 36:435; for correspondence regarding Custis’s college career see CUSTISGeorge Washington Parke Custis. Recollections and Private Memoirs of Washington. New York, 1860., 73–116). GW’s final attempt to solve the problem of what to do with Washington Custis was made in December of this year: he had the young man appointed a cornet in a troop of horse (GW to David Stuart, 30 Dec. 1798, ViMtvL; CUSTISGeorge Washington Parke Custis. Recollections and Private Memoirs of Washington. New York, 1860., 51).

6. Morning heavy with great appearances of Rain but none fell. Mer. at 74 in the morng. & 80 at N. Went to Alexa. to a meeting of the Poto. Co. Mr. Bur: Bassett came home with me.

   In May 1798 the president and directors of the Potowmack Company had been authorized by the shareholders “to mortgage as many shares as could be obtained and to borrow as much stock as could be had” to the amount of $10,000. At the August annual meeting the president announced that loans had been made by Daniel Carroll of Duddington “of $2,500 of six per cent. stock of the United States, and by General Washington of $3,498 of the same” and an additional amount might be had of Carroll. Although over $2,000 had been collected in tolls in the last year, the superintendent and overseer were discharged and horses and wagons sold because lack of money had brought the work on the project to a virtual standstill (BACON-FOSTERCorra Bacon-Foster. Early Chapters in the Development of the Patomac Route to the West. Washington, D.C., 1912., 97–98).

7. Morning—clear & calm Mer. 76. Clear all day. Mer. 85 at Noon & 80 at Night. Mr. Lear & the boys dined here & with Mr. Basset went afterwards.

8. Morng. clear, but the Sun rose red. Calm & Mer. at 74 in the Morning 88 at Noon & 84 at N.

9. Morning clear & calm M. 78. Clear all day. Mer. 90 at Noon & 84 at Night. Clear & calm all day. Doctr. Stuart came to dinner.

10. Morning—clear & calm Mer. 78. Pretty fresh from the Southward afterwards. Mer. 90 at highest 86 at Night. Mr. & Mrs. Thornton & Jno. Herbert & G. W. Craik came to dinner. The two last returned.

11. Morng. perfectly clear & calm. Mer. at 78—at Noon 90—and at Night. Fine Showers appeared all around us—but none fell here. Genl. & Mrs. & Miss Spotswood & two younger daughters came in the Afternoon.

   Gen. Alexander Spotswood and Elizabeth Washington Spotswood had five daughters; the four younger ones were Elizabeth, Anne, Henrietta, and Martha.

12. Morning clear—Wind Westerly Mer. 73. 78 at Night.

13. Morng. cloudy & so it contd. thro the day. In the afternoon a shower for a few Minutes. Mer.  in the morning & 76 at Night.

14. Morning cloudy—raing. a few Minutes about 8 Oclock. The same about one. Showery from about 4 until after dark. M.  in the Morng. and 73 at Night. Mr. Booker came in the afternn.

   William Booker erected a threshing machine of his own design for GW at the Union Farm in July 1797. The machine’s performance had been disappointing, and Booker was back at Mount Vernon to make repairs (GW to Booker, 15 April 1798, DLC:GW; GW’s Cash Memoranda, 29 Sept. 1794–17 Aug. 1797: entry for 6 July 1797, RPJCB; GW’s Cash Memoranda, 1 Sept. 1797–20 Feb. 1799: entry for 18 Aug. 1798, RPJCB).

15. Morning—Cloudy, wind southerly Mer. . A slight shower in the evening. Mer. 78 at Night. Mr. & Mrs. Ludwell [Lee] & Miss Armistead & Mr. Fielding Lewis dined here & returnd.

16. Morning Cloudy—Wind Southerly Mer. 78. Clouds & showers about in the afternoon—but none fell here. Mer. 80 at Night.

17. Morning clear & calm M. 77. At Noon 88 & at Night 78. Clouds all round & rain in places but none fell here. Wind variable. Mr. Tracy came in the Morng. & Mr. Harper at Night.

18. Morng. clear—Mer. at 76—Noon 88 and at Night 84. Clear all day. Mr. Tracy went away after dinner & Mr. Booker in the Morng.

19. Morning clear & Calm Mer. 80 at noon 89 and at Night 79. Showers around us in the Afternoon but none fell here. Colo. Simms & lady, & Mr. Herbert & Son dined here.

   Charles Simms’s wife, Nancy Douglass Simms, was the daughter of William Douglass of New Jersey.

20. A heavy fog. Mer. at 76 Morn. 82 at Night. Thunder in the forenoon & rain around us but none fell here. Mr. Harper went away after Breakfast.
No acct. kept of the Weather &ca. from hence to the end of the Month—on acct. of my sickness which commenced with a fever on the 19th. & lasted until the 24th. which left me debilitated.
On the 28th. there was a very refreshing Rain but not sufft. to go to the Roots of Indian Corn which was suffering very much for want of it.

   my sickness: GW suffered a severe fever for about a week, for which he received quinine treatments, but lost about 20 pounds. On 14 Sept. he was still “recovering my flesh fast—nearly a pound, & half a day” (GW to Alexander Spotswood, 14 Sept. 1798, owned by Mr. Sol Feinstone, Washington Crossing, Pa., on deposit at PPAmP; see FREEMANDouglas Southall Freeman. George Washington: A Biography. 7 vols. New York, 1948–57., 7:527).


Title: [Diary entry: 1 September 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

1. Morning—A little lowering with appearances of rain in the Afternoon but not fell here. Mer. 68 in the Morn. &  at N.


Title: [Diary entry: 2 September 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

2. Morning—Clear—Mer. 68. Clear all day—wind fresh at East. Mer. 72 at Night. Mr. White came to dinner.


Title: [Diary entry: 3 September 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

3. Morning Calm & lowering—Mer. 65. Lowering all day with a little misting rain in the afternoon. Mer. 70 at N. In the Morning to breakfast came Genl. Marshall & Mr. Bushrod Washington and to dinner the Atty. Genl. Chas. Lee Mr. Herbert Mr. Keith & Doc. Craik. The last went away.


Title: [Diary entry: 4 September 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

4. Morng. Cloudy—Mer. at 69. Clear afterwards. Mer. 80 in the Aftern. & 74 at Night. In the Afternoon Mr. & Mrs. Parks of Fredericksbg. came here.


Title: [Diary entry: 6 September 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

6. Morning Clear—Mer. 65—at Night 66. Clear all day. Mr. Marshall & Mr. B. Washington went away before breakfast. Mr. Wm. Craik came to Breakfast & returned afterwards and Mr. Jno. Herbert & Mr. Robt. Burwell came to dinner. The latter returned after it. The former stayed all Night.


Title: [Diary entry: 7 September 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

7. Morning—thunder & Rain for about an hour—Mer. 58—at Night 59. Clear afternoon. Mr. Herbert went away after dinner.


Title: [Diary entry: 8 September 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

8. Morning clear Mer. at 58–70 at Noon and 66 at Night. Mr. & Mrs. Parks left this after breakfast.


Title: [Diary entry: 10 September 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

10. Omitted to take any Acct. but the weather was clear & warm.


Title: [Diary entry: 14 September 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

14. Morning clear—wind Southerly—Mer. 64–78 at Noon & 72 at Night. Clear all day.


Title: [Diary entry: 15 September 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

15. Morning & throughout the day clear—Mer. 68 in the warm mid day & 76 at Night So. & then Easterly. Mr. White came to dinner.


Title: [Diary entry: 16 September 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

16. Morning clear—Wind Southerly—Mer. 71. Doctr. Stuart & Doctr. Craik came to dinner. Day warm.


Title: [Diary entry: 17 September 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

17. Mer. at 75 in the Morning 85 at hight & 80 at Night. Day clear—wind Southerly. Mr. White & the Doctors went away this Morning.


Title: [Diary entry: 18 September 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

18. Morning cloudy—Wind Southerly & Mer. at 75. After 2 Oclock there were showers with intervals till Night, when it had the appearance of a settled rain. Mer. 75 at N.


Title: [Diary entry: 19 September 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

19. Morning cloudy—wind South—Mer.  and at Night 80. Doctr. Craik came in the Morning to visit Mr. L. Lewis & stayed all day & Night.


Title: [Diary entry: 20 September 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

20. Morning clear—wind Southerly—Mer. at 75. Went up to the Federal City. Dined & lodgd at Mr. Thos. Peters.


Title: [Diary entry: 21 September 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

21. Great appearances to Rain & some fell about 8 Oclock A.M.—clear afterwds. Examined in company with the Comrs. some of the Lots in the vicinity of the Capital & fixed upon No. 16 in [square] 634 to build on. Dined & lodged at Mr. Laws.


Title: [Diary entry: 23 September 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

23. Morning clear—Wind Easterly & Mer. at 63. Lowering in the evening Mer. at 72. Mr. & Mrs. Nichols & his brother & Mrs. Swanwick dined here.


Title: [Diary entry: 24 September 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

24. Morning clear—Wind Southerly Mer. at 64. No. West afterwards.


Title: [Diary entry: 26 September 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

 26. Morning—Clear—Wind at No. Wt. but little of it. Mer. at 48. Wind shifted to the Southward & blew fresh. Mer. 62 at N. Mr. Tracey came here to dinner.


Title: [Diary entry: 27 September 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

27. Morning cloudy—wind fresh from So. Wt. with a scud or two of Rain in the afternoon. Mr. Jno. Herbert came to dinner and a Major Simons of Charleston in the afternn.


Title: [Diary entry: 30 September 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

30. Morning clear & calm—Mer. at 44. Clear all day. Went to church in Alexa. Mer. 59 at N.


Title: September 1798
From: Washington, George
To:

1. Morning—A little lowering with appearances of rain in the Afternoon but not fell here. Mer. 68 in the Morn. &  at N.

2. Morning—Clear—Mer. 68. Clear all day—wind fresh at East. Mer. 72 at Night. Mr. White came to dinner.

3. Morning Calm & lowering—Mer. 65. Lowering all day with a little misting rain in the afternoon. Mer. 70 at N. In the Morning to breakfast came Genl. Marshall & Mr. Bushrod Washington and to dinner the Atty. Genl. Chas. Lee Mr. Herbert Mr. Keith & Doc. Craik. The last went away.

   John Marshall, after serving as one of the three American peace commissioners to France in 1797 had recently returned home to Virginia. GW had invited Marshall to Mount Vernon to urge him to run for Congress as a Federalist for the district around Richmond.

4. Morng. Cloudy—Mer. at 69. Clear afterwards. Mer. 80 in the Aftern. & 74 at Night. In the Afternoon Mr. & Mrs. Parks of Fredericksbg. came here.

   Mr. and Mrs. Parks were Andrew Parks, a merchant in Fredericksburg, and his wife, Harriot Washington Parks (1776–1822), youngest child of GW’s brother Samuel Washington and his fourth wife Anne Steptoe Allerton Washington. When the topic of their marriage arose in 1796, GW, acting in place of Harriot’s deceased father, assured Parks that if he were “a gentleman

of respectable connexions; and of good dispositions,” and able to support her decently, he would assent to the marriage, declaring: “my wish is to see my niece happy” (GW to Parks, 7 April 1796, DLC:GW; Betty Washington Lewis to GW, 27 Mar. 1796, ViMtvL). GW sent his niece “a great deal of good advice which,” Harriot replied, “I am extremely obliged to you for.” The wedding took place in July 1796 (Harriot Washington Parks to GW, 17 July 1796, DLC:GW).

5. Morning clear & Cool—Afternoon clouds, & a light shower. Mer. at  in the Morning 62 at Night. Genl. Marshall & Mr. B. Washington went to a dinner in Alexa. given to the former by the Citizen’s there & returned.

   dinner in alexa.: “Every preparation and arrangement for the day was elegant and patriotic. The dinner was served in the best style, and the good humor and conviviality of the company, which was numerous and respectable, gave a zest to the wines, which were of the best quality. The Toasts . . . were accompanied by a number of patriotic songs, and discharges from the train of Artillery, together with repeated huzzas and plaudits from the Citizens both within and without doors.” The first of the 19 toasts was to “The United States, free, Sovereign and Independent forever”; the fourth to “Lieut. General George Washington”; the thirteenth, “God speed the plough”; the eighteenth to Marshall, and the last to the other honored guest, United States Atty. Gen. Charles Lee, of Alexandria (Columbian Mirror [Alexandria], 6 Sept. 1789).

6. Morning Clear—Mer. 65—at Night 66. Clear all day. Mr. Marshall & Mr. B. Washington went away before breakfast. Mr. Wm. Craik came to Breakfast & returned afterwards and Mr. Jno. Herbert & Mr. Robt. Burwell came to dinner. The latter returned after it. The former stayed all Night.

7. Morning—thunder & Rain for about an hour—Mer. 58—at Night 59. Clear afternoon. Mr. Herbert went away after dinner.

8. Morning clear Mer. at 58–70 at Noon and 66 at Night. Mr. & Mrs. Parks left this after breakfast.

9. Morning clear—Mer. at 59. Wind though but little of it Westerly—clear all day. Mer. 70 at Night.

10. Omitted to take any Acct. but the weather was clear & warm.

11. Morning a little cloudy, but clear afterwards. Mer. at 65—at Night 74—but little wind & that Southerly.

12. Morning lowering & calm—M. 68. Wind brisk from the Eastward—Mer. 70 at Night.

13. Morning Clear except a fog and but little wind through the day. Mer. 68 in the Morning 70 at Night. Mrs. Fairfax and daughter—Miss Dennison and a Mrs. Tebbles dined here.

14. Morning clear—wind Southerly—Mer. 64–78 at Noon & 72 at Night. Clear all day.

15. Morning & throughout the day clear—Mer. 68 in the warm mid day & 76 at Night So. & then Easterly. Mr. White came to dinner.

16. Morning clear—Wind Southerly—Mer. 71. Doctr. Stuart & Doctr. Craik came to dinner. Day warm.

17. Mer. at 75 in the Morning 85 at hight & 80 at Night. Day clear—wind Southerly. Mr. White & the Doctors went away this Morning.

18. Morning cloudy—Wind Southerly & Mer. at 75. After 2 Oclock there were showers with intervals till Night, when it had the appearance of a settled rain. Mer. 75 at N.

19. Morning cloudy—wind South—Mer.  and at Night 80. Doctr. Craik came in the Morning to visit Mr. L. Lewis & stayed all day & Night.

20. Morning clear—wind Southerly—Mer. at 75. Went up to the Federal City. Dined & lodgd at Mr. Thos. Peters.

21. Great appearances to Rain & some fell about 8 Oclock A.M.—clear afterwds. Examined in company with the Comrs. some of the Lots in the vicinity of the Capital & fixed upon No. 16 in [square] 634 to build on. Dined & lodged at Mr. Laws.

   Lot 16, square 634 was on the west side of North Capitol Street between B and C streets, about the middle of the block. GW was to pay $535.71 for it in three annual installments, the first of which was paid in 1798. The construction of a double town house on the lot, which GW hoped would “promote the necessary improvements in the City,” was begun that fall (GW to the Commissioners of the District of Columbia, 27 Oct. 1798, DLC:GW; Fitzpatrick, DiariesJohn C. Fitzpatrick, ed. The Diaries of George Washington, 1748–1799. 4 vols. Boston and New York, 1925., 4:284).

22. Came home with Mr. T. Peter wife & 2 Children to Dinner. Mer. at 70 at Night and evening cool.

23. Morning clear—Wind Easterly & Mer. at 63. Lowering in the evening Mer. at 72. Mr. & Mrs. Nichols & his brother & Mrs. Swanwick dined here.

   Mrs. Swanwick is undoubtedly the widow of John Swanwick who had died the previous month. Swanwick was James B. Nickolls’s brother-in-law (John Swanwick to GW, 22 April 1789, DLC:GW).

24. Morning clear—Wind Southerly Mer. at 64. No. West afterwards.

25. Morning Mer. 60. Wind hard at No. W. all day. Mr. Geo. Steptoe Washington who came to dinner yesterday returned to day & Mr. Peter set off for New Kent. Mer. 64 at Noon and 58 at Night.

   George Steptoe Washington was now living at Harewood with his wife, Lucy Payne Washington, sister of Dolley Madison.

26. Morning—Clear—Wind at No. Wt. but little of it. Mer. at 48. Wind shifted to the Southward & blew fresh. Mer. 62 at N. Mr. Tracey came here to dinner.

27. Morning cloudy—wind fresh from So. Wt. with a scud or two of Rain in the afternoon. Mr. Jno. Herbert came to dinner and a Major Simons of Charleston in the afternn.

   major simons: Simons is Major James Simons (1761–1815) who had served under William Washington during the Revolution. Simons was appointed colonel in 1782 but preferred to call himself “major.” Simons brought a letter of introduction to GW from William Washington of South Carolina. GW returned an answer by Simons in which he urged Washington to accept a commission in the army during the diplomatic crisis with France and also asked him to recommend officers for the regimental ranks from South Carolina, Georgia, and North Carolina. “It has been said . . . that the twelve Regiments, under the Act for augmenting the force of the United States, will be proportioned among them; whereof Virginia, the two Carolinas, Georgia, Tennessee & Kentucky, will be called upon for four; & perhaps the additional Troops of Cavalry. If this plan should be adopted, I presume each of these states will be called upon for a certain part. I do not mean the authority of the State will be required to furnish them—but that, so many Men will be recruited in each, & furnish Officers in proportion thereto” (GW to William Washington, 27 Sept. 1798, DLC:GW).

28. Morning clear & cold—wind fresh from No. Wt. Mer. at 51. Wind high all day. Majr. Simons went away in the Morning & Mr. Herbert & Mr. Tracey in the Afternoon.

29. Morning & whole day clear and very cold. Mer. at Night 48.

30. Morning clear & calm—Mer. at 44. Clear all day. Went to church in Alexa. Mer. 59 at N.


Title: [Diary entry: 1 October 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

1. Morning clear, Wind Southerly and Mer. at 50. Wind in the same place all day & clear. Mer. 60 at N.


Title: [Diary entry: 2 October 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

2. Morning clear—wind at So. Et. Mer. at 55. Clear & warm all day.


Title: [Diary entry: 3 October 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

3. Day clear & warm. Wind Southerly. Mer. 65 at Night.


Title: [Diary entry: 4 October 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

4. Very thick fog in the Morng. Clear & warm afterwards—wind Southerly. Mer. 68 at Noon & 66 at Night. Mr. Jno. Herbert &

Mr. G. W. Craik dined here & returnd & Cap. Jno. Spotswood came in the evening.


Title: [Diary entry: 5 October 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

5. Clear all day. Mer. 60 in the Morning. Doctr. Thornton—Mr. Law and a Mr. Baldo a Spanish Gentleman from the Havanna came to Dinner.


Title: [Diary entry: 6 October 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

6. Morning clear—Very little Wind Mer. at 60. Clear all day. Mer. 65 at Night. Mr. Bushrod Washington & Captn. Blackburn came to dinner & Mr. Thos. Peter returned in the afternoon from New Kent.


Title: [Diary entry: 7 October 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

7. Morning Mer. 58. Wind brisk & thro’ the whole day at No. Wt. with clouds & appearances of Rain. M. 64 at Night. Mr. B. Washington & Captn. Blackburn went away after Breakft.


Title: [Diary entry: 8 October 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

8. Morning cloudy—wind at No. W. M. 58 and fresh all day.


Title: [Diary entry: 9 October 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

9. Morning a little cloudy Wind still at No. Wt. Mer. at 55. 9th.


Title: [Diary entry: 12 October 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

12. Morning lowering Wind Southerly—Mer. 62. Brisk from East afterwards & very cloudy. Mer. 64 at Night. Mr. Welch & Mr. Tracy went away in the Forenoon & Mr. Wm. Craik came to dinner.


Title: [Diary entry: 14 October 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

14. Morning very heavy & likely for rain. Wind at East—Mer. 56. Very cloudy all day but no Rain—Mer. at 56. Genl. Lee &

Captn. Thornton went away after breakfast & Mr. Booker came at Night.


Title: [Diary entry: 15 October 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

15. Very Cloudy & likely to Rain in the Morning but clear afterwards—Wind getting to No. Wt.


Title: [Diary entry: 17 October 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

17. Morning clear & calm M. at 56—very warm midday. Mr. Law—a Mr. David Barry and a Mr. Shedden came to dinner & staid the Night.


Title: [Diary entry: 18 October 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

18. Morning clear & calm Mer. 56 day very warm. Mr. Law & his Company went away after breakfast.


Title: [Diary entry: 19 October 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

19. Morning very lowering. Mists afterwards and rain at Night. Mer. 55 in the Morning. Wd. No. E.


Title: [Diary entry: 20 October 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

20. Raining by Intervals in the forenoon Wind at No. Et. & Mer. 54—afternoon clear. Mer. 54 at Night.


Title: [Diary entry: 21 October 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

21. Morning Cloudy—Wind still at No. E. Mer. at 52. Clear all day—warm & smokey. Mer. 63 at Night.


Title: [Diary entry: 22 October 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

22. Morning clear Mer. 52. Calm. Wind afterwards Southerly & in the afternoon appearances of Rain. Mer. 66 at Night.


Title: [Diary entry: 23 October 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

23. Morning very cloudy with appearances of Rain—Wind Southerly—And Mer. 62. No. W. afterwards blowing hard & turning cold.


Title: [Diary entry: 24 October 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

 24. Morning clear & calm M: 42. Light wind afterwards from No. W. Mrs. Washington—Mrs. Peake and Doctor Stuart dined here. The two first went away afterwards. M. 56 at Night.


Title: [Diary entry: 25 October 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

25. Morning clear & calm—Mer. at 58. Calm & clear all day—towards night Southerly Wind. Doctr. Stuart & Mr. Booker went away after breakfast. M. 65 at N.


Title: [Diary entry: 27 October 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

27. Morning Cloudy—Wind North East & cold. Mer. at 39 in the Morning & 40 at Night. From about 8 oclock slow Rain by Intervals.


Title: [Diary entry: 28 October 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

28. Morning clear & pleasant & continued so all day. Mer. 39 in the Morng. & 40 at Night. The Atty. Genl. U.S. Mr. Jno. Hopkins & Mr. Chs. F. Mercer dined here & returned.


Title: [Diary entry: 29 October 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

29. Morning a little cloudy M. 32. Wind No. Wt. and afterwards blew hard & cold from thence. Mr. & Mrs. Law—Mr. & Mrs. Peter and Govr. Crauford & lady all went after breakfast.


Title: [Diary entry: 30 October 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

30. Morning clear & Cold Mer. 27. Wind Southerly & fresh all day afterwards. At Night M. 37.


Title: [Diary entry: 31 October 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

31. Clear—wind shifting in the Night to the No. Wt. & blowing hard—Mer. at 30. Clear and blowing fresh all day. Doctr. Craik visited Patients at Union farm & dined here.


Title: October—1798
From: Washington, George
To:

1. Morning clear, Wind Southerly and Mer. at 50. Wind in the same place all day & clear. Mer. 60 at N.

2. Morning clear—wind at So. Et. Mer. at 55. Clear & warm all day.

3. Day clear & warm. Wind Southerly. Mer. 65 at Night.

4. Very thick fog in the Morng. Clear & warm afterwards—wind Southerly. Mer. 68 at Noon & 66 at Night. Mr. Jno. Herbert &

Mr. G. W. Craik dined here & returnd & Cap. Jno. Spotswood came in the evening.

5. Clear all day. Mer. 60 in the Morning. Doctr. Thornton—Mr. Law and a Mr. Baldo a Spanish Gentleman from the Havanna came to Dinner.

6. Morning clear—Very little Wind Mer. at 60. Clear all day. Mer. 65 at Night. Mr. Bushrod Washington & Captn. Blackburn came to dinner & Mr. Thos. Peter returned in the afternoon from New Kent.

   Bushrod Washington had, just a week earlier, been appointed by John Adams to the Supreme Court of the United States to fill the vacancy left by the death of James Wilson. The appointment was confirmed in December, and he served on the bench until his death 31 years later.

7. Morning Mer. 58. Wind brisk & thro’ the whole day at No. Wt. with clouds & appearances of Rain. M. 64 at Night. Mr. B. Washington & Captn. Blackburn went away after Breakft.

8. Morning cloudy—wind at No. W. M. 58 and fresh all day.

9. Morning a little cloudy Wind still at No. Wt. Mer. at 55. 9th.

10. and eleventh absent—in the Federal City—Weather warm & dry the whole time. Mr. Welch & Mr. Tracy came in the afternoon.

   James Welch’s visit was for the purpose of persuading GW to accept some of Welch’s other lands in place of a portion of the Elk Creek tract as security for his payment on GW’s Kanawha lands. Welch thought he had a buyer for some of the Elk Creek lands, and he needed the money to make his first payment of $5,000 due 31 Dec. for the Kanawha lands. GW was agreeable to the exchange provided the lands were of equal value (PRUSSINGEugene E. Prussing. The Estate of George Washington, Deceased. Boston, 1927., 471–72). See entries for 24 Nov. and 18 Dec. 1797.

12. Morning lowering Wind Southerly—Mer. 62. Brisk from East afterwards & very cloudy. Mer. 64 at Night. Mr. Welch & Mr. Tracy went away in the Forenoon & Mr. Wm. Craik came to dinner.

13. Morning—Misty, but not sufficiently so to lay the dust—cloudy all day. Genl. Lee, Captn. Presley Thornton & Mr. T. Peters came to dinner. Wd. Easter[ly].

14. Morning very heavy & likely for rain. Wind at East—Mer. 56. Very cloudy all day but no Rain—Mer. at 56. Genl. Lee &

Captn. Thornton went away after breakfast & Mr. Booker came at Night.

15. Very Cloudy & likely to Rain in the Morning but clear afterwards—Wind getting to No. Wt.

16. Clear & pleasant all day & very little wind. Mer. 51 in the Morning & 66 at Night. The Attorney Genl. of the United States Lee and Lady & Mr. Wm. Craik dined here & retd.

17. Morning clear & calm M. at 56—very warm midday. Mr. Law—a Mr. David Barry and a Mr. Shedden came to dinner & staid the Night.

   David Barry may be James Barry’s nephew James David Barry.

   mr. shedden: Robert Shedden (1741–1826), a native of Scotland, immigrated to America at the age of 18, settling in Portsmouth, Va. In 1767 he married Agatha Wells Goodrich, daughter of John Goodrich who was, like Shedden, loyal to the British. Shedden’s illegal trade with British merchants brought about his arrest and the seizure of his property in 1776. Upon release he fled first to Bermuda, then to New York, and finally to London when the British evacuated in 1783. There he raised four sons and prospered at the head of a successful commercial house. Shedden’s affairs in Virginia were still unresolved as late as 1789. He or one of his sons may have returned to America to settle old debts and establish new commercial ties, not an uncommon practice among displaced merchants.

18. Morning clear & calm Mer. 56 day very warm. Mr. Law & his Company went away after breakfast.

19. Morning very lowering. Mists afterwards and rain at Night. Mer. 55 in the Morning. Wd. No. E.

20. Raining by Intervals in the forenoon Wind at No. Et. & Mer. 54—afternoon clear. Mer. 54 at Night.

21. Morning Cloudy—Wind still at No. E. Mer. at 52. Clear all day—warm & smokey. Mer. 63 at Night.

22. Morning clear Mer. 52. Calm. Wind afterwards Southerly & in the afternoon appearances of Rain. Mer. 66 at Night.

23. Morning very cloudy with appearances of Rain—Wind Southerly—And Mer. 62. No. W. afterwards blowing hard & turning cold.

24. Morning clear & calm M: 42. Light wind afterwards from No. W. Mrs. Washington—Mrs. Peake and Doctor Stuart dined here. The two first went away afterwards. M. 56 at Night.

25. Morning clear & calm—Mer. at 58. Calm & clear all day—towards night Southerly Wind. Doctr. Stuart & Mr. Booker went away after breakfast. M. 65 at N.

26. Morning clear & calm—Mer. 54. Very clear & pleasant all day. Mr. & Mrs. Law, with Govr. Crawford (late of Burmuda) & Lady came to dinner.

   James Craufurd was governor of Bermuda from 1794 to 1796, after which he left Bermuda for New York, where he met and married Alice Swift Livingston (1751–1816), widow of Robert Cambridge Livingston.

27. Morning Cloudy—Wind North East & cold. Mer. at 39 in the Morning & 40 at Night. From about 8 oclock slow Rain by Intervals.

28. Morning clear & pleasant & continued so all day. Mer. 39 in the Morng. & 40 at Night. The Atty. Genl. U.S. Mr. Jno. Hopkins & Mr. Chs. F. Mercer dined here & returned.

   Charles Fenton Mercer (1778–1858), younger son of James Mercer (1736–1793), graduated from Princeton in 1797 and eventually settled at Aldie in Loudoun County. Mercer, who had a distinguished political career, later became the first president of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Company after it succeeded the Potowmack Company in the 1820s.

29. Morning a little cloudy M. 32. Wind No. Wt. and afterwards blew hard & cold from thence. Mr. & Mrs. Law—Mr. & Mrs. Peter and Govr. Crauford & lady all went after breakfast.

30. Morning clear & Cold Mer. 27. Wind Southerly & fresh all day afterwards. At Night M. 37.

31. Clear—wind shifting in the Night to the No. Wt. & blowing hard—Mer. at 30. Clear and blowing fresh all day. Doctr. Craik visited Patients at Union farm & dined here.


Title: [Diary entry: 1 November 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

1. Morning—Wind Easterly & lowering Mer. at 30. About 8 Oclock it began to snow but soon changed to rain & contd. a slow rain all day. Mer. 30 at Night.


Title: [Diary entry: 2 November 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

 2. Morng. Clear, calm & pleast. Mer. 34. Wind afterwards North Easterly. Mr. Law Mr. Hasler of Demarara & Lady came to dinner.


Title: [Diary entry: 3 November 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

3. Morning very heavy—Wind in the same place and M. 35.


Title: [Diary entry: 4 November 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

4. Clear—but cool. Mr. Fitzhugh Mr. David Randolph & Mr. Alexr. White came to dinner, & the two first went away afterwards. Mr. Hasler & Lady went away after breakfast & Mrs. Law came at Night.


Title: [Diary entry: 5 November 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

5. Mr. White went away before breakfast. I set out on a journey to Phila. about 9 Oclock with Mr. Lear my Secretary—was met at the Turnpike by a party of horse & escorted to the Ferry at George Town where I was recd. with Military honors. Lodged at Mr. T. Peters.


Title: [Diary entry: 7 November 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

7. Breakfasted at Baltimore—dined at Websters, & lodged at Hartford. Met at Spurriers by the Baltimore horse & escorted in and out by the same. Viewed a Brigade of Militia at Balte.


Title: [Diary entry: 8 November 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

 8. Breakfasted at Susquehanna escorted by the Hartford horse. Dined at Elkton and lodged at Christiana bridge.


Title: [Diary entry: 10 November 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

10. With this Escort I arrived in the City about 9 Oclock & was recd. by Genl. McPhersons Blues & was escorted to my lodgings in 8th. Street (Mrs. Whites) by them & the Horse.


Title: [Diary entry: 11 November 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

11, 12, & 13. Dined at my Lodgings receiving many Visits. Weather clear & pleasant.


Title: [Diary entry: 15 November 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

15. Dined at Mr. Tench Francis’s. Rain at Night.


Title: [Diary entry: 16 November 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

16. Dined at the Secrety. of the Treay.


Title: [Diary entry: 17 November 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

17. Do. at Mr. Willings.


Title: [Diary entry: 19 November 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

19. Do. at Doctr. Whites—Bishop. Raining.


Title: [Diary entry: 20 November 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

20. Dined at the Secretary of Wars. Violent Snow Storm from No. Et.


Title: [Diary entry: 23 November 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

23. Ditto at Mr. Saml. Meridiths. Treasurer.


Title: [Diary entry: 24 November 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

24. Ditto at the Secretary of States.


Title: [Diary entry: 25 November 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

25. Ditto at my Lodgings.


Title: [Diary entry: 26 November 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

26. Dined at the Presidents of the U. States.


Title: [Diary entry: 27 November 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

27. Dined in a family with Mr. Morris.


Title: [Diary entry: 28 November 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

28. Dined with Judge Peters.


Title: [Diary entry: 29 November 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

29. Do. with the British Minister.


Title: [Diary entry: 30 November 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

30. Do. with the Govr. of the State. Govr. Mifflin.


Title: November 1798
From: Washington, George
To:

1. Morning—Wind Easterly & lowering Mer. at 30. About 8 Oclock it began to snow but soon changed to rain & contd. a slow rain all day. Mer. 30 at Night.

2. Morng. Clear, calm & pleast. Mer. 34. Wind afterwards North Easterly. Mr. Law Mr. Hasler of Demarara & Lady came to dinner.

3. Morning very heavy—Wind in the same place and M. 35.

4. Clear—but cool. Mr. Fitzhugh Mr. David Randolph & Mr. Alexr. White came to dinner, & the two first went away afterwards. Mr. Hasler & Lady went away after breakfast & Mrs. Law came at Night.

5. Mr. White went away before breakfast. I set out on a journey to Phila. about 9 Oclock with Mr. Lear my Secretary—was met at the Turnpike by a party of horse & escorted to the Ferry at George Town where I was recd. with Military honors. Lodged at Mr. T. Peters.

   GW was going to Philadelphia to make plans for the provisional army then being raised in case of an invasion by the French. The “military honors” began as he entered Alexandria where, at about 11 o’clock, “his Excellency Lieutenant-General George Washington, accompanied by his Secretary Colonel Lear . . . was met at West End and escorted into town by Colonel Fitzgerald’s and Captain Young’s troops of cavalry, and the company of Alexandria blues. . . . When the General alighted at Gadsby’s tavern, the blues fired a continental salute of 16 rounds. The troops of horse escorted the General to the ferry at George Town where . . . five gentlemen of George Town, in uniform, received him into a yawl and passed the river while the infantry and artillery on the Maryland side, by several discharges, honoured their illustrious chief. The George Town troop of horse and the other military companies then escorted him into the city of Washington and after firing a number of rounds, they and the whole assemblage of spectators retired” (Claypoole’s American Daily Adv. [Philadelphia], 10 Nov. 1798).

6. Breakfasted at Bladensburgh—dined & lodged at Spurriers. Escorted by horse.

7. Breakfasted at Baltimore—dined at Websters, & lodged at Hartford. Met at Spurriers by the Baltimore horse & escorted in and out by the same. Viewed a Brigade of Militia at Balte.

   “This morning arrived in town, the Chief who unites all hearts. He left Spurrier’s pretty early, and lighted at Bryden’s about 8 o’clock, escorted in by captains Hollingsworth’s and Bentalou’s troops, who went out last evening for that purpose. About 10 [o’clock], the 5th and 17th regiments (as many as from the shortness of the notice could get ready,) had the gratification of being reviewed by him, in Market street, much to the satisfaction of a large concourse of spectators, who thronged around him . . . the City Company . . . made open ranks for him to pass through as he came out to review the troops” (Claypoole’s American Daily Adv. [Philadelphia], 10 Nov. 1798).

8. Breakfasted at Susquehanna escorted by the Hartford horse. Dined at Elkton and lodged at Christiana bridge.

   hartford horse: A cavalry unit from Harford County, Md.

9. Breakfasted in Wilmington & dined & lodged at Chester—waitg. at the latter the return of an Exps. At this place was met by sevl. Troops of Phila. horse.

10. With this Escort I arrived in the City about 9 Oclock & was recd. by Genl. McPhersons Blues & was escorted to my lodgings in 8th. Street (Mrs. Whites) by them & the Horse.

   “November 12. Lieutenant General Washington, Commander in Chief of the Armies of the United States, arrived here on Saturday morning last, escorted by the different troops of horse—and, notwithstanding the short notice which had been given the Blues, almost the whole of that corps, with an alacrity which does them honor, were drawn up on the commons, to receive their beloved General. On his arrival, the cavalry and infantry were drawn up, and the General . . . passed in review down their front . . . the procession then moved from the commons, the General accompanied by his secretary Mr. Lear, in the centre of the cavalry. On his arrival at his lodgings in Eighth-street, he was saluted by the acclamations of the citizens who had collected once more to behold their Chief. The General was dressed in his uniform” (Claypoole’s American Daily Adv. [Philadelphia], 12 Nov. 1798). macphersons blues: William Macpherson’s battalion, largely Federalist in its composition, had been reorganized and enlarged in June 1798 to include units of cavalry, infantry, and artillery. lodgings in 8th. street: Mrs. Rosannah White, a widow, kept a boardinghouse at 9 North Eighth Street.

11, 12, & 13. Dined at my Lodgings receiving many Visits. Weather clear & pleasant.

14. Dined at Majr. Jacksons.

15. Dined at Mr. Tench Francis’s. Rain at Night.

16. Dined at the Secrety. of the Treay.

   Oliver Wolcott, Jr., of Connecticut, was appointed by GW in 1795 to succeed Alexander Hamilton as secretary of the treasury. He served through most of John Adam’s presidency, finally resigning late in 1800.

17. Do. at Mr. Willings.

18. Do. at my lodgings. Weather cloudy & heavy.

19. Do. at Doctr. Whites—Bishop. Raining.

20. Dined at the Secretary of Wars. Violent Snow Storm from No. Et.

21. Dined at Majr. Reeds—Senator’s.

   Jacob Read (1752–1816) was a Federalist United States senator from South Carolina for one term (1795–1801).

22. Dined at Mr. Binghams.

23. Ditto at Mr. Saml. Meridiths. Treasurer.

24. Ditto at the Secretary of States.

   Timothy Pickering, a leading Massachusetts Federalist, was appointed by GW as secretary of state in 1795. Reappointed by Pres. John Adams in 1797, he continued in that office until dismissed by Adams in May 1800.

25. Ditto at my Lodgings.

26. Dined at the Presidents of the U. States.

27. Dined in a family with Mr. Morris.

   Robert Morris was at this time confined to the Prune Street Prison, the section of the Walnut Street Prison used for debtors. Morris had overextended himself in land speculation so that with the financial problems caused by the war in Europe he could not meet taxes on his lands or interest on loans. He was to remain in prison until 1801, when he obtained his release under the federal bankruptcy law.

28. Dined with Judge Peters.

29. Do. with the British Minister.

30. Do. with the Govr. of the State. Govr. Mifflin.


Title: [Diary entry: 13 December 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

13. I dined at my lodgings.


Title: [Diary entry: 14 December 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

14. After dinner set out on my journey home. Reached Chester.


Title: [Diary entry: 15 December 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

 15. Breakfasted at Wilmington bated at Christiana and dined and lodged at Elkton.


Title: [Diary entry: 16 December 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

16. Set out after a very early breakfast; and was detained at Susquehanna from 10 Oclock until the next morning, partly by Ice and Winds but principally by the Lowness of the tides occasioned by the No. Westerly Winds.


Title: [Diary entry: 17 December 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

17. Breakfasted at Barneys—bated at Hartford. Dined at Websters and lodged at Baltimore.


Title: [Diary entry: 19 December 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

19. Stopped at Doctr. Thorntons and Mr. Peter’s & dined at home. Snow having fallen about 3 Inches deep in the Night.


Title: [Diary entry: 20 December 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

20. Appearances of more Snow but none fell. Wind at No. W.


Title: [Diary entry: 22 December 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

22. Snowing the whole day, without much wind, Snow 8 or 10 Inches deep.


Title: [Diary entry: 23 December 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

23. Clear—wind at No. West. Mercury at 20 in the Morning.


Title: [Diary entry: 24 December 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

24th. Clear all day with the Wind fresh from No. Wt. & Snow driving. Mer. 25. Doctr. Craik came to D. & Judge Cushing & lady in the afternoon—as did a Mr. Dinsmoor Agent in the Cherokee Country on his way to Philadelphia—with a Mr. .


Title: [Diary entry: 25 December 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

25. Perfectly clear, Calm & pleasant in the Morning—Mer. at 18. Genl. Pinckney, Lady & daughter came to dinner—and Captain Jno. Spotswood in the afternoon.


Title: [Diary entry: 26 December 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

26. Clear & not much wind. Mer. at 14 in the Morng.


Title: [Diary entry: 28 December 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

28. Clear morning but a little lowering afterwards. Mer. at 29 in the Morng. & thawing afterwards. Genl. Pinckney—Lady & daughter left this after breakfast.


Title: [Diary entry: 29 December 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

29. Rain in the Night—a thick fog, & thawing in the morning—Mer. at 34. In the afternoon wind high from the No. Wt.


Title: [Diary entry: 31 December 1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

31. Calm & pleasant—thawing. Mer. higher than yesterday.


Title: December [1798]
From: Washington, George
To:

1. Dined with Mr. Rawle.

2. Ditto with Bingham. From hence until my leaving the City on the

13. I dined at my lodgings.

14. After dinner set out on my journey home. Reached Chester.

15. Breakfasted at Wilmington bated at Christiana and dined and lodged at Elkton.

16. Set out after a very early breakfast; and was detained at Susquehanna from 10 Oclock until the next morning, partly by Ice and Winds but principally by the Lowness of the tides occasioned by the No. Westerly Winds.

17. Breakfasted at Barneys—bated at Hartford. Dined at Websters and lodged at Baltimore.

18. Breakfasted at Spurriers—dined at Rhodes’s—and lodged at Mr. Laws in the Federal City.

   rhodes’s: Rhodes tavern was a three-story building about six miles north of Bladensburg near the present town of Beltsville (W.P.A. [2]W.P.A. Writers’ Project. Maryland: A Guide to the Old Line State. American Guide Series. New York, 1940., 311).

19. Stopped at Doctr. Thorntons and Mr. Peter’s & dined at home. Snow having fallen about 3 Inches deep in the Night.

20. Appearances of more Snow but none fell. Wind at No. W.

21. Clear & pleasant, with but little wind—that at No. Wt.

22. Snowing the whole day, without much wind, Snow 8 or 10 Inches deep.

23. Clear—wind at No. West. Mercury at 20 in the Morning.

24th. Clear all day with the Wind fresh from No. Wt. & Snow driving. Mer. 25. Doctr. Craik came to D. & Judge Cushing & lady in the afternoon—as did a Mr. Dinsmoor Agent in the Cherokee Country on his way to Philadelphia—with a Mr. .

   Silas Dinsmoor (Dinsmore), son of John and Martha McKeen Dinsmoor of Londonderry, N.H., graduated from Dartmouth College in 1791. In 1794 he received an appointment as lieutenant in the United States Army Corps of Engineers and Artillery but resigned after only a few weeks (NOYESHarriette Eliza Noyes. A Memorial History of Hampstead, New Hampshire, vol. 2. Congregational Church, 1752-1902. Boston, 1903., 421; EXECUTIVE JOURNALJournal of the Executive Proceedings of the Senate of the United States of America: From the commencement of the First, to the termination of the Nineteenth Congress. Vol. 1. Washington, D.C., 1828., 1:159–60; CARTER [4]Clarence Edwin Carter et al., eds. The Territorial Papers of the United States. 27 vols. Washington, D.C., 1934–69., 4:362n). Late in 1794 Dinsmoor was sent as an agent to reside among the Cherokee Nation to keep the peace. In 1805 he was one of the United States commissioners who signed treaties with the Chickasaws and Choctaws (ASP, Indian Affairs,Walter Lowrie et al., eds. American State Papers. Documents, Legislative and Executive, of the Congress of the United States. 38 vols. Washington, D.C., Gales and Seaton, 1832–61. 1:531–32, 639–40, 697, 749).

25. Perfectly clear, Calm & pleasant in the Morning—Mer. at 18. Genl. Pinckney, Lady & daughter came to dinner—and Captain Jno. Spotswood in the afternoon.

   genl. pinckney, lady & daughter: Charles Cotesworth Pinckney in July had been appointed a major general in the army, ranking just below GW and Alexander Hamilton. The daughter accompanying Pinckney and his wife was Eliza, the youngest of Pinckney’s three daughters.

26. Clear & not much wind. Mer. at 14 in the Morng.

27. Clear morning, but spitting of Snow in the Evening little however fell. Mer. at 25 in the Morning. The following Gentlemen dined here the 27th. viz. Messrs. Wm. Fitzhugh—Wm. Herbert Potts—Wilson—Doctr. Craik & son Geo: Washington Craik, Heath & Doctr. Greenhow of Richmond.

   Mr. Heath is possibly John Heath (1758-1810), son of Capt. John Heath (d. 1783) of Northumberland County. The younger Heath was a member of the Virginia General Assembly in 1782 and 1784–85, first president of Phi Beta Kappa after its founding at the College of William and Mary in 1776, and a member of Congress from 1793 to 1797. He was living in Richmond about this time. In 1803 he married Sarah Ewell, niece of Mrs. James Craik.

   Dr. Greenhow is young James Greenhow who had graduated from the University of Edinburgh the previous year.

28. Clear morning but a little lowering afterwards. Mer. at 29 in the Morng. & thawing afterwards. Genl. Pinckney—Lady & daughter left this after breakfast.

29. Rain in the Night—a thick fog, & thawing in the morning—Mer. at 34. In the afternoon wind high from the No. Wt.

30. In the morning wind very high from the same point. Mer. at 30—in the eveng. at 35. Calm & pleasant afternoon.

31. Calm & pleasant—thawing. Mer. higher than yesterday.


Title: [Diary entry: 1 January 1799]
From: Washington, George
To:

Jany. 1. Raining Slowly until the Afternoon when it cleared. Wind southerly. Mer. 38. Ih.


Title: [Diary entry: 2 January 1799]
From: Washington, George
To:

2. Clear. Wind at No. Wt. but moderate. Mer. at 30—W—little Kx.


Title: [Diary entry: 3 January 1799]
From: Washington, George
To:

3. Cold. A little Snow fell. Mer. 28.


Title: [Diary entry: 5 January 1799]
From: Washington, George
To:

5. Extreme cold. Mer. at 10. Wind at No. Wt. and in the Night a considerable fall of Snow.


Title: [Diary entry: 8 January 1799]
From: Washington, George
To:

8. Clear in the forenoon but lowering afterwards. Raining in the Night but Not much. Mer. at 16.—Gr.—Wind Southerly.


Title: [Diary entry: 9 January 1799]
From: Washington, George
To:

9. Cloudy Morning but clear afterwards. Wind Southerly. Mer. at 30.


Title: [Diary entry: 11 January 1799]
From: Washington, George
To:

11. Very heavy fog but little wind and that Southerly. Clear after the fog went off & very warm. Quite a Spring day—Petr. A—dined at Doctr. Thorntons.


Title: [Diary entry: 12 January 1799]
From: Washington, George
To:

12. Heavy fog. Nearly calm. Clear after morning & warm Sun. Returned home to dinner. Snow all gone.


Title: [Diary entry: 14 January 1799]
From: Washington, George
To:

14. Heavy Morning but No Rain & but little wind. Mer. at 38. Foggy & thick through the day.


Title: [Diary entry: 16 January 1799]
From: Washington, George
To:

16. Clear. Mer. 38. Wind at No. W. in the Morning but moderate calm and exceedingly pleasant afterwards.


Title: [Diary entry: 17 January 1799]
From: Washington, George
To:

17. Clear & calm in the Morning & a white frost. Mer. 30 in the Morning & 40 at Night. Clear all day with very little wind—that Easterly.


Title: [Diary entry: 18 January 1799]
From: Washington, George
To:

18. Heavy morning (a fog). Little or no Wind & that Southeasterly. Afternoon clear. Mer. 36.


Title: [Diary entry: 19 January 1799]
From: Washington, George
To:

19. Morning misting—afterwards Slow rain at Intervals. Wind what there was of it in the same quarter. Nelly Custis accompanied by Doctr. & Mrs. Stuart and their three daughters came to Dinner. Mer. 36.


Title: [Diary entry: 21 January 1799]
From: Washington, George
To:

21. Morning clear. Mer. at 32. Wind hard & cold from the No. Wt. till Noon, when it moderated. Went up to Court, and to an Election of Bank Directors in Alexandria—was chosen Guardian by Miss Eleanor Parke Custis & gave in my Suffrage for Directors. Dined at Mr. Fitzhughs.


Title: [Diary entry: 22 January 1799]
From: Washington, George
To:

22. Clear morning. Mer. at 30. Wind from the Southward. Lowering afternoon & likely for rain. Turning Warm.


Title: [Diary entry: 25 January 1799]
From: Washington, George
To:

25. Mer. at 28; with a very heavy Sleet. Thick heavy day throughout. Sleet continuing. No wind but an air from the No. Et. Doctr. Stuart & family & Mr. Bushd. Washn. went away after breakfast.


Title: [Diary entry: 26 January 1799]
From: Washington, George
To:

26. Mer. at 30. Sleet increased & weather very thick & foggy all day.


Title: [Diary entry: 27 January 1799]
From: Washington, George
To:

27. Mer. at 36 in the Morning. Cloudy all day with the Wind at No. Wt. & turning cold.


Title: [Diary entry: 28 January 1799]
From: Washington, George
To:

28. Morning clear. Mer. at 26 and wind at No. Wt. where it remained all day but not hard tho’ cold. Mer. 26 at Night.


Title: [Diary entry: 30 January 1799]
From: Washington, George
To:

30. Mer. at 29. Morning clear. Wind southerly and a remarkable large hoarfrost. Remained at So. all day & fresh. Mer. 44 at Night.


Title: [Diary entry: 31 January 1799]
From: Washington, George
To:

31. Clear Morning. Mer. at 33 and wind at No. Wt. Afterwards calm & remarkably pleasant.